This is how the collaboration with The National came about

Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner – The Eras Tour – Raymond James Stadium – Tampa – APR 2023 – GETTY BangShowbiz

Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner – The Eras Tour – Raymond James Stadium – Tampa – April 2023 – GETTY

Bang Showbiz | November 30, 2024, 10:00 a.m

Founding member Aaron Dessner reveals the background to the song ‘The Alcott’ with Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift wanted to work on The National’s “weirdest” song.
The pop singer became friends with the indie rock band back in 2014. Founding member Aaron Dessner produced their 2020 albums “Folklore” and “Evermore,” with the band appearing on the track “Coney Island.” Taylor returned the favor with a collaboration on the track ‘The Alcott’, featured on The National’s ‘First Two Pages of Frankenstein’.

Speaking to ‘MOJO’ magazine, Aaron revealed about the collaboration: “She was a big fan and I think that’s one of the reasons why it worked out so well for us. It felt very natural. Despite being a huge pop star, she’s really just someone who makes incredible songs in different styles and ways. They said, ‘Send me the weirdest thing,’ and hearing that dialogue with Matt (Berninger, frontman) was really powerful.”

Matt usually writes a lot with his wife Carin Besser, but he thinks Taylor has followed in her footsteps well. “(Taylor) wrote everything she sings on ‘The Alcott’ and it was incredible,” he reveals. “They brought the other voice’s perspective into the conversation.” She may have empathized with Carin, because we talked to her at one point about how she and I managed to be spouses and creative partners. Because that’s difficult.”