Taylor Swift performed “cardigan” immediately before “august” in her 2021 Grammy performance.
Swift performed “cardigan,” “august,” and “willow” as a connected Folklore-era medley. She began with “cardigan” while lying atop a cottage, moved inside the cottage for “august,” and then stepped outside for “willow.” The staging visually linked the songs as parts of one musical world.
The sequence is meaningful because “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty” are the three Folklore songs associated with the fictional teenage love triangle. “cardigan” presents Betty’s perspective, while “august” follows the unnamed summer-romance narrator. “willow” came from Evermore, not the love-triangle trio.
The performance took place at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021. Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner joined Swift, marking the first time the three performed together.