Taylor Swift’s quick thinking saved the day when a fire broke out in her $50 million New York City apartment. The incident, which occurred during a dinner party, was revealed by her friend and fellow singer Gracie Abrams in a recent interview with Billboard.
Abrams, 24, recounted the harrowing experience, explaining that the fire started after a candle toppled over in Swift’s kitchen. The two were enjoying a night of food, drinks, and music at Swift’s Tribeca loft when they heard a noise. Initially, Swift, 34, assured Abrams that the sound was likely one of her cats jumping around.
However, as dawn approached, they discovered that the kitchen was ablaze. Despite being hungover, Swift sprang into action, grabbing a fire extinguisher and putting out the flames. “She was such a legend — I don’t know how at this hour or in our state she knew what to do,” Abrams told Billboard.
The aftermath of the fire left both singers with a persistent cough from the extinguisher fumes. “We both had an insane cough from the fire extinguisher fumes for weeks,” Abrams added.
The night wasn’t entirely disastrous. Before the fire, the two had finished co-writing a song titled “Us,” which will be featured on Abrams’ upcoming album, “The Secret of Us,” set to release this Friday. They were also listening to instrumentals created by their mutual friend and collaborator, Aaron Dessner.
Abrams reminisced about the evening, noting that they were dancing and singing “like theater kids” to tracks from Swift’s unreleased album, “Tortured Poets Department.” One song, “But Daddy I Love Him,” had them dancing, while another, “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” left them lying on the floor in disbelief.
Swift captured the memorable night by snapping photos of Abrams lying on the floor with her hands over her face. Abrams later shared these photos on Instagram for Swift’s birthday, writing, “I love you so much I’m always on the floor about it.”
Fans quickly flocked to the post after Abrams’ interview went live, with one commenting, “WE FINALLY KNOW WHAT GRACIE IS ON THE FLOOR FOR.” Another added, “Came back here for just this reason.”
Abrams, who was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys earlier this year, has a close friendship with Swift. She served as one of the opening acts on the first leg of Swift’s Eras Tour in 2023 and will return for the final US shows later this year.
Aaron Dessner, who has worked closely with both artists, praised their songwriting chemistry. “It was just really fun to watch the chemistry of Gracie and Taylor bouncing off each other,” he told Billboard. “Gracie in total wonder and awe watching how Taylor records and produces her vocal performances and builds the world.”
Swift is currently in the UK, preparing for her three-night London shows, which will take place from June 21-23. She is also in a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. The Eras Tour, which began on March 17, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona, is scheduled to wrap up on December 8, 2024, in Vancouver, Canada.
The incident at Swift’s apartment is a testament to her quick thinking and bravery. Despite the scare, the night ended on a high note with the completion of a new song and unforgettable memories.
