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Watch: Taylor Swift makes a fool of herself to sell Apple Music

Alex Abad-Santos
Alex Abad-Santos is a senior correspondent who explains what society obsesses over, from Marvel and movies to fitness and skin care. He came to Vox in 2014. Prior to that, he worked at The Atlantic.

Like a song written by Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift’s new commercial for Apple Music features a surprising change of heart, a bit of Swift’s personal life, and Swift making a fool of herself for profit.

The commercial features Swift’s internal monologue as she prepares to do some cardio (in a full face of makeup) and then flips on the song “Jumpman” by Drake and Future. She recites each button she presses to get to there, and then starts singing along.

“Jumpman, Jumpman, Jumpman, them boys up to something,” she recites.

It’s awkward and perhaps entertaining, depending on how you feel about Swift. And then she just eats it:

(Apple)

Swift taking a spill and shilling for Apple Music represents a change of heart for the singer, who had harsh words for the company’s treatment of artists in 2015. When Apple Music was launching, Swift wrote on Tumblr that she was angry with the company for shortchanging artists, and announced that she would be withholding her music from the service:

I’m sure you are aware that Apple Music will be offering a free 3 month trial to anyone who signs up for the service. I’m not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months. I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company.

Within 24 hours, Apple changed its tune and Swift released her album. And now, we have Swift willing to fall off a treadmill for the company’s benefit.


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