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Taylor Swift Gushes Over Her 1st Song With Jack Antonoff on October 29, 2023 at 7:55 pm Us Weekly
Taylor Swift has had plenty of collaborators over the years, but none of them have stuck quite like Jack Antonoff.
Since their 2012 meeting, the pair have worked together on 10 albums and a few one-off singles — and became best friends in the process. “Sometimes he sits at the piano and we both just start ad-libbing and the song seems to create itself,” Swift told The New York Times in May 2017. “His excitement and exuberance about writing songs is contagious. He’s an absolute joy. That’s why everyone loves him. I personally wouldn’t trust someone who didn’t.”
The feeling is mutual, with Antonoff describing Swift as a trailblazer. “I’ve seen her change the music industry first-hand,” the Bleachers artist told NME in July 2021. “She’s amazing for being a champion, and making things better for the generations to come. She has a long history of rightly exposing some real darkness in the music industry. And I’m personally thankful for it, outside of our friendship and working relationship, just as an artist.”
Their connection outside of music runs deep too — Antonoff was by Swift’s side after her April 2023 split from Joe Alywn, and Swift was on hand when Antonoff wed Margaret Qualley in August 2023.
Keep scrolling for the complete timeline of Swift and Antonoff’s friendship:
November 2012
Swift and Antonoff first crossed paths at the MTV Europe Music Awards, where they reportedly bonded over their mutual love of the U.K. band Yazoo’s 1982 hit “Only You.” One month later, they saw each other again at the Grammys nomination concert.
Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift at the MTV EMAs 2012. Dave Hogan/MTV 2012/Getty Images for MTV
October 2013
The duo released their first official collaboration: Swift’s single “Sweeter Than Fiction” from the One Chance soundtrack.
October 2014
Swift released her fifth studio album, 1989. Antonoff produced the songs “Out of the Woods,” “I Wish You Would” and “You Are in Love.” In an Instagram post, Antonoff revealed that his favorite moment of “Out of the Woods” comes at the 2:28 mark. “Will one day write an essay on the different production I used on the song + how much working with taylor on it has meant to me,” he wrote at the time. “She’s a wonderful artist.”
May 2015
Swift revealed that “You Are in Love” — particularly the line “you’re my best friend” — was inspired by Antonoff’s relationship with then-girlfriend Lena Dunham. “I’ve never had that [in a relationship], so I wrote that song about things that Lena has told me about her and Jack,” Swift told Elle. “That’s just basically stuff she’s told me. And I think that that kind of relationship — God, it sounds like it would just be so beautiful — would also be hard. It would also be mundane at times.” (Antonoff and Dunham split in 2018 after five years together.)
February 2016
The twosome celebrated after 1989 won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. “We wrote and worked on 1989 in the tiniest spaces,” Antonoff wrote via Instagram after the ceremony, alongside a photo of Swift giving him an emotional hug. “A lot of time over voice notes and email — it really encourages me that those small dream like ideas between friends can become album of the year. winning a grammy for records you make the same way you did when u were a kid is important to me.”
Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift attend the 58th Grammy Awards on February 15, 2016. Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS
November 2017
Swift released her sixth studio album, Reputation, which featured production from Antonoff on the tracks “Look What You Made Me Do,” “Getaway Car,” “Dress,” “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” “Call It What You Want” and “New Year’s Day.”
August 2019
Swift and Antonoff collaborated again on her seventh studio album, Lover, which was her first release after her departure from Big Machine Records. Antonoff produced 11 songs on the LP, including “Cruel Summer,” “The Archer,” “Cornelia Street” and the title track.
July 2020
Swift surprised the world — then hunkered down amid the coronavirus pandemic — with her eighth studio album, Folklore. While the album featured production from new collaborator Aaron Dessner of The National, Antonoff worked on seven tracks, including “Betty” and “August.”
Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner and Taylor Swift pose onstage for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards broadcast on March 14, 2021. TAS Rights Management 2021 via Getty Images
November 2020
Antonoff starred alongside Swift in the Disney+ special Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, which was about the making of the album.
December 2020
Swift dropped her second surprise album of the year, Evermore, which again featured production and writing by Antonoff. (He’s credited on “Gold Rush” and “Ivy.”)
March 2021
Folklore won Album of the Year at the Grammys, making Swift the first woman to win that award three times (she also won for Fearless in 2010). “And @taylorswift, from 1989 to here … goddamn. you are the one who let me produce records first,” Antonoff wrote via Instagram after the ceremony. “Before you i just ‘wasn’t a producer’ according to the herbs. i just wasnt let in that room. then i met you, we made out of the woods and you said, ‘that’s the version’ and that changed my life right there.”
Laura Sisk, Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner and Jonathan Low, winners of the Album of the Year award for ‘Folklore,’ pose in the media room during the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards on March 14, 2021. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
April 2021
Swift released Fearless (Taylor’s Version), her first rerecorded album from her Big Machine years. Antonoff produced some of the “From the Vault” tracks, including “Mr. Perfectly Fine” and “That’s When.”
September 2021
Swift posted a TikTok video with Antonoff nodding to their collaboration on “August” from Folklore. “Looks like we ran out of august,” she joked in her caption for the clip, which showed the duo sipping wine on a boat.
Looks like we ran out of august #august #folklore
November 2021
Swift dropped her second rerecorded album, Red (Taylor’s Version), which once again featured Antonoff production on the “From the Vault” tracks — including “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).” After the album’s release, Antonoff gushed in an Instagram post that he is “endlessly inspired” by Swift. “Nothing better than taylor … the artist and the person,” he added.
February 2022
Antonoff defended Swift after Blur frontman Damon Albarn claimed that she doesn’t write her own songs. “I don’t care if Damon Albarn or anyone likes or doesn’t like something,” he said during an interview on “The What” podcast. “But to unequivocally make a statement that isn’t true, that you actually have no idea about, and not to get too deep on it? Isn’t that kind of everything that’s wrong with our world at the moment? People talking about s–t that they have no clue about?”
May 2022
Antonoff credited Swift with kick-starting his career as a producer. “I’d been trying to produce for a while, but there was always some industry herb going, ‘That’s cute, but that’s not your lane,’” he told The New Yorker. “Taylor was the first person with the stature to go, ‘I like the way this sounds, I’m putting it on my album’ — and then, suddenly, I was allowed to be a producer.” (In addition to working with Swift, Antonoff has produced music with Lorde, St. Vincent, Lana Del Rey, The Chicks and Florence + The Machine.)
October 2022
Swift released her 10th studio album, Midnights, which featured Antonoff’s production on every track. Antonoff also made a cameo in the “Bejeweled” music video. “Midnights is a wild ride of an album and I couldn’t be happier that my co pilot on this adventure was @jackantonoff,” Swift wrote via Instagram after the album’s release. “He’s my friend for life (presumptuous I know but I stand by it) and we’ve been making music together for nearly a decade HOWEVER … this is our first album we’ve done with just the two of us as main collaborators.”
February 2023
The pals hung out at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, where Antonoff took home the trophy for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift at the 2023 Grammys. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
May 2023
Antonoff was a special guest during one of Swift’s New Jersey stops on the Eras Tour. The duo teamed up for an acoustic performance of “Getaway Car” during the surprise song portion of the set.
June 2023
Swift was spotted leaving a recording session with Antonoff at NYC’s Electric Lady Studios between dates on her Eras Tour.
July 2023
Swift released the rerecorded edition of Speak Now, which featured three “From the Vault” tracks produced by Antonoff: “Castles Crumbling,” “I Can See You” and “Timeless.”
August 2023
Swift attended Antonoff’s New Jersey wedding to Qualley and reportedly roasted the newlyweds during a 15-minute toast. That same month, Antonoff reposted a meme about Scooter Braun parting ways with many of his management clients. (Swift decided to rerecord her albums after Braun sold her masters.)
September 2023
Swift gave Antonoff a shout-out during one of her acceptance speeches at the MTV Music Video Awards, calling him one of her “best friends in the world.” She added: “He’s so talented it’s incomprehensible. And I’m so lucky I’ve been making music with him since we worked on an album called 1989. We’ll continue working together till 2089.”
October 2023
Swift released her fourth rerecorded album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which included five “From the Vault” tracks — all of which Antonoff produced. One special edition of the LP on vinyl included “Sweeter than Fiction,” Swift and Antonoff’s first collaboration. The song was originally recorded for the 2013 movie One Chance.
“There you’ll stand ten feet tall, I will say ‘I knew it all along,’” Swift shared alongside several throwback photos of herself and Antonoff via Instagram. “This song has always made me think of my friend Jack. It was the first song we made together and watching him challenge himself and make beautiful art over the years has been the thrill of a lifetime. How can he be 6 years older than me and also somehow still be my precocious young son? We may never know. ‘Sweeter Than Fiction (My Version)”’is now available exclusively at Target on Tangerine vinyl .”
Taylor Swift has had plenty of collaborators over the years, but none of them have stuck quite like Jack Antonoff. Since their 2012 meeting, the pair have worked together on 10 albums and a few one-off singles — and became best friends in the process. “Sometimes he sits at the piano and we both just
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By Bolanle Media | July 2, 2026
Photo: Tyla at the 2026 Met Gala in custom Valentino — days before making the biggest business move of her career.
There are career moves, and then there are statements. Tyla just made a statement that will be studied in music business classrooms for years.
The South African superstar — born Tyla Laura Seethal, 24 years old, and already the proud owner of two Grammy Awards — has officially signed a multi-million dollar global deal with Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s powerhouse entertainment company, walking away from Epic Records to align herself with the most influential roster in the music business. The signing was confirmed across social media with a major digital announcement this week, and the reaction from industry insiders was immediate — shock, admiration, and the quiet acknowledgment that someone just changed the trajectory of African music forever.
From “Water” to a Global Phenomenon
Let’s not forget where this all started. In 2023, a 21-year-old from Johannesburg released a song called “Water” that nobody could quite categorize and everybody needed to hear. Within weeks, it had sparked one of the most viral TikTok dance challenges of the decade, charted simultaneously across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Africa, and earned Tyla a Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance — the first year that category even existed.
That win wasn’t just personal. It was a signal. African music — Afrobeats, Amapiano, and now what Tyla herself calls A*Pop — was no longer knocking at the door of the global mainstream. It had walked through it. And Tyla had handed it the key.
What followed was a whirlwind two years of sold-out shows, magazine covers, red carpet domination, and a growing reputation as one of the most stylistically fearless artists on the planet. She attended the 2026 Met Gala — her third consecutive appearance — wearing a custom Valentino gown dripping in diamond chains with a sweeping teal skirt, styled by the legendary Law Roach, with beauty by Pat McGrath. The look was breathtaking. But it was also strategic. Every Met Gala appearance, every fashion moment, every carefully placed interview has been building toward exactly this: the infrastructure to match the vision.
What Roc Nation Actually Means
To understand why this deal matters, you have to understand what Roc Nation actually is — because it is not simply a record label.
Founded by Jay-Z in 2008, Roc Nation is a full-service entertainment company with divisions spanning artist management, touring, brand partnerships, film and television, sports management, and philanthropy. Its roster has included Rihanna, Alicia Keys, J. Cole, Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, and Megan Thee Stallion — artists who didn’t just sell records, but built multi-decade cultural empires that extended into fashion, film, business, and beyond. The through-line isn’t genre. It’s scale.
For Tyla specifically, the Roc Nation deal unlocks a completely different level of access. We’re talking about premium budgets for music videos and live production, top-tier brand partnership pipelines with luxury and lifestyle companies, film and television placement relationships that most artists spend a decade trying to build, and the kind of media weight that gets you on the cover of Vogue, Time, and Billboard in the same calendar year. Roc Nation doesn’t just manage artists — it engineers icons.
On the African music side, Tyla joins fellow Roc Nation signee Ayra Starr, the Nigerian pop star who inked her deal in 2025, deepening the label’s clear and deliberate strategic investment in African pop as the next dominant global genre. Jay-Z is not betting on a trend. He is betting on a generation.
The Album That Could Rewrite the Playbook
The timing of this signing is not accidental — it is surgical.
Tyla’s highly anticipated sophomore album, A*POP, is officially set to drop July 24, 2026, just three weeks away — a 14-track project that she has described as unapologetic, globally ambitious, and deeply rooted in her South African identity while simultaneously reaching for something universal. The lead single “She Did It Again” features Swedish pop titan Zara Larsson, a collaboration that announces in no uncertain terms that Tyla is not staying in any lane she didn’t build herself.
With Roc Nation’s full machine now behind the album rollout — promotional infrastructure, media relationships, tour routing, brand activations — A*POP arrives with a runway that Epic Records simply could not have provided at this scale. The industry is already paying attention. For music supervisors, film and TV executives, brand marketers, and entertainment investors reading this right now — put A*POP on your radar immediately. This is the kind of release that shapes culture, not just charts.
The Bigger Picture Nobody Is Talking About
Here is what gets lost in the excitement of a big announcement: the systemic significance of what Tyla just did.
The music industry’s historical relationship with African artists has been, at best, transactional — major labels slow to invest, quick to cash in on a viral moment, and consistently reluctant to build the kind of long-term infrastructure that turns an artist into a brand. Tyla has navigated that system with remarkable intelligence, refusing to be reduced to a trend, building her artistic identity on her own terms, and now — at 24 — arriving at the negotiating table with enough leverage to choose Roc Nation on her terms.
That matters. Not just for Tyla, but for every African artist watching this unfold from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Houston. It is proof that the path from regional phenomenon to global superstar is not only possible — it is being paved right now, in real time, by a young woman from Johannesburg who refused to shrink.
For media companies, content platforms, entertainment executives, and brand strategists operating in the African diaspora space — this is your data point. African pop is not a niche. It is not a trend. It is not a moment. It is a movement, and Tyla just secured the most powerful co-sign available in the global music business to lead it.
Watch this space. Very closely.
Follow @bolanlemedia on Instagram for real-time music, film, and entertainment industry news. Read more at bolanlemedia.com
AfriqueFest: Pan-African Musical Experience — World Cup Edition is set to take over Noto Houston on Sunday, June 28, bringing together East, South, and West African sounds in one immersive celebration of music, culture, and connection. Presented by Experience Noir and Bolanle Media, the event is designed as a cinematic night for the culture, blending global energy with Houston nightlife in a way that feels elevated, intentional, and deeply rooted in African creativity.
Spotlight on DJ Shinski
At the heart of this year’s experience is DJ Shinski. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and now based in Houston, DJ Shinski has built an international name off high-energy sets that move effortlessly across Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae, and electronic sounds.
He has also become Africa’s most‑subscribed DJ on YouTube, crossing the 2‑million‑subscriber mark and turning his mixes into a global destination for music lovers.
DJ Shinski’s style is precise but unpredictable: one moment it’s classic Afrobeats, the next it’s East African anthems, then a run of throwback hip‑hop or R&B that still feels fresh. That ability to read a room and connect multiple worlds in a single set is exactly why AfriqueFest is building so much of the night’s energy around him.
At AfriqueFest, DJ Shinski helps drive the Safari Grooves segment, representing East and Central Africa from 4 PM to 6 PM. Expect a journey that moves from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Addis, and beyond, all filtered through his signature “vibes on vibes” approach behind the decks.
DJ Tunez and the rest of the night
Supporting that energy, DJ Tunez leads the Gold Coast Beats chapter from 8 PM to 10 PM, bringing his own Nigerian‑American Afrobeats pedigree to the stage. Together with the Diamond Rhythms segment (South) and a curated roster of DJs, the night stretches across the continent in three distinct musical chapters, all connected by a single dance floor.
Hosted by @chris_gone_crazy, @kingdrewwskyy, @roselynomaka, and @samsnewleaf, AfriqueFest is positioned as more than a party—it’s a celebration of sound, style, and Pan‑African identity in Houston, with DJ Shinski anchoring the experience from the moment doors open.
Brought to you by Bolanle Media & Experience Noir
Brought to you by Bolanle Media and Experience Noir, this World Cup edition of AfriqueFest is crafted as a night where global DJs, storytellers, and music lovers collide and create a shared cultural memory. With DJ Shinski front and center—and DJ Tunez helping close the night—guests can expect a show that reflects both the future of African nightlife and the power of the diaspora to create unforgettable live moments.
If you want to experience DJ Shinski live at AfriqueFest, now is the time to lock in your spot. Purchase your tickets now at AfriqueFest.com and get ready for a night of music, movement, and culture at Noto Houston.
Laughter Meets Inspiration: Our Ladies Show Lands on The Roku Channel
A bold new sketch comedy series for women premieres June 13 across the U.S., U.K., and Canada — arriving on the back of a festival-winning run that has critics and audiences already paying attention.
It isn’t every day a brand-new comedy arrives already wearing a row of trophies. Our Ladies Show does. The seven-episode inspirational sketch comedy series — created, written by, and starring Christin Jezak — begins streaming on The Roku Channel on Friday, June 13, 2026, available free to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Produced in partnership with global media services leader Encompass Digital Media, the series sets out to do something rare in today’s streaming landscape: make women laugh out loud and leave them lifted. In a media moment crowded with noise and cynicism, Our Ladies Show is a deliberate counterweight — comedy with a conscience, built for women of every age and background.
A Show Built Around Real Life — and Real Laughs
Each of the seven episodes opens with a monologue from one of the cast members introducing the theme, then rolls into three or more sketches that hit the subject from every comedic angle. The series tackles the things women actually carry: holding grudges, comparison, beauty, patience, gift giving, the importance of community, and dealing with anxiety.
The comedy comes from a place of warmth rather than mockery — a “laugh at ourselves” spirit that runs through a gallery of unforgettable characters: a nosey neighbor, an overwhelmed mom, relentlessly optimistic flight attendants, beauty pageant winners past their prime, and a crew of unruly campers with a counselor who simply cannot hold it together.
Then the show does something most sketch series don’t. In the final segment of every episode, the cast gathers in a living-room setting and invites the audience in — sharing real inspiration drawn from the theme, the sketches, and their own personal stories. It’s the moment the laughter turns into something that stays with you.
The Women Behind the Show
Our Ladies Show brings together three performers with serious range:
- Christin Jezak — creator, writer, and star (Miracle at Manchester, Raising Hope, Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
- Hillary Hawkins — (Primal, Nick Jr.’s Play Along, Gullah Gullah Island)
- Sarah Hernandez — (Nefarious, Unplanned, House of Payne)
“In a world with so much division and depression, I hope women of all ages and backgrounds will watch this show, laugh, be reminded of how beautiful, unique, and loved they are, and remember how much we need each other.”— Christin Jezak, Creator & Star
Already a Festival Favorite
The series’ recurring long-form sketch, Neighborhood Watch, didn’t arrive quietly. Originally released as a web series and revamped for Our Ladies Show with new footage, sound, and music, it has been sweeping the festival circuit:
- 🏆 Best Webseries — 2026 New Media Film Festival (Los Angeles)
- 🏆 Best Web/TV Series — Paris Film Awards
- 🏆 Best Web Series — Dallas Movie Awards
- 🏅 Additional wins at the London Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and Hollywood Gold Awards
- 🎬 Official Selection — 2026 Harvard Divinity School Film Fest
- ⭐ Finalist — Houston Comedy Film Festival
- 📣 Three nominations — 2025 Content Christian Media Conference, including Best Actress in a TV and Web Series nods for both Christin Jezak and Sarah Hernandez
Where and When to Watch
Our Ladies Show premieres Friday, June 13, 2026, streaming on The Roku Channel — the home of premium and free entertainment — in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. All seven episodes deliver the series’ signature blend of sharp sketch comedy and genuine encouragement.
Watch the trailer now on your platform of choice:
For more information, visit www.ourladiesshow.com and follow @ourladiesshow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
About Christin Jezak
Christin Jezak has worked for over 15 years in the entertainment industry. She created and stars in Our Ladies Show and the award-winning web series Neighborhood Watch. She produced the EWTN TV program For the Sake of the Gospel and the all-women web series Ladies Keepin’ It Real, played Dr. Sam in Miracle at Manchester (starring Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, and Eddie McClintock), and voices Agnes in the podcast Confessions of a Catholic Single. She held a lead role in a short film for NTT Data directed by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, has co-starred on Raising Hope, and appeared in Jimmy Kimmel sketches and a Grubhub Super Bowl commercial.
About The Roku Channel
Roku pioneered streaming on TV and is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, Dec. 2025). The Roku Channel is the home of premium and free entertainment, alongside Roku’s Howdy and Frndly TV services. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, California.
About Encompass Digital Media
Encompass Digital Media is a global managed services company — technology-driven, software-defined, and people-powered. Trusted by world-leading broadcasters, networks, sports rights-holders, and OTT platforms, it processes over 25,000 hours of content daily, serves 850 channels to 84 countries, distributes over 243,000 live events annually, and reaches 400 million radio listeners weekly worldwide. Learn more at www.encompass.tv.
Media & Interview Requests: To interview creator Christin Jezak or the cast, contact Christin at cjezak@p2ptheatre.com.
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