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Billy Bragg and Taylor Swift have struck up an unlikely friendship after the pair presented the Godlike Genius gong to Glastonbury boss Emily Eavis at the NME Awards 2020.
The pair joined forces on Wednesday to present the final award of the night. Bragg has curated Glastonbury’s Leftfield area since 2002, while Swift will headline the final night of the festival in June this year.
Hailing his co-presenter, Bragg wrote on Twitter: “I don’t know who was more surprised to learn that we were co-presenting an award at the NME Awards last night, me or @taylorswift13. I have a lot of respect for her and the stand she has taken on equality and artist’s rights. Needless to say we got on like a house on fire.”
It was excellent meeting you and this is so nice of you to say.
See you at Glasto, new friend!
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) February 13, 2020
Responding in turn, Swift hailed the folk icon as a “new friend”.
“It was excellent meeting you and this is so nice of you to say, See you at Glasto, new friend!,” she wrote.
Bragg then warned Swift to bring her wellies – a reference to Glastonbury’s notorious mud.
Looking forward to it. See you there. And whatever you do, don't forget to bring your wellies
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) February 14, 2020
The exchange immediately generated excitement among fans, with some calling for the pair to collaborate on a track together.
I love it when stuff like this happens. Anyway, Billy Bragg and Taylor Swift are now fated to do a collaboration. Those are the rules. https://t.co/y1MTASsnZf
— Malcolm Combe (@MalcolmCombe) February 14, 2020
In a lengthier post on Instagram, Bragg described their unlikely pairing as “chalk and cheese”, and explained how their co-presenting was arranged at the very last minute.
“I don’t know if she was as surprised as I was, but we had time for a brief chat about pop and politics and when I asked for a photo, she took my phone and shot a couple of pics before someone turned on the lights- like the blue one I posted last night – and then a couple more,” wrote Bragg.
“You might think we were chalk and cheese but I admire her willingness to take a stand on issues and her struggle to own her back catalogue resonates with me, as I underwent a similar struggle in the 1980s.
“It was a somewhat surreal pairing – I think that’s why the @NMEmagazine put us together – but we got on like a house on fire. More power to her, I say.”
Before presenting the award, Bragg also told NME of the importance of securing gender balances on festival bills across the globe.
Check back here for all the latest news on the NME Awards 2020.
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