Aaron Dessner clarifies inspiration behind Gracie Abrams song 'Death Wish'

• Aaron Dessner confirmed Gracie Abrams' song Death Wish is not about Taylor Swift.
• The producer explained the track was inspired by a bad relationship involving a friend.
• Abrams previously told London concertgoers the song was written about a friend's ex-partner.

Musician Aaron Dessner dismissed speculation that singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams wrote her 2025 track Death Wish about pop star Taylor Swift. Billboard reported that the 50-year-old producer cleared up fan theories surrounding the track during an interview on Wednesday. Dedicated fans of Swift had speculated that the song's critical lyrics targeted the global pop sensation. However, Dessner confirmed that the song was definitely not inspired by Swift, explaining that Abrams wrote it about a friend's past relationship experience.

The track includes pointed lyrics questioning how someone could get so bulletproof whilst trading time for inside truths and keeping a few girls around. Dessner explained that Abrams was writing about a bad relationship involving a friend's ex-partner when they composed the song together. He added that he did not personally know the identity of the individual who inspired the track.

Dessner's clarification follows statements made by Abrams during a concert performance in London in March 2025. Before performing the song live, the 26-year-old artist shared the story behind the track with her audience. She explained to concertgoers that the song was written about a sincere friend of hers who was dating a self-absorbed partner. Abrams noted that she wrote the track after listening to her friend talk extensively about the difficult relationship.