NEW YORK: Taylor Swift used her induction speech at the Songwriters Hall of Fame to highlight emerging artist Sombr and address ongoing debates around artificial intelligence in music on Saturday.
Swift praised the young singer-songwriter after he performed covers of her songs Dear John and Cardigan, describing his songwriting as “exceptional” and saying she felt “envious” of his talent.
“He’s going to be the top of my Spotify Wrapped this year, guaranteed,” Swift told the audience, adding that she admired his work and artistic independence.
During her speech, Swift also referenced industry discussions about artificial intelligence, saying she often tells friends during late-night conversations that Sombr represents the future of songwriting and does not rely on AI tools.
The comments drew strong audience reaction at the ceremony, which was held to honour Swift’s contributions to songwriting. Instead of focusing solely on her own career achievements, Swift used part of her appearance to support emerging talent and emphasize the importance of traditional songwriting craft.
Sombr’s performance and Swift’s remarks were widely received as a message highlighting the continued relevance of human-driven storytelling in music.