“Cardigan” came before Taylor Swift’s “august” in her 2021 Grammy medley.
At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards on March 14, 2021, Swift performed “Cardigan,” “august,” and “willow” as a connected sequence. She began with “Cardigan,” then performed “august” on guitar inside a cottage-like stage set, and finished with “willow.”
The order reinforced the songs’ relationship. “Cardigan,” “august,” and “Betty” are the three Folklore songs associated with the fictional love triangle, but “Betty” was not part of this Grammy performance. Instead, “willow,” from Evermore, completed the televised medley.
Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner accompanied Swift, marking the first time the three performed together. The performance is often remembered as a major live introduction for “august” beyond the album recording.