Taylor Swift & Sugarland
Country Duo Goes Mad for Pop Star on “Babe”
Ever since the release of the album 1989 in 2014, Taylor Swift has tried to fully crossover into the mainstream, while keeping her roots in country music. It’s pretty rare these days to see Swift embrace the genre, but she recently appeared on the hit song “Babe” from country duo Kristian Bush and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland. Swift also appeared in the music video with red hair, as she tries to seduces Brandon Routh away from singer Nettles.
Directed by Anthony Mandler, the music video for “Babe” features a married couple going through a tough time, as the husband begins an affair with his secretary, while the wife feels trapped in a loveless union. The husband eventually leaves the secretary, but it’s too late for the couple, as the wife happily doesn’t forgive him or take him back. She celebrates her freedom as a newly single woman ready to play the field.
The music video is inspired by AMC’s Mad Men with it’s late ‘50s/early ‘60s “ideal” American life. In fact, Taylor Swift’s look was inspired by the character Joan “Red” Holloway, played by Christina Hendricks, as Brandon Routh sports a “manly” fedora, which was the style at the time for gentlemen. The music video is in a classic style with a more “realistic” look at marriage and infidelity.
“She actually reached out to us and said, ‘I’ve got a great idea for the video,’ and she wrote the treatment,” Jennifer Nettles, told People.com. “And we looked at it,” Kristian Bush added, “and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is awesome.’”
“She loves this song,” said Nettles. “She loves our recording of it. She’s been such a champion of ours, not only for many, many years, but also where this project is concerned. She’s just super excited that we’re doing it.” She also added about Swift, “She’s such a pro and she’s easy-going.”
The song itself, which was also co-written by Swift, is a big ‘ol hit as it peaked at the #72 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the #8 spot on the US Hot Country Songs. It’s actually pretty impressive to see a country song gain that much crossover success on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s pretty rare to even see a country song chart that high to begin with.
“Babe” is the second single from Sugarland’s sixth studio album Bigger, which was released in early June of this year. It’s important to note that this is the duo’s first album in eight long years and the first for Big Machine Records, which is also Taylor Swift’s record label.
Bigger is available to listen to on Spotify and Apple Music. Sugarland is also now on tour across North America with American country artist Brandy Clark and Australian country singer Clare Bowen in support. For you Nashville fans, Clare plays Scarlett O’Connor in that ABC/CMT musical-drama television series.
The duo is also donating proceeds of the tour to the charity World Vision, a Christian-based organization that brings humanitarian aid to developing countries. “A beautiful thing happens when you sponsor a child,” says the band member. “The seed of something small blossoms into something way BIGGER.”
