Taylor Swift received a big thank you from the George Michael Estate hours before the release of her highly anticipated 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
The fourth track on the new LP is titled, “Father Figure,” which just so happens to be the same as Michael’s chart-topping song off his 1987 album, “Faith.” And it’s no coincidence, either, as Swift has credited Michael as a songwriter on the new song — something the estate couldn’t be happier about.
Ahead of the release of “The Life of a Showgirl,” the George Michael Estate issued their praise for Swift on Facebook and thanked her for “including George in such a special moment.”
“We were delighted when Taylor Swift and her team approached us earlier this year about incorporating an interpolation of George Michael’s classic song ‘Father Figure’ into a brand new song of the same title to be featured on her forthcoming album,” the estate further shared online. “When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same.”
If it wasn’t already clear, the estate emphasized that George Michael Entertainment wished Swift “every success” with this new venture.
Michael passed away on Christmas Day in 2016 at the age of 53. It was later revealed the English singer-songwriter died from natural causes brought on by heart and liver issues.
Swift announced her new album back in August, when she released a first look at the cover and confirmed the name of TS 12 while appearing on her now-fiancé Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast.
She confirmed this new project had her collaborating with music producers Max Martin and Shellback again, who notably produced her critically-acclaimed fifth studio album, “1989.”
“It meant the world to me to have this creative experience where we knew we had to bring the best ideas we’ve ever had,” she said at the time. “I also know the pressure I’m putting on this record by saying that, but I don’t care because I love it that much.”
“The Life of a Showgirl” will be available to stream at Oct. 3 at midnight ET
