Ina Garten, the beloved chef known for her warm personality and delicious recipes, might have played a role in inspiring a line from Taylor Swift’s new track “CANCELLED!” featured on Swift’s upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, set to be released in October 2025.
In the song, Swift lyrically explores themes of friendship and public scrutiny, singing, “Good thing I like my friends cancelled / I like ’em cloaked in Gucci and in scandal / Like my whiskey sour / And poison thorny flowers.”
This connection to Garten dates back to a memorable moment over a decade ago when the two stars collaborated during a Food Network Magazine photo shoot in 2014. Garten recalls serving Swift her very first whiskey sour, a moment she described fondly. “So what happened was we were on the shoot and we were making a pavlova together,” Garten shared. “I said, my favorite cocktail’s a whiskey sour. And she said, ‘Oh, I’ve never had one.’”
To Swift’s delight, Garten had a pitcher of the cocktail ready, allowing the singer to enjoy her inaugural taste of the drink. “At 11:30 a.m., she and I were drinking whiskey sours and making pavlova together,” Garten reminisced, delighting in Swift’s excited remark to her mother about their day drinking escapade.
While Garten expressed her uncertainty on whether this shared moment influenced Swift’s lyrics, she conveyed her hopes that it might have. “She inspires all of us, so I’m glad if I inspire her a little bit, that’d be great,” Garten noted.
The track “CANCELLED!” delves into Swift’s embrace of friendships, even in the face of public backlash. By discussing her own experiences with cancellation, Swift illustrates a deepened empathy towards others who find themselves in similar situations.
Their mutual admiration is evident, as Swift previously lauded Garten’s impact on her life, sharing how Garten transformed her perspective on cooking. During the Food Network Magazine’s celebration of the 20th anniversary of Garten’s Barefoot Contessa, Swift reflected, “Watching Ina prepare a meal changed my perspective on cooking and reframed it as something relaxing.”
Thanks to Garten’s influence, cooking has become a form of self-care and a refuge from stress for Swift. The connection between this iconic chef and the pop sensation not only reveals a beautiful friendship but also highlights the power of inspiration across different realms of creativity. This touching story showcases how culinary passion can leave a lasting impression on even the busiest of stars.