Taylor Swift Sang Her Most Emotional ‘Lover’ Song On ‘One World: Together At Home’
On Saturday, April 18, Taylor Swift was one of many major artists who performed during the One World: Together at Home concert. The virtual benefit show, which was hosed by Global Citizen alongside the World Health Organization and the United Nations, featured music by industry heavyweights including Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga — and the Lover singer did not hold back on the emotion while performing one of her songs for the very first time. Grab the tissues, because Taylor Swift’s One World: Together at Home performance was seriously heart-rending and featured a highly personal selection.
With Lady Gaga at its helm, the all-star virtual concert was put together to benefit the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, which provides food, shelter, and more necessities to charities as they help those who need it most during the coronavirus pandemic.
Swift, who has previously donated money to a number of fans and struggling businesses struggling financially, chose to perform one of her most personal tracks during the A-list concert — and the heart-wrenching lyrics of her song "Soon You'll Get Better" struck a chord with listeners. The track, which was part of her Lover album, is about how she dealt with her mom's battle with cancer, and it took on a special meaning amidst the current crisis.
Following an introduction from Jimmy Fallon, who applauded Swift for her work for "already [contributing] so much," the singer performed the emotional track live for the very first time while playing the piano.
With lyrics like "This won't go back to normal, if it ever was/It's been years of hoping, and I keep saying it because/'Cause I have to," "Soon You'll Get Better" was a fitting addition to the benefit concert. However, Swift has previously shared her reservations about performing the track, which features the Dixie Chicks.
Shortly after her album's release, she admitted during a Sirius XM Town Hall, "I don't know if I'll ever play it live. It's just really difficult for me. It was hard to write. It's hard to sing. It's hard to listen to for me. But sometimes, music is like that. Sometimes it's not just about stuff that was pleasant to feel."
Just a few days earlier, Swift announced that she'd be canceling all of her remaining shows for the year while encouraging social distancing.
"I'm so sad I won't be able to see you guys in concert this year, but I know this is the right decision," she tweeted on April 17. "Please, please stay healthy and safe. I’ll see you on stage as soon as I can but right now what’s important is committing to this quarantine, for the sake of all of us."
While Swifties will have to wait until at least next year to see the singer bring some of the biggest hits off her latest album to the stage, her performance of "Soon You'll Get Better" hints that she'll continue gifting fans some memorable performances in the meantime.
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