Taylor's First Live Performance Of “Anti-Hero” Put A Twist On The Hit
The Midnights era is in full swing.
Despite the exhausting controversy surrounding The Eras Tour, it seems Taylor Swift is ready to get back on stage. Since her late-night gem Midnights released last fall, the singer had yet to perform any tracks from the album. However, that all changed when she made a surprise appearance at The 1975’s latest concert and performed “Anti-Hero” for the first time. Honestly, only Swift could pull off a stunt like this.
On Jan. 12, The 1975 performed at the O2 Arena in London. Over the last few months, lead singer Matty Healy has done everything imaginable to make sure the group’s concerts go viral; however, Swift’s presence was enough to make this show memorable.
Shown in a clip on Healy’s Instagram, Swift used some of the band’s props for her grand entrance. Knocking on the set’s front door, the singer was led on stage by guitarist Adam Hann.
In her iconic “Bejeweled” fashion, Swift appeared in a shimmering silver dress. She eventually made her way to the actual stage, where she slipped out her white guitar and played “Anti-Hero.” For an extra touch, Swift didn’t rely on the studio version. As seen in videos captured by concertgoers and posted to Twitter, the singer replaced the original track’s simmering synths for an acoustic performance. Unsurprisingly, this switch sounds just as good as the original.
Shortly after, Swift also helped the group perform their 2013 track, “The City.”
As seen in the clip above, attendees couldn’t help but sing along while others noted their disbelief on Twitter. Some seriously couldn’t believe they were witnessing Swift and 1975’s greatness at the same time, which is such a mood.
This surprise performance is a small glimpse into Swift and the group’s friendship. In November 2022, Healy revealed that 1975 worked with Swift on Midnights. However, according to People, their creation didn’t make it to the album’s final cut. Even before their axed collaboration, Healy hinted at wanting to work with Swift.
In 2019, the frontman appeared on Neil Griffiths’ The Green Room podcast. Around the 14-minute mark of the episode, he shared he would love produce an intimate acoustic album for her. Specifically, Healy imagined her tapping back into her country roots and covering Bruce Springsteen’s track, “Nebraska.” That idea alone heightened his wish to produce a project with her.
“I can’t think of a record that would sell more than that,” Healy said. “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.”
OK, now it’s starting to make sense why she added an acoustic twist to “Anti-Hero.” This new version is stunning, but Swifties need the climactic version for the Eras Tour.
