Taylor Swift has revealed that her song “Father Figure” was inspired by the TV drama Succession. The track, featured on her album “The Life of a Showgirl,” samples George Michael’s 1987 song of the same name. Swift, speaking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, explained that the dynamic between the characters in Succession influenced her writing process. She shared that the power dynamics and themes of betrayal in the show resonated with her, particularly a scene where Logan Roy dismisses his children as not serious individuals. Swift performed a portion of the song on the show, receiving a positive response from the audience.
The singer expressed her admiration for Succession, aiming to capture the energy of Logan’s stern words to his children within her songwriting. She emphasized her ability to relate to both the mentor and protégé perspectives in such scenarios. Swift also mentioned that George Michael’s estate had approved the use of his song in her work, with representatives stating that the late icon would have supported the collaboration.
In an Instagram post, the estate praised Swift for incorporating George Michael’s classic hit into her new song. They expressed their approval of the collaboration and wished her success with both her album and the track “Father Figure.”