Jack Antonoff sent Taylor Swift the instrumental that became “august” before she wrote its lyrics.
Antonoff created the instrumental first and sent it to Swift during the making of Folklore. Swift then wrote the lyrics quickly, describing the process as happening “on the spot” and feeling intuitive.
The collaboration continued a partnership that had already produced songs for Swift’s albums 1989, Reputation, and Lover. For Folklore, Antonoff and Swift worked remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the album taking shape through exchanged recordings and voice memos.
“august” was not written as a personal diary entry. Like several Folklore tracks, it belongs to a fictional narrative involving James, Betty, and the unnamed narrator of “august.” Antonoff is both a co-writer and producer of the song, while Joe Alwyn is also credited as a co-producer.