Jack White took to Instagram on Monday night to clarify his recent comments about Taylor Swift’s songwriting, which had sparked some backlash online. The White Stripes frontman wanted to make it clear that he never called her music “boring.”
In his now-deleted post, White explained, “I didn’t say that I think Taylor Swift’s music was ‘boring’ or whatever click bait the net is trying to scrape together.” He elaborated that during an interview about poetry and lyric writing, he expressed that he finds it uninteresting to write about himself. Instead, he prefers to create stories through imaginary characters, which he finds more appealing as a writer.
The controversy began after an interview with The Guardian, where White was asked if any of his songs reflect his own life. He mentioned that many pop singers, including Swift, write about their personal experiences, particularly their break-ups, and he finds that approach less interesting for himself.
At 50, White shared his songwriting process, saying he takes elements from his life but prefers to weave them into fictional narratives. He added, “If it’s something really painful, I’m not going to put this important, painful thing that I went through out there for some idiot on the internet to stomp all over.”
In his Instagram response, White acknowledged Swift and other artists who write personal songs, recognizing the strong connections they build with their fans. He also criticized news outlets for twisting his words, expressing frustration with the constant need for sensational stories.
Meanwhile, Swift is set to join the Songwriters Hall of Fame this year and continues to break records with her music. White recently released a book titled “Jack White: Collected Lyrics & Selected Writing Volume 1,” showcasing his work from various projects.
