Aaron Dessner performed with Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff at the 2021 Grammy Awards.
Swift’s performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards combined “Cardigan,” “august,” and “Willow.” She began with “Cardigan” on top of a cottage, moved inside it for “august” with a guitar, and then performed “Willow” outside. Antonoff and Dessner provided the accompanying instrumental support.
The appearance marked the first time Swift, Antonoff, and Dessner performed together. All three were central to Folklore’s musical world, although they had different roles on individual songs. Dessner was a major producer and collaborator across the album, while Joe Alwyn was credited as a producer on “august” but did not join this Grammy performance.
The performance reinforced the album’s cottagecore imagery and helped introduce “august” to a large television audience. It is separate from the annual August streaming trend, which emerged through listener behavior rather than through a Grammy performance or official yearly event.