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Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon Reflects on Collaborative Moments with Taylor Swift
Justin Vernon, the creative force behind Bon Iver, recently opened up about his emotional experience watching Taylor Swift’s fans—a.k.a. Swifties—sing along to “Exile,” a track he co-wrote and recorded with her for the album Folklore. In an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Vernon described the sensation as “out of body,” acknowledging the impact of seeing Swift perform the song during her record-breaking Eras Tour.
Reflecting on his absence during her tour, Vernon noted, “Sadly, I didn’t ever get to sing it with her on her tour… she got to come sing it with us, but I saw those clips and I’m like, ‘Gosh, they sound better than one of me can sound.’ It was powerful to witness and hear how that resonated with the audience. It was truly amazing.”
In addition to discussing his collaboration with Swift, Vernon shared insights on his remix of Charli XCX’s song “I Think About It All the Time.” This revamped version, part of the Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat remix album, incorporates a sample from Bonnie Raitt’s classic, “Nick of Time.”
Vernon revealed that it was his friend Danielle Haim who suggested sampling Raitt’s song, recognizing its thematic relevance to Charli’s message about the urgency of time. He expressed admiration for Raitt, calling her his “number one” favorite artist, and shared that their friendship has blossomed over the years. “Our greatest living singer,” he referred to Raitt, celebrating her influence on the music scene.
When Vernon reached out to Raitt for permission to use the sample, he was met with enthusiastic approval. “Her response was quick and straightforward—‘Yep… let’s do it,’” he relayed, noting her excitement and support, especially as she is a fan of Charli’s work as well.
The conversation also touched on Vernon’s upcoming fifth studio album, Sable, Fable, set to release on April 11. He described the album as a two-part journey, with the first section, Sable, embodying a more melancholic and reflective tone that explores themes from his past. “It’s sad and hard to get through… the cabin man narrative I’ve been absorbing over the years,” he explained. In contrast, the latter portion reflects a more liberated and joyous perspective, focusing on his current quest for happiness.
To catch Vernon in action, watch his appearance on The Tonight Show below.
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