Bon Iver's Justin Vernon Felt He and Taylor Swift 'Would Have Been Very Close Friends in High School' When They Finally Met

Mar. 15, 2025

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Taylor Swift.Photo:Jay West/WireImage; Kevin Mazur/Getty

Jay West/WireImage; Kevin Mazur/Getty

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon believes he andTaylor Swiftwould have been close if they knew each other when they were younger.In an interview withThe New Yorkeron Wednesday, Oct. 16, the “Flume” musician, 43, opened up about meeting the “Fortnight” hitmaker, 34, after working on her 2020 albumsfolklore and evermore.According to Vernon, the pair didn’t meet in person until time had passed after the release of folklore.Taylor Swift in March 2023.Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementWhen he did, the “Blood Bank” artist reveals he “wasn’t starstruck.““I was, like, ‘Wow, you’re somebody that I would have been very close friends with in high school,'” he told the publication. “‘You’re real and you’re here.'“Added Vernon: “To see what she’s been up to, the propulsion, the expansion . . . I don’t know, it’s just unlike anything anyone’s ever seen. And yet there she was, this person who made a lot of sense to me.”Elsewhere in the interview, Vernon opened up about how his forthcoming EP,SABLE, due Friday, Oct. 18 might pay homage to his 2007 debut albumFor Emma, Forever Ago.“From ‘For Emma’ until ‘i,i,’ it felt like it was an arc, or an expansion—from One to All,” he told the outlet. “‘I,i’ was very much me trying to talk about the We—the Us, outside of I. And when I got to these songs, the obvious thing was, well, people might think this is a return to something.“However, Vernon believes the project is a “raw second skin.““I think about time in cylindrical, forward-moving circles,” he said. “This feels like a new person, new skin. A new everything, more than a return.“Vernon continued, “But I did feel like it was important to strip it down to just the bare essentials and get out of the way, to not hide with swaths of choirs. Just get it as close to the human ear as possible.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Bon Iver in June 2018.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicThe “Holocene” performer was featured on Swift’s track “exile” onfolkloreand the title track ofevermore.Swift has collaborated with Vernon’s bandBig Red Machine, which also features The National’s Aaron Dessner.Their 2021 albumHow Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?included two tracks with Swift — “Birch” and “Renegade.”

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon believes he andTaylor Swiftwould have been close if they knew each other when they were younger.

In an interview withThe New Yorkeron Wednesday, Oct. 16, the “Flume” musician, 43, opened up about meeting the “Fortnight” hitmaker, 34, after working on her 2020 albumsfolklore and evermore.

According to Vernon, the pair didn’t meet in person until time had passed after the release of folklore.

Taylor Swift in March 2023.Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

When he did, the “Blood Bank” artist reveals he “wasn’t starstruck.”

“I was, like, ‘Wow, you’re somebody that I would have been very close friends with in high school,'” he told the publication. “‘You’re real and you’re here.'”

Added Vernon: “To see what she’s been up to, the propulsion, the expansion . . . I don’t know, it’s just unlike anything anyone’s ever seen. And yet there she was, this person who made a lot of sense to me.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Vernon opened up about how his forthcoming EP,SABLE, due Friday, Oct. 18 might pay homage to his 2007 debut albumFor Emma, Forever Ago.

“From ‘For Emma’ until ‘i,i,’ it felt like it was an arc, or an expansion—from One to All,” he told the outlet. “‘I,i’ was very much me trying to talk about the We—the Us, outside of I. And when I got to these songs, the obvious thing was, well, people might think this is a return to something.”

However, Vernon believes the project is a “raw second skin.”

“I think about time in cylindrical, forward-moving circles,” he said. “This feels like a new person, new skin. A new everything, more than a return.”

Vernon continued, “But I did feel like it was important to strip it down to just the bare essentials and get out of the way, to not hide with swaths of choirs. Just get it as close to the human ear as possible.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Bon Iver in June 2018.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

The “Holocene” performer was featured on Swift’s track “exile” onfolkloreand the title track ofevermore.

Swift has collaborated with Vernon’s bandBig Red Machine, which also features The National’s Aaron Dessner.

Their 2021 albumHow Long Do You Think It’s Gonna Last?included two tracks with Swift — “Birch” and “Renegade.”

source: people.com