Taylor Swift will release the re-recorded version of her 2010 album Speak Now on July 7, and at a recent show on The Eras Tour, she encouraged her fans to taper their reactions to the release. She was specifically referencing her fans' knack for defending her against ex-boyfriends of the past, and with "Dear John" on the way with Speak Now (Taylor's Version), she politely cautions fans from rallying against the person who allegedly inspired the song, John Mayer.
During the show in Minneapolis, Swift talked of the kindness and friendship she witnesses among her fans every night from the stage. She then asked that fans extend that generosity as she releases the reimagined version of the album.
"I was hoping to ask you, that as we lead up to this album, I would love for that kindness and that gentleness to extend onto our internet activities. Right?" Swift told the crowd. "So what I'm trying to say is, I'm putting this album out because I want to own my music and I believe that [those] who have the desire to own their music should be able to. That's why I'm putting out this album."
She continued, saying, "I'm 33 years old, I don't care about anything that happened to me when I was 19 except the songs I wrote. So what I'm trying to tell you, is that I am not putting this album out so you should feel the need to defend me on the internet against someone you think I wrote a song about 14 million years ago."
?| Taylor urging fans tonight to be kind and gentle online when Speak Now comes out as she doesn't care what happened when she was 19 yo, she only cares about the music she wrote and the fact that she gets to own it now pic.twitter.com/KZrKNp0vfw
— Taylor Swift Updates ?️ (@swifferupdates) June 25, 2023
Swift's warning most likely stems from the fan reaction after she released the 10-minute version of "All Too Well" from Red (Taylor's Version). After the release, fans rallied against actor Jake Gyllenhaal, whom Swift dated for about three months in 2010 and 2011 and who allegedly inspired the tune.
Swift and Mayer, on the other hand, briefly dated in 2009 and 2010 when Swift was 19 and Mayer was 32. Swift released "Dear John" soon after their break up, and the song features vulnerable lyrics that seem to allude to their 12-year age gap and the heartbreak Swift experienced at the end of their relationship.
