Jack Antonoff addressed rumors of a falling-out with Taylor Swift during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show. He explained that his absence from her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, did not bother him. Both artists highlighted their close friendship and unique songwriting collaboration.
Jack Antonoff visited The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday ahead of his band Bleachers' fifth studio album, Everyone for Ten Minutes. There, he discussed his long-standing partnership with Taylor Swift, which began before her 1989 album and continued through The Tortured Poets Department and her re-recorded Fearless. Antonoff clarified that he felt no issue about not contributing to Swift's 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, despite online speculation of tension between them. 'I only feel grateful for the work that has happened,' he said. He added, 'I understand that need to have different collaborators and jump around.' Antonoff described their friendship as 'very deep' and detailed their 'rant bridge' songwriting technique, where a bridge allows raw emotional release after poetic verses. 'You just crash the fuck out,' he explained, noting how they encourage each other in this process. On the same day, Swift spoke in a New York Times Magazine video interview, calling Antonoff 'a collaborator of mine and one of my best friends.' She elaborated on the 'rant bridge' as a 'stream-of-consciousness, endless pouring-out of emotion,' citing examples like 'Out of the Woods' from 2014, 'Cruel Summer' from 2019, and 'Is It Over Now?' from 2023. Swift also shared how a car ride with her fiancé, Travis Kelce, inspired the song 'Elizabeth Taylor' on The Life of a Showgirl. While explaining her admiration for Elizabeth Taylor's violet eyes, an intrusive melody emerged: 'I cry my eyes violet, Elizabeth Taylor.' She noted such moments of inspiration are common in her process.