Singer Florence Welch has openly praised Taylor Swift’s musical prowess while reflecting on the increased freedom and expressiveness enjoyed by top artists today.
Welch reunited with the “Blank Space” crooner during the latter’s Eras Tour to perform “Florida,” the track they co-wrote for Swift’s album, The Tortured Poets Department.
Speaking to The Guardian, The Girl With One Eye singer shared: “We’ve known each other for a while. So she just texted. It was amazing. I will say that, yes, I’m someone who wants to hide from the vague humiliations of fame. But I did step out on that stadium stage with her and I was like, this is pretty f**** cool**.”
The 39-year-old also opened up about her raw thoughts and struggles, revealing how different and better it is for contemporary stars to openly express themselves.
Welch contrasted her experience: “When I was becoming Florence + the Machine, there was a sense that if you are flamboyant, it’s contrivance. Actually, expressing your imagination upon yourself and upon your body was inauthentic and attention-seeking, or annoying. It made me shrink myself. I was still big on stage and big in my art, but offstage, I made myself smaller.”
Contrasting her past battles with current top artists, she noted, “They are allowed to keep their personal boundaries and create this incredible world and character. It’s amazing.”
Florence Welch concluded by emphasizing the public’s need for these artistic expressions: “People really need worlds to disappear into. So all these communities build up around artists, and I think people really, really crave it at the moment.”
