Taylor Swift played guitar while performing “august” at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
Swift performed the song as part of a medley with “cardigan” and “willow” at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. The performance was staged around a rustic cottage, matching the wooded and cottage-inspired visual world associated with Folklore and Evermore.
She began with “cardigan” on top of the cottage, moved inside to perform “august” on guitar, and then joined Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner outside for “willow.” The three artists had all contributed to the records, and the performance marked their first time performing together.
The guitar detail is easy to confuse with the piano used in some later acoustic performances or with the keyboards and string textures heard in the studio recording. The Grammy presentation emphasized the song’s live, intimate quality while preserving its layered arrangement.