Damon Albarn says he's been "cast into the social media abyss" after Taylor Swift comments

26 January 2022, 14:55 | Updated: 26 January 2022, 16:39

The Blur frontman has spoken out about the furore surrounding his comments about Taylor Swift and whether she was a songwriter.

Damon Albarn believes he's been "cast into the social media abyss" since making comments about Taylor Swift.

The Blur frontman and Gorillaz co-creator incurred the wrath of the singer-songwriter and her fans by downplaying her songwriting ability in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times.

Now, he's since addressed the controversial interview while on stage at the Walt Disney Concert Hall this week, where he told the crowd ahead of performing Song 2, that journalist Mikael Wood had asked him to play the Blur hit "before he cast me into the social media abyss".

The 53-year-old artist added: "You can judge for yourself. I think I’m becoming old-fashioned.”

READ MORE: Taylor Swift slams Damon Albarn over "co-writing" comments

When the interview cited Taylor Swift as an "excellent songwriter," in his LA Times interview, Albarn replied: "She doesn’t write her own songs."

When he countered that Swift co-writes some of her tracks, the Albern added: "That doesn’t count. I know what co-writing is. Co-writing is very different to writing. I’m not hating on anybody, I’m just saying there’s a big difference between a songwriter and a songwriter who co-writes.

"Doesn’t mean that the outcome can’t be really great. And some of the greatest singers — I mean, Ella Fitzgerald never wrote a song in her life. When I sing, I have to close my eyes and just be in there. I suppose I’m a traditionalist in that sense. A really interesting songwriter is Billie Eilish and her brother. I’m more attracted to that than to Taylor Swift. It’s just darker — less endlessly upbeat. Way more minor and odd. I think she’s exceptional."

Taylor Swift didn't take kindly to the remarks and wrote on Twitter: "I was such a big fan of yours until I saw this. I write ALL of my own songs. Your hot take is completely false and SO damaging. You don’t have to like my songs but it’s really fucked up to try and discredit my writing. WOW."

She added: "PS I wrote this tweet all by myself in case you were wondering".

READ MORE: Damon Albarn was put off a career in politics after meeting Tony Blair

Damon Albarn quickly distanced himself from the statements and suggested it was "clickbait". Replying to Swift's tweet he commented: "I totally agree with you. i had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand. - Damon".

Albarn may have apologised quickly, but fans weren't having it. Even Swift's co-writer and collaborator waded in to defend his pal, writing: "i’ve never met damon albarn and he’s never been to my studio but apparently he knows more than the rest of us about all those songs taylor writes and brings in. herb."

READ MORE: Damon Albarn severed his finger while making pesto