Justin Vernon of Bon Iver Unveils Taylor Swift’s “Folklore Colleges” Inspired by Big Red Machine’s Performances

The Collaboration Between Justin Vernon and Taylor Swift

Justin Vernon from Bon Iver revealed that the collaborative efforts of Taylor Swift during the “Folklore era” and Aaron Desner initially stemmed from the demonstrations of Big Red Machine.

Inspiration Behind Taylor Swift’s Albums

In 2020, Taylor Swift released two albums inspired by folklore: “Folklore” and “Evermore.” Both albums featured production work from Aaron Desner of The National, along with collaborations with Bon Iver.

Recently, Justin Vernon shared in a conversation with Zeyna Low that these collaborations originated from demos Taylor heard from his side project, Big Red Machine.

Vernon explained that at the beginning of 2020, before the pandemic hit, he invited Desner to join Bon Iver on their European tour as a touring guitarist. He also planned for Desner to perform some songs from Big Red Machine. Unfortunately, these plans never materialized due to the pandemic enforcing a quarantine.

Consequently, Desner went live on Instagram and played some of the demos he worked on with Vernon, explaining: “I think that we just need to share it. And Taylor heard this.”

Vernon added, “All the credit goes to Taylor for recognizing the type of music she wanted to create, but these songs are demos from Big Red Machine.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh2hwdfxme0

Vernon elaborated on the collaboration, saying, “Her genius intertwined with Aaron Desner’s genius to create an incredible set of lyrics and songs. It was fascinating to witness, and it felt like Taylor was entering our universe.”

• Read more: Taylor Swift Folklore Review: Pop Superstar is subjected to an extraordinary indie filter

“Then Aaron amazes me, saying, ‘So, dietary supplement, I think there’s a song that Taylor would like you to sing.’ I was like, ‘Taylor?’ and he said, ‘Yes, I haven’t mentioned it yet, but I have some songs, and she’s writing for them.’”

Vernon concluded, “It felt extraordinary. It’s an exceptional song and incredibly popular for a good reason. It felt so natural, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such an amazing artist.”

Vernon appeared on the track “Exile” from “Folklore” and again on the title track “Evermore.” Dessner co-produced several songs on both albums.

In a four-star review, Folklore, Hannah Milrea wrote for NME: “Folklore feels fresh, visionary, and above all, sincere. The glossy production from her previous work is replaced with simpler, softer melodies and thoughtful instrumentation. This is the sound of an artist who is tired of calculated releases and desires to explore something new.”

Meanwhile, Bon Iver’s new album “Sable, Fable” arrived last week (April 11). In a four-star review, NME praised the album, noting that while it may represent a departure from the Bon Iver project, it is instead seen as a “rebirth.”

The review stated: “Although this is not Bon Iver’s response to summer’s ‘Brat’, many of the same existential themes are echoed in ‘Sable, Fable’ – records reflecting on identity, like the twists and turns of life. While some fans feared this could be an epilogue for the Bon Iver project, it appears to be a great resurgence.”