The Florence and the Machine frontwoman collaborated with Swift on “Florida!!!” from the superstar’s new album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Florence Welch; Taylor Swift. PHOTO: LIA TOBY/GETTY; DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS/GETTY

Who can forget just how famous Taylor Swift is? Her friend and collaborator Florence Welch, apparently.

The frontwoman of Florence and the Machine opened up to British Vogue in a recent interview about the experience of releasing their collaboration, “Florida!!!,” on the pop superstar’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department. She shared how working together in the studio made her forget about Swift’s stature.

“I almost didn’t think of the scale of it,” remarked the “Dog Days Are Over” singer, aged 37, regarding the overwhelming level of fanfare that followed the release of TTPD, which has already become Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single week, amassing over a billion streams.

“There’s the sort of bigness of [Taylor Swift the phenomenon], and then there’s the Taylor I spend time with in the studio, who is just the sweetest and most down to earth,” added Welch.

The British performer also spoke to the outlet about making “Florida!!!,” which Swift has described as a song about seeking escapism after heartbreak, partially inspired by Dateline episodes where criminals escape to Florida.

Welch told British Vogue Swift came to her with “a concept and a story” for the track — “my favorite way to start songwriting,” she said. It wasn’t until “Florida!!!” dropped as part of the 31-song album, however, that she realized the scale of fanfare they’d receive in response.

Florence Welch; Taylor Swift.

MATT WINKELMEYER/GETTY; GILBERT FLORES/BILLBOARD VIA GETTY

“We had such a fun time,” recalled the Grammy-nominated artist. “And then when it came out I was like, ‘Oh, s—!’”

Since the release of TTPD, Swift has shared various clips of rehearsal footage for her next Eras Tour leg, sparking speculation among fans that she may incorporate songs from the new album into the setlist. Could this mean Welch might join her on stage for a live rendition of their collaboration? “If I was gonna do it, it would be a surprise,” she teased.

Swift recently delved into the meaning behind “Florida!!!,” explaining to iHeartRadio that she “was exploring the idea of what happens when your life doesn’t fit, or when the choices you’ve made catch up to you.”

Taylor Swift.JOHN SHEARER/GETTY

The “Fortnight” singer highlighted how at times in life “you’re surrounded by these harsh consequences and judgment, and circumstances did not lead you to where you thought you’d be and you just want to escape from everything you’ve ever known,” leading one to question, “is there a place you could go?”

According to Swift, she is “always watching” Dateline and thought about how “people have these crimes that they commit, where do they immediately skip town and go to? They go to Florida.”

“I think when you go through a heartbreak, there’s a part of you that thinks: I want a new name, I want a new life, I don’t want anyone to know where I’ve been or know me at all,” she continued to the outlet. “So that was the jumping-off point behind where would you go to reinvent yourself and blend in? ‘Florida!!!’”

Taylor Swift and Emma Stone collaborated on the track, which features Florence + The Machine

Taylor Swift and Emma Stone on Dec. 6, 2023. PHOTO: TODD WILLIAMSON/JANUARY IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK

One of Taylor Swift’s most famous collaborators on The Tortured Poets Department has never released a single — but has won two Oscars.

For Swift’s new track “Florida!!!,” the singer enlisted longtime friend and La La Land actress Emma Stone to contribute to the song, a confirmation made by PEOPLE.

“‘Florida!!!’ is a song I wrote with Florence and the Machine, and I think I was exploring the idea of what happens when your life doesn’t fit, or when the choices you’ve made catch up to you,” Swift explained to iHeartRadio about the song’s creation.

She emphasized how in life, there are moments when “you’re surrounded by harsh consequences and judgment, and circumstances haven’t led you to where you thought you’d be, and you just want to escape from everything you’ve ever known,” prompting the question, “Is there a place you could go?”

Swift also mentioned her fascination with Dateline, noting how “people commit crimes, and where do they immediately skip town and go to? They go to Florida.”

Emma Stone and Taylor Swift on Aug. 7, 2011.WIREIMAGE

“I think when you go through a heartbreak, there’s a part of you that thinks: I want a new name, I want a new life, I don’t want anyone to know where I’ve been or know me at all,” she continued to the outlet. “So that was the jumping-off point behind where would you go to reinvent yourself and blend in? ‘Florida!!!’ ”

Apart from references to hurricanes, hot weather, swamps, and even a particular shoutout to a “time-share down in Destin,” Florida holds significance as it served as the location for Swift’s first shows upon returning to The Eras Tour after her split with Joe Alwyn following six years of dating.

Swift and Stone’s friendship traces back to 2008 when they both attended the Young Hollywood Awards in Los Angeles. By 2010, Swift was seen supporting Stone at the premiere of her film Easy A in Los Angeles.

“It’s just so important to have people that you trust, and Emma and Selena and I, we’ve had so many things in our lives that have changed over the last couple years, but our friendship has stayed the same. So that’s really good,” Swift noted to Access in 2012 about her friendship with the actress and Selena Gomez.

Emma Stone and Taylor Swift on April 27, 2008.JEFF VESPA/WIREIMAGE

Over the years, Swift continued to support Stone’s acting endeavors, appearing at the premieres of Stone’s Broadway debut in Cabaret, The Favourite (which also starred Alwyn) and Poor Things in 2023.

“Florida!!!” isn’t the first time that Stone’s name has been in the same conversation as Swift’s music.

When the singer released Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on July 7, 2023, fans noticed that Stone was likely the inspiration behind the vault track “When Emma Falls in Love,” an assumed reference to the actress’s relationship with Kiernan Culkin from 2010 to 2011. Swift never directly confirmed this reference but did state during an Eras Tour stop in Kansas City that the track was written about one of her best friends.