Blur star Damon Albarn apologises 'unconditionally' to Taylor Swift after songwriting spat

express.co.uk:

After former Blur frontman Damon Albarn told an interviewer that Taylor Swift “doesn’t write her own songs”, it sparked a row over social media.The 32-year-old songstress hit back that she does in fact write “all of her own songs”, which then prompted Damon to apologise.In an interview with the LA Times Damon, 53, was told: “She may not be to your taste, but Taylor Swift is an excellent songwriter.”In response, he simply said: “She doesn’t write her own songs.”After the interviewer pressed him on the issue, telling him that she “does” write her own songs and “co-writes” some of them, he gave a surprising retort.

He said: “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.”He then went on to compare Taylor to pop artist Billie Eilish, whose brother Finneas co-writes her songs with her. “A really interesting songwriter is Billie Eilish and her brother.