Aaron Dessner says Taylor Swift was not the inspiration for Gracie Abrams’ “Death Wish,” rejecting an online theory that the song revealed a hidden conflict between the two singers.
Dessner, who co-wrote and produced the track with Abrams, addressed the speculation during a July 21 interview with Billboard. “Yeah, definitely not,” he responded when asked whether the song was about Swift.
Dessner recalled that Abrams wrote it about a friend’s former partner and an unhealthy relationship, although he said he did not know the person’s identity.
Dessner Says Swift Was ‘Definitely Not’ the Subject
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Online theories connected the song to Swift after some listeners interpreted its descriptions of power, cruelty and damaged relationships as coded references to the superstar. Dessner directly contradicted that reading. He said the song was written while Abrams was exploring the experience of a friend whose former partner had treated them poorly.
The producer explained that he and Abrams have become close during more than six years of working together, but they do not always explicitly identify the real people behind her lyrics. He may understand the broader circumstances surrounding a song without asking her to name its subject.
Abrams and Swift have publicly maintained a supportive professional relationship. Abrams opened shows on the Eras Tour, and the two co-wrote and recorded “us.” for Abrams’ 2024 album, The Secret of Us.
Abrams Had Already Explained the Song’s Origin
Abrams debuted “Death Wish” at London’s O2 Arena on March 6, 2025, during The Secret of Us Tour. She told the audience that the song grew from conversations with a friend who had been involved with someone she described as intensely narcissistic.
She did not identify the friend or former partner and made no connection to Swift. A live recording from the concert was released in early April and became the first version most listeners heard.
The piano-led performance presented the song as a restrained ballad, with Abrams seated alone while explaining the circumstances that inspired it. That version later created confusion when a brighter, more fully produced recording appeared on her third album, Daughter From Hell.
The Studio Recording Came Before the Live Version
Dessner also corrected the assumption that he and Abrams transformed the fan-favorite piano performance into a more upbeat album track after its release.
He said the completed studio arrangement predated the live recording by several months. The album version was therefore not a later reworking of the performance audiences first heard at the O2.
According to Dessner, they recorded “Death Wish” during the same week that produced “That’s So True,” “I Told You Things” and other songs that eventually appeared on the deluxe edition of The Secret of Us.