How would a Matty Healy-produced Taylor Swift record sound like? According to The 1975 frontman, it would probably be back-to-basics: just the pop star with an acoustic guitar, recording the equivalent of her ‘Blue’ or ‘Nebraska’.
Healy appeared on the 100th episode of Neil Griffiths’ podcast The Green Room, which was uploaded Monday (September 23). The topic of Swift music came up when the conversation turned to Healy’s pop star peers, some of whom “aren’t really saying anything about the world about themselves, or about the world,” Healy said, “so it becomes more obvious to me that I need to utilise this cultural position I have.”
When Griffiths tossed out some names, including Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift, Healy said, “I would never slag Taylor off, I think Taylor’s amazing,” before adding that he’d like to produce her next album. The idea stemmed from a conversation he had with Zane Lowe of Apple’s Beats 1, Healy explained, who suggested Swift should record the equivalent of Bruce Springsteen’s minimalist classic, ‘Nebraska’.
“Taylor Swift doing an acoustic record?” Healy said. “I can’t think of a record that would sell more than that. Like, Taylor Swift’s intimate return to country. Of course, you’d wanna produce that! She’s [probably] gonna sit on that idea, but Taylor, if you ever want someone to help you set up the mics for your acoustic record, just so you know, I’m there.”
Stream the full Green Room episode below:
In a new tweet, Healy added that he’d love to see Swift channel Springsteen and Joni Mitchell: “Taylor Swift. With an acoustic guitar. Doing her ‘Nebraska’. Doing her ‘Blue’. Kill me.”
Taylor Swift. With an acoustic guitar. Doing her ‘Nebraska’. Doing her ‘Blue’. Kill me
— ?? (@Truman_Black) September 24, 2019
Earlier this month, The 1975 announced an arena tour of UK and Ireland in 2020 to support their forthcoming album, ‘Notes On A Conditional Form’. The Manchester group are expected to hit the road in February, marking the record’s release day with a London show (February 21).
Swift, on the other hand, released her seventh studio album,‘Lover’, last month, and recently revealed dates for her upcoming Lover Fest and European festival tour.