Taylor Swift sings “Cardigan” immediately before “august” in her 2021 Grammy medley. The performance then concludes with “Willow,” creating a three-song sequence across Folklore and Evermore.
“Cardigan” and “august” are connected beyond the performance order. Both belong to the fictional teenage love triangle explored across three Folklore songs, with “Cardigan” presenting Betty’s perspective and “august” presenting the perspective of the unnamed summer-romance narrator.
Swift began the Grammy performance while lying atop a cottage, then moved into “august” on guitar inside the cottage. The setting and sequence emphasized the connected storytelling of the Folklore era.
A common mix-up is choosing “Betty,” the third love-triangle song. “Betty” is part of the same narrative and gives James’s perspective, but it was not the song immediately before “august” in the Grammy medley.