A clip showing Taylor Swift’s producer seemingly inserting ‘AirPods’ during Katy Perry’s VMA performance caused a stir on social media.
He has now addressed the situation to clarify his actions.
On September 11, during the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), Taylor Swift was seen enthusiastically cheering for her friend Katy Perry during Perry’s ‘Firework’ performance. However, Jack Antonoff, Swift’s producer, appeared less engaged.
Perry fans quickly took to the internet, criticizing Antonoff for what they believed was him putting in ‘AirPods’ during Perry’s act.
In the video, Swift and Suki Waterhouse are seen dancing and singing along to Perry’s 2013 hit ‘Dark Horse’.
But just behind them, Jack Antonoff is spotted reaching into his bag, retrieving something, and then placing it into his ears.
Social media users were swift to react, as quickly as Perry made a candid confession about her relationship with Orlando Bloom on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast.
One Twitter user commented: “Jack antonoff putting airpods in during katy’s performance… such loser behaviour.”
Antonoff has since issued a response to the criticism, using social media to explain what actually transpired in the now-viral video.
In an Instagram Story posted yesterday, he clarified that he wasn’t using AirPods but ‘earplugs’ during the VMAs.
He explained: “They were blue ‘hearos’ brand and im mortified to admit that i’ve been using them for a long time as well as buying them in bulk. i would also like to be honest and get ahead of that fact that i do not only use them when in 100 plus DB environments.”
“It is humiliating to admit that i use them on planes and every night while sleep. there is nothing left to do but apologize and thank those who have covered this story because although it’s an embarrassment to my family and i, i do believe that this was a very important and pressing issue that needed to be exposed.”
“I’m sorry to those i let down and today i will not being going to work and instead thinking about my earplug use and everyone that has been affected by it.”
“The band and i have decided to keep all dates as scheduled.”
Well, that was nothing short of iconic, whoever is in charge of his pay, give this man a raise.