Dolly Parton has a very specific thank-you request for newlyweds Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
After the couple donated $2 million to Parton’s Imagination Library ahead of their wedding, the country icon shared a video message thanking Swift and Kelce for the gift — before jokingly asking whether she could have their first child.
“Taylor and Travis, it’s Dolly,” Parton said in the video. “I was just told that you two are making a donation of $2 million to my Imagination Library. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m blown away and overjoyed with that gratitude.”
“Now it’s evident that you two have made giving back a key part of your lives,” Parton continued. “So hey, when you have your firstborn, can I have it? Because that is gonna be one special baby.”
Parton also highlighted the mission of the Dollywood Foundation, saying it is “to dream more, care more, learn more, and be more,” and added that the organization would continue that mission “in even bigger ways now” with the couple’s donation.
“So thank you and know that I will always love you,” she said, briefly singing a line from her 1974 classic “I Will Always Love You.”
The donation was part of a broader philanthropic effort from Swift and Kelce surrounding their wedding. The couple donated $26 million to charities across the country, including organizations in New York City, Rhode Island and Kansas City, as well as national groups including Parton’s Imagination Library, Feeding America and the ASPCA.
Swift and Kelce tied the knot Friday (July 3) at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The couple announced their engagement in August 2025 after two years of dating.
Swift’s rep confirmed the happy news in a press release, revealing that the pop superstar and football player wore outfits designed by Christian Dior Haute Couture. The couple did not have traditional bridesmaids or groomsmen, but Swift’s brother Austin was her man of honor, while Jason Kelce was Travis’ best man, the release revealed. Actor-comedian Adam Sandler officiated the nuptials.
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It’s official: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are now husband and wife.
The duo tied the knot Saturday (June 3) at Madison Square Garden in New York City, in a star-studded ceremony that was officiated by Adam Sandler. The guest list, meantime, reportedly included Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Sabrina Carpenter, the HAIM sisters and Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs teammates. And yes, the bride wore white, in a custom wedding dress by Jonathan Anderson for Christian Dior Haute Couture.
As details slowly trickle out about the ceremony — with photos no doubt soon to follow — savvy Swifties have already taken to the internet to create their own wedding merch and wedding gifts inspired by pop culture’s reigning royal couple. These are all unofficial items of course, but well, they’re actually romantic, and make great wedding gifts for Taylor Swift fans, or fun collectibles for pop culture fans, whether you’re single, taken or just down bad.
Here’s a look at the best Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding-inspired merch to pick up online now.
Taylor and Travis Royal Wedding Memorabilia Mug
“Tayvis” hiring police escorts and taking over an entire city block for their wedding had many comparing their big day to the royal wedding, and I guess if you’re a fan of the couple — or of pop culture in general — this really is like our royal wedding of 2026.
Commemorate the occasion with this fan-made ceramic mug, which features an image of the couple designed like a royal crest, along with a mirrorball crown above them. More easter eggs: there’s a wolf and arrowhead representing the Kansas City Chiefs’ mascot and stadium, respectively, along with a butterfly and unicorn symbol for Taylor (with a snake peeking out too cause IYKYK). As the Etsy seller explains, two blue quills at the bottom of the design are “symbolic of the love story they are writing.”
Taylor Swift-Inspired Bride T-Shirts
You can also pick up these T-shirts, inspired by lyrics from Swift’s hit songs, “Lover” and “Love Story.”
Choose from more than a dozen T-shirt colors and then choose the lyric you want printed on it. The 100% cotton T-shirts are available in sizes XS to 3XL.
«I’d Marry You With Paper Rings» Ring Dish
Inspired by lyrics from “Paper Rings,” a song off Swift’s 2019 album, Lover, this wedding gift idea gets you a heart-shaped ceramic dish for your rings, bracelets, keys and other small accessories. You can also choose to have the same quote printed on a classic round jewelry dish.
So It’s Gonna Be Forever Greeting Card
While our wedding invite to Swift and Kelce’s big day was (presumably) lost in the mail, we can pick up this Swift-inspired wedding card, which takes its design from the singer’s Billboard Hot 100 chart topper, “Blank Space.”
Also: totally joking about the wedding invite. We were obviously not on the list.
Taylor Swift-Inspired Champagne Glasses
While we’re waiting to find out what song Taylor and Travis danced to for their first dance, or what was served at the reception, you can toast to the happy couple with these champagne glasses, which are etched with lyrics from Swift’s song, “Invisible String,” off her Grammy-winning 2020 album, Folklore.
This set gets you two champagne glasses made from real glass. The Etsy seller says the glasses are dishwasher-safe, and reviewers say the inscriptions do not fade even after multiple use.
My Sticker Dress-Up Swifties: The Wedding!
The official wedding photos haven’t dropped yet (as of this writing), but illustrator Louise Anglicas has created this sticker book imagining what she thinks Swift and Kelce’s ceremony could look like.
There are 24 pages featuring various locations, backdrops and even mock wedding invitations, and you can create your own version of the festivities with the 500 reusable stickers that range from flowers to gowns. Included with the book is a silver-tone chain with a handcrafted red rhinestone heart charm at the end. The chain measures 18 inches in length while the heart comes with a lock and key clasp.
Brain Games – The Wedding: Taylor & Travis
Amazon also sells this trivia book inspired by Taylor and Travis’ wedding. Get 128 pages of quizzes, puzzles, word searches, brain teasers and more.
There are even sections about the couple’s famous celebrity friends (many of whom were at the wedding), Swift’s iconic Eras Tour, and even the couple’s pets.
Swiftie by Marriage Sweatshirt
Of course, Kelce has long professed his love for his now-wife and for her music, but this sweatshirt makes it official. It’s a great gift idea for anyone who’s coming over to the Swift side after getting married too.
Redbubble has this design available on a T-shirt or printed on this cozy oversized sweatshirt, in ten different colors and sizes XS to 3XL.
Taylor & Travis Forever Ultimate Fan Edition Little Golden Book Biography
And if you really want to commemorate the Swift-Kelce nuptials, you can pick up this children’s book, which tells the story of how Taylor and Travis met and fell in love.
Part of the Little Golden Book Biography series, this 48-page picture book was just released in March and is currently 17% off on Amazon.
Taylor Swift’s wedding look included a few major designer names — and one familiar link to her record-breaking The Eras Tour wardrobe.
The pop superstar wore Christian Dior Haute Couture to marry Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday (July 3), according to a statement Swift’s rep shared with Billboard. The ceremony looks for both Swift and Kelce were designed by Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Dior Women’s, Men’s and Haute Couture Collections, in close collaboration with the bride and groom.
The dress marks Anderson’s first couture wedding dress for a world-renowned celebrity, according to the statement. Swift completed her bridal look with Cartier jewelry, while both she and Kelce wore custom Christian Louboutin shoes.
The Louboutin detail is a notable one for Swift fans. On its official website, Christian Louboutin notes that Swift wore custom bejeweled styles from the designer throughout the European leg of The Eras Tour, with the Maison creating custom and existing silhouettes in different shapes, heel heights and colorways.
Those designs included crystal-covered Eleonora Botta boots for the “Lover” portion of the show, Cate boots for “Fearless,” a custom lace-up ankle boot for Folklore and Evermore, and the CL Moc Lug loafer for “Red,” according to the designer.
The official wedding-style details follow Swift and Kelce’s Friday night ceremony at Madison Square Garden, where they married in front of family and friends. The couple did not have traditional bridesmaids or groomsmen; instead, Swift’s brother Austin served as her man of honor, while Jason Kelce was Travis’ best man. Actor-comedian Adam Sandler, whose movie Happy Gilmore 2 featured a cameo from Kelce, officiated the ceremony.
Swift and Kelce’s relationship began in 2023 after the Kansas City Chiefs tight end attended one of her shows in Kansas City and later revealed on New Heights that he had hoped to give her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it. The couple announced their engagement in August 2025 with Instagram photos from Kelce’s flower-garden proposal, captioning the post, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
Over the course of their romance, Swift penned several songs that are almost definitely about Kelce, including “So High School” and “The Alchemy” from 17-week Billboard 200-topping album The Tortured Poets Department, as well as Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits “The Fate of Ophelia” and “Opalite” from The Life of a Showgirl.
Official photos of Swift’s bridal look had not yet been released as of Friday evening.
Travis Kelce must have taken some notes from Taylor Swift‘s Midnights track “Mastermind,” because after just two months of shooting his shot with the multi-Grammy-winning superstar, the “Anti-Hero” singer was spotted cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs tight end at one of his football games in September 2023. Talk about manifestation!
Fans have loved the pairing ever since, with Swifties christening the couple “Tayvis” and, at one point, starting a hilarious trend on TikTok of telling their male partners that Swift put Kelce “on the map.” And while the coupling between Swift and Kelce might seem random to the casual entertainment consumer, Billboard is here to help trace back how the two titans of their very different industries have come together and fallen in love over the course of many headline-making months.
Below, we’ve compiled a full timeline of all the most notable moments in their relationship, from the football player trying to give a friendship bracelet to Swift during her July 2023 Eras Tour stop in Kansas City to all of their football game outings, concert appearances and mushy-gushy interview moments that led up to their internet-breaking engagement in August 2025 to their New York City wedding in July 2026.
So if you need to catch up on how one of the most high-profile couples of the decade came to be — or you just want to relive the high points of their all-American romance — there’s no need to look any further. Keep reading to see a full, continuously updating timeline of the musician and athlete’s adorable love story in chronological order below.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have finally tied the knot on their love story, getting married in front of friends and family at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday (July 3). A sign, which MSG shared a photo of on Instagram, outside of the world famous venue confirmed they had exchanged their vows. “JUST&T MARRIED!” read the black text over pink background.
Swift’s rep also confirmed the happy news to People, revealing that the pop superstar and football player wore outfits designed by Christian Dior Haute Couture. The couple did not have traditional bridesmaids or groomsmen, but Swift’s brother Austin was her man of honor, while Jason Kelce was Travis’ best men, the statement to the magazine revealed. Actor-comedian Adam Sandler officiated the nuptials.
The couple’s nuptials come a little less than a year after they announced their engagement following two years of dating. In August 2025, they shared photos on Instagram from the Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s flower-garden proposal — as well as Swift’s massive diamond ring — and wrote adorably, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
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Fans have since been impatiently awaiting the big day, with speculation over the wedding’s date and location reaching a fever pitch in June as reports started surfacing that Swift and Kelce would use MSG as their venue on Fourth of July weekend. More commotion over the event came with the news that it would coincide with NYC’s most severe heatwave so far this year, with temperatures reaching triple digits on the day they said “I do.”
“If you happen to be getting married at Madison Square Garden, you will be staying inside and you will be staying cool,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani joked at a press conference about the extreme weather days before the wedding. “I think it’s a good example to set for the city at large.”
Swift and Kelce have been together since the summer of 2023. After the football player attended one of her Eras Tour shows in Kansas City that year, he grumbled on his and brother Jason’s New Heights podcast about his failed mission to meet the 14-time Grammy winner backstage, where he’d hoped to give her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it. The episode caught the attention of Swift’s mom, Andrea, who encouraged her daughter to give Travis a chance.
“I call up my resident expert on Kansas City Chiefs, my cousin Robin, and I go, ‘Tell me about this guy named Travis Kelce,’” Andrea recalled in an episode of Swift’s Eras Tour docuseries on Disney+. “She goes, ‘Oh my god, he’s the nicest guy, and you know what? He really loves his mom.’ And I went, ‘Ding ding ding.’”
Swift and Kelce hard-launched their relationship shortly after that, with the hitmaker attending one of Kansas City’s games to cheer on her then-boyfriend from a box suite. That would be the start of many Arrowhead Stadium visits for Swift, while the football player began attending a series of Eras shows across the globe. During one of her stops in London, he even joined her on stage for a surprise cameo.
“When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there, and we don’t care,” Swift told TIME for her 2023 Person of the Year interview. “The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other.”
Over the course of their romance, Swift penned a number of songs that are almost definitely about Kelce, including “So High School” and “The Alchemy” from 17-week Billboard 200-topping album The Tortured Poets Department, as well as Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits “The Fate of Ophelia” and “Opalite” from The Life of a Showgirl. Swift first announced the latter album on New Heights; while she was busy recording the episode, a crew was secretly setting up a romantic proposal scene outside.
Now, as the couple closes out their engagement era and steps into a new chapter as husband and wife, they’re making sure to spread the love. One day before their nuptials, Swift’s rep announced that the pop superstar and Kelce had donated $26 million to a variety of charities located across the United States in cities with special meaning to them, including their hometowns as well as Nashville and Kansas City, where Swift and Kelce respectively began their careers.
Madonna and her daughter, Lola Leon, are opening up about the emotional experience of collaborating on Confessions II song “The Test.”
During an interview Thursday (July 2) with Bob the Drag Queen on “iHeartRadio and TikTok LIVE Premiere With Madonna,” the mother-daughter duo discussed the making of the song, which was written by Madonna and Leon, produced by Stuart Price, with additional production from Arca.
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Bob the Drag Queen kicked off the conversation by asking whose idea it was to create “The Test,” which marks the Queen of Pop’s first official musical team-up with her 29-year-old eldest daughter.
“It was my idea,” Leon responded, explaining that “there’s a lot of things that are unspoken” in a mother-daughter relationship.
“There’s a lot of love that’s unspoken, but also a lot of tension and emotions that kind of are difficult to put into words, because it can be so emotional,” she said. “A way that I thought would be easier for us to speak about these things would be maybe through art, which is always something that my mom and I have connected over. That’s really brought us together.”
Madonna described the songwriting process as “a very magical moment,” adding that they both “had to be vulnerable.”
“The Test” finds Madonna reflecting on the ways her global fame affected Leon, who inspired Ray of Light and was 9 years old when the Confessions on a Dance Floor era began in 2005.
“You didn’t ask for all the flashing lights,” Madonna sings on the track. “I didn’t think of how it could disturb/ Or how it hurt/ I wish I knew the pain I’ve caused/ My butterfly was always being watched.”
Leon also revealed that, before entering the studio to record “The Test,” she had a dream about her maternal grandmother.
“It was kind of unclear what she said, but I just felt her presence,” she said. “It left me wondering what kind of person I would be if she was alive, and what kind of person you would be if she was alive, and what our relationship would be like. Those questions will always be unanswered, but I think it was a really beautiful way to honor her and heal each other through her eyes, kind of as a spirit.”
Asked whether she had to work up the courage to ask her mother to collaborate, Leon said she wasn’t nervous.
“Not really,” she responded. “She’s a very intimidating person and I have found that I’m not intimidated by many people as a result of her being my mom.”
Leon (who has recorded as Lolahol) released her debut single, “Lock & Key,” in 2022, along with her GO EP that same year. The model, dancer and singer was born to Madonna and dancer and fitness trainer Carlos Leon in 1996. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2018, where she studied dance.
Confessions II, Madonna’s 15th studio album, features 16 tracks, including collaborations with Sabrina Carpenter, Feid, Martin Garrix, and Stromae.
Ahead of the album’s Friday (July 3) release, Madonna partnered with iHeartRadio and TikTok for an exclusive preview event. The “iHeartRadio and TikTok LIVE Premiere With Madonna” streamed Thursday, giving fans around the world a first listen to the album one day before its official release. Viewers could tune in via @tiktok, @madonna and @iheartradio, while more than 200 iHeartRadio stations across the U.S. also broadcast the event.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s star-studded guest list is arriving in New York City ahead of the couple’s highly anticipated wedding ceremony.
As anticipation builds for the nuptials, dozens of celebrities were spotted making their way to Madison Square Garden, where the pop superstar and Kansas City Chiefs tight end are expected to tie the knot on Friday (July 3).
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Among those seen arriving were Swift’s longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, the singer’s best friend Abigail Anderson, and close friend Gigi Hadid, who attended with boyfriend Bradley Cooper. Dakota Johnson and Mariska Hargitay were also spotted heading to the iconic venue, according to People.
Ed Sheeran and his wife, Cherry Seaborn, were also seen before the celebration, while Lena Dunham and the Haim sisters made their way to the venue. Ellie Goulding was photographed arriving, Benson Boone was spotted outside Madison Square Garden, and Camila Cabello shared a TikTok video documenting her ride to the event.
The Chicks appeared to share a pre-wedding selfie on Instagram, while Sombr posted a TikTok video of himself dressed for the occasion. Other musicians reportedly seen ahead of the ceremony included Brad Paisley, Aaron Dessner, Lucy Dacus, Miranda Lambert, MGK, The Chainsmokers, Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney and Kelsea Ballerini.
The sports world was also well represented. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, sports broadcaster Charissa Thompson, and former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman were seen leaving their hotel, while San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and his wife, Claire, arrived together, according to People. Athletes Kyle Juszczyk, Cooper Kupp, Julian Edelman, Jared Wiley, Justin Thomas, Chris Jones, Mecole Hardman Jr., Abby Wambach, and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel were also seen.
Additional celebrity guests spotted included Hugh Grant, Ethan Hawke, Jimmy Fallon, Tommy Hilfiger, Karlie Kloss, Zoë Kravitz, Jason Sudeikis, Julianne Moore, George Stephanopoulos, Graham Norton, Bowen Yang and Nikki Glaser.
The festivities began the night before. On Thursday (July 2), guests were seen arriving at Madison Square Garden for the couple’s rehearsal dinner, People reports.
Fans have been eagerly awaiting Swift and Kelce’s big day for weeks, with speculation surrounding the wedding’s date and location reaching a fever pitch in June after reports surfaced that the couple would host their ceremony at Madison Square Garden over Fourth of July weekend.
Jon Pardi and Summer Pardi have announced they are splitting.
On Friday (July 3), the 41-year-old country singer and his wife, 37, shared a joint statement on social media revealing that they are divorcing after five years of marriage.
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The pair, who wed in November 2020, are parents to daughters Presley Fawn, 3, and Sienna Grace, 2.
“After much thought, we have made the difficult decision to end our marriage,” they wrote on Instagram post. “Our daughters will always remain our highest priority and we are committed to moving forward with love and respect as co-parents.”
The pair added, “Thank you so much for your understanding, support, and respect as we navigate these changes as a family.”
Shortly after posting the news, the “Dirt on My Boots” singer shared another message on his Instagram Stories.
“While I navigate this next chapter, I’m going to take some time away from social media to focus on myself and my family,” he wrote. “Thanks to you all for the love and support. My team will handle posting for the time being. I’ll see you at the shows.”
The former couple’s split comes as Pardi is in the midst of his Honkytonk Hollywood tour, which is scheduled to conclude Dec. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The trek is in support of his most recent album of the same title.
Jon and Summer met in May 2017 after being set up on a blind date by one of Summer’s clients and a friend of Jon’s mother.
“Within the first five minutes of meeting Jon, it was game over for me,” the hairstylist previously told People. “I texted my mom, ‘Sell my house, sell my car, send my dog.’”
The former couple got engaged during Pardi’s concert at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium in October 2019.
Alexi Cory-Smith, co-founder and CEO of London-based catalog firm Bella Figura Music, and formerly an executive at BMG’s U.K. division, has died. She was 58.
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“We are devastated to announce the sudden and unexpected passing of our co-founder and CEO, Alexi Cory-Smith,” said a statement released on Friday (July 3) by Bella Figura, who manages the rights of evergreen hits like Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” and The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me.”
“Alexi built Bella Figura Music from the ground up, bringing the vision and passion from a successful career in the music industry. Her leadership, creativity, and unwavering commitment to our team and our work leaves a lasting legacy,” the firm said in remembrance of Cory-Smith.
“Our thoughts are with Alexi’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement continued. “We ask that their privacy be respected. We are committed to honouring Alexi’s vision and achievements and will share further updates when we are able. In the meantime, our focus is on supporting one another and remembering an extraordinary leader who meant so much to all of us.”
In a statement sent to Billboard, BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) CEO Jo Twist said, “We are profoundly saddened to learn of the passing of Alexi Cory-Smith. She made a highly valued contribution as a leading figure in our music industry, including as BPI Council member when representing BMG, and we extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues on their great loss.”
Cory-Smith opened the doors of Bella Figura in 2022 alongside longtime colleague Neelesh Prabhu.
“For us, it’s quality, class, it’s successful, it’s curatable. I began Bella Figura with a very simple thing: I wanted to own my own publishing company,” Cory-Smith said in an interview on The Money Trench podcast, speaking of her turn to entrepreneurship after accumulating years of professional experience across major labels.
Of putting everything into Bella Figura, she noted, “It’s the best thing I ever did in my life, personally, selfishly and professionally. I love this business … It’s learning and doing and making mistakes all at the same time, but it’s fantastic. It’s the thing I’m proudest of. It’s the thing, I love it, I get up every day super excited.”
As of 2025, Bella Figura had accumulated a portfolio worth more than $160 million. The London-based firm made a push into the U.S. market, bringing on industry vet Gary Gersh as chairman and to open an office in Los Angeles last year.
An acquisition of producer/songwriter Paul Epworth’s publishing catalog in April 2026 added more major hits to the firm’s growing collection — including co-writes and productions from Adele’s 21 (“Rolling in the Deep”) and the James Bond theme “Skyfall,” and his work from Florence + The Machine’s Lungs and Ceremonials albums. “For us, acquiring Paul’s catalog defines what Bella Figura was built to do,” Cory-Smith said at the time. “His body of work speaks for itself. Songs that have moved hundreds of millions of people and stand the test of time.”
Before launching Bella Figura, Cory-Smith held notable leadership roles at BMG U.K. over the course of several years — last serving as president, repertoire and marketing, at the time of her departure from the company in 2017. There, she led the label’s publishing and recordings business, spearheading relationships with key artists including the Rolling Stones and Roger Waters.
“The Rolling Stones deal — well, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards specifically, because it was about them as writers and the songs — that was for me, a turning point. Very distinctly,” she said in her appearance on The Money Trench, recounting a milestone professional accomplishment.
Prior to BMG, she worked at Virgin, EMI and more, after moving her way up from being what she humbly described as “basically office junior, girl Friday, do it all” at her first job in the business, at IRS Records.
Unaware of the opportunities that she’d one day make for herself in the music industry, she originally thought she’d be a criminal lawyer. “I was going to save the innocent man from the establishment,” she recalled on The Money Trench. Though criminal law wasn’t her calling, she found she loved the work of making a deal and did pursue a law degree she’d apply to her career in music, before delving into learning and becoming an expert in the publishing business.
“It was worth every second and every penny and every tear,” she said of the work she and her team have put into continuously building Bella Figura. “I don’t regret a second, but it wasn’t easy.”
“I’d like it to go and go,” she said of her vision of her firm’s future.
A Guille Galván se le conoce mayormente por ser el guitarrista y uno de los principales letristas de Vetusta Morla, sin embargo, a lo largo de los años de existencia de la banda ha firmado varias cosas con su nombre propio. Ha creado bandas sonoras de filmes —La Virgen roja (2024) y Madrid, Ext. (2025)— y también ha publicado sus poemarios Desconocernos (2020) y Retrovisores (2015), trabajos en los que ha dejado entrever otras facetas de sí mismo. Ahora, a su repertorio se suma su primer álbum en solitario, Nadie con ese nombre vive aquí, en donde explora los fragmentos que conforman la persona que ha sido y es ahora, teniendo como hilo conductor su voz y su guitarra.
Desde el estudio en el que nació este conjunto de canciones, Galván habló con ROLLING STONE en Español sobre el impulso que lo llevó a lanzarse como solista, los lugares en común que hay entre su música y su poesía, y sus reflexiones sobre el legado.
En el pasado ya habías sacado unos trabajos, pero eran de bandas sonoras que pertenecían a otros proyectos. ¿Qué tan diferente ha sido el proceso de salir a defender tus propias canciones?
Por primera vez me pongo delante de mi propio proyecto y lo defiendo con mi voz. Llevo más de 20 años componiendo, haciendo canciones, pero el cambio de hacerlas e interpretarlas desde la guitarra y que las cante otro a tener que ser yo quien las defienda, ha sido grande y también el proceso más apasionante del disco.
En 2022, dijiste que tenías varias cosas escritas que sabías que no iban para la Vetusta, pero que tal vez te faltaba el impulso para compartirlas. ¿Qué te llevó a sacarlas en un disco?
El tiempo va colocando las cosas en su sitio. Y a mí se me juntó también a nivel vital una situación de enfermedad de mi padre, de duelo previo y posterior a su despedida, que me hizo tener la necesidad de escribir desde un lugar del que no había escrito antes. Esas canciones solo tenían sentido para mí si las cantaba, porque tocaban cosas que tenía que decir con mi propia voz. En ese proceso también me di cuenta de que tenía que hacer un recorrido a la raíz, a donde había empezado todo. Me pareció que partir desde ahí me iba a servir un poco de linterna para hacer todo ese recorrido y, ya que iba a hacer un trabajo al margen de la banda, quería que fuera lo más diferente posible. No quería hacer un proyecto con muchos músicos, sino que quería partir de la intimidad más grande que pudiera tener.
“Creo que la poesía es un combate cara a cara entre el lector y el poeta”.
El disco se mueve mucho entre escalas de grises, entre que a veces las cosas pasan por algo y en otras no hay una razón detrás. También habla de que las acciones tienen consecuencias sin importar si se busca algo positivo, pues esto tendrá alguna repercusión en los demás. ¿Qué otras inquietudes personales quisiste abordar?
Tienes razón en la parte de afrontar la vida tal y como viene, con lo bueno y lo malo. El disco lo empecé a escribir en una situación de tristeza grande, y pensaba que las canciones me iban a llevar por ahí. Paradójicamente fue un proceso de ir construyendo el relato de una despedida, pero al mismo tiempo esa despedida tenía que ver con una celebración de la gente que tengo alrededor y a la que quiero agradecer por estar ahí. Es lo que nos queda al final, celebrar la vida con quienes están porque en cualquier momento todo eso puede cambiar. Y en esa celebración también hay una necesidad de quitarte capas que ya no te sirven, e ir como los jarrones japoneses que tienen sus piezas unidas por un líquido de oro y al final son más firmes. Yo creo que el trabajo del disco ha sido un poco desde ahí: hay muchos pedazos, pero con esos pedazos hay que reconstruir una identidad y tirar para adelante porque va a ser la identidad de lo que seremos. Todas las etapas están llenas de cosas que se van y cosas que vienen y de muertes y de “renaceres”.
Para mí, más que grises, es un disco que todo el rato tiene un ejercicio de contención para no exaltar. Fíjate que es muy íntimo, pero intentando todo el rato que esté desprovisto de dramatismo, que las canciones te conecten casi con una mirada de espectador porque la vida es eso, al final. Lo bueno y lo malo viene junto, y no puedes esperar a que todo esté bien para configurarte a ti mismo.
¿Cuál dirías que es la mayor diferencia entre el Guille que escribe para Vetusta y el Guille que escribió Nadie con ese nombre vive aquí?
Hay una cosa muy evidente y es que cuando escribo para Pucho [voz de Vetusta Morla] hay un universo compartido que yo sé que tiene que ver con nosotros, con el grupo, con lo que creo que él puede cantar sintiéndolo también. En este caso he tenido la posibilidad de acercarme a temas que a lo mejor no hubiera tratado en un disco de Vetusta, como por ejemplo el cantar a mis hijos, ese ejercicio de pensar en la paternidad no solo como lo que eres con respecto a tus hijos, sino lo que fuiste con respecto a tu padre. Creo que es un disco que tiene mucho que ver con el presente, con el pasado y con el futuro desde mi prisma, y a veces eso es difícil pensarlo en colectividad. En este disco hay más una intención de vis a vis, que me pasa un poco en la poesía. Yo creo que la poesía es un combate cara a cara entre el lector y el poeta, y he intentado que en el disco pese a ser canciones, hubiera esa línea directa entre la guitarra y la voz, y el oyente.
Ya que mencionas la poesía, ¿por qué decidiste sacar un disco y no un poemario?
Al principio iba a ser un poemario, pero empecé a hacer uno excesivamente triste, y pensaba que no me iba a ayudar nada en esta época de mi vida. Pensaba que necesitaba hacer algo que me ayudara, y al final fue convertirlo en canciones y darle un giro al tipo de cosas que estaba escribiendo. Ha sido muy bonito porque me ha conectado conmigo, pero también con mi familia de origen y mi familia actual. Ha sido una decisión de la que estoy muy orgulloso.
Mencionabas que querías que este disco volviera a los orígenes, que fueran solo la guitarra y tú. ¿Cómo fuiste encontrando tu estilo personal, tu voz?
Eso ha sido lo que más tiempo me ha llevado. Pensaba que lo más importante era encontrar una manera de cantar y una voz que fuera convincente, no en lo técnico, porque lo que buscaba era que fuera convincente en lo comunicativo. Y por eso decidí que todas las canciones se grabaran guitarra y voz al principio, porque era la única manera de no esconderme y de no empezar a sobreproducir las canciones para luego quedarme escondido detrás de la producción. Quería que la voz mandara desde el primer momento, independientemente de si me gustaba más mi voz o menos. Ese ha sido el punto de origen. Desde ahí, la mitad del disco ha ido creciendo con la ayuda de otros productores y músicos, y la otra mitad lo terminé en casa con mi piano.
“Es lo que nos queda al final, celebrar la vida con quienes están porque en cualquier momento todo eso puede cambiar”.
Hay canciones que tienen sonidos más digitales, más allá de la base de guitarra y voz, como ‘No me dejes quieto’, que la siento un poco distópica por sus sintetizadores. ¿Cómo decidiste añadir este tipo de detalles?
Quería ver hasta dónde aguantaba la propuesta de guitarra y voz, que es como más cantautor, más clásica, y ver cómo se conjugaba con la modernidad porque también quería hacer un disco que fuera de 2026. Entonces lo que hice fue una especie de equipo de producción y de músicos donde yo les decía, “Este disco es de una persona que está con una guitarra en el centro de una habitación cantando una canción a quien la escucha. No quiero que llenéis la habitación de músicos; quiero que decoréis la habitación. Sois directores de arte, como si fuera una película de esta canción”. Yo iba dándoles pautas, y otra era que lo tenían que hacer en su casa [porque] era un disco que iba de la intimidad de una casa a la de otra.
No quería ir a un estudio, contratar músicos y ponernos a grabar porque me daba la sensación de que el disco iba a coger un músculo que no le venía bien. A veces tenemos el problema de querer hacer en un disco todos los discos posibles y normalmente cuando intentas que en un disco esté todo, consigues, como en la pintura cuando mezclas todos los colores, una mancha oscura.
Es interesante que a pesar de que es un álbum que nace de un lugar bastante personal se fue construyendo hacia un lugar más colectivo.
Sí. Es como la música misma. Nace en un lugar chiquitito en una habitación o en la cabeza y al final lo tienes que ir soltando, lo tienes que ir compartiendo. A veces da miedo compartirlo porque se aleja un poco de lo que tienes en la cabeza, pero otras veces el alejarse hace que crezca, como los niños cuando se van de casa. Es una línea bonita el ver como algo que ha nacido de un germen tan concreto se ha ido ramificando y ojalá se siga ramificando con la gente que lo escuche.
A nivel lírico hay referencias literarias y mitológicas, y también hay muchas metáforas. ¿Qué tanto te agrada o desagrada la literalidad?
Creo que es un disco bastante más literal o más directo de lo que han sido muchas de las canciones que he escrito para Vetusta Morla, donde hay un vuelo más metafórico. He intentado ser preciso, más que literal, en lo que quería contar porque tenía bastante claro lo que quería armar en cada canción. Entonces, es verdad que me he ido llevando a lugares más concretos.
En cuanto a las referencias, a mí me gustan siempre que aporten. Al final, quienes escuchamos música tenemos universos compartidos. Cuando es necesario y viene al caso, sí me gusta utilizarlas porque creo que expanden las canciones hacia otros lugares, las hace más colectivas y son como pequeñas puertas hacia lo compartido.
Me gusta la parte de ‘Huellas en el aire’ en la que dices, “No hay huellas en el aire, llegaste tarde 10mil millones de años” y al final se oye la voz de un niño. ¿Qué hay detrás de esta canción?
El niño soy yo de pequeño, con dos o tres años, y está sacada de una grabación familiar. En mi casa no había videocámara y cuando queríamos grabar cosas, poníamos la grabadora de audio. A raíz del fallecimiento de mi padre, estuve digitalizando esas cintas y volviéndolas a escuchar después de tantos años, y me parecía bonito que parte de mi origen musical formara parte del disco. Hay más cosas sacadas [de allí], como los grillos de ‘Hay un coche ardiendo’.
¿Es intencional que después siga ‘Túnel de la M-30’?
Sí, completamente. De hecho, era una manera de unir mi voz de niño con la canción que le dedico a mis hijos. Era como un túnel al mundo de la infancia que conseguí ver claro cuando metí esa transición entre esas dos canciones. ‘Túnel de la M-30’ es una canción que escribí en uno de esos momentos donde los niños empiezan a tener miedo de crecer y de hacerse mayores porque piensan que van a convertirse en otra cosa mucho más aburrida y fea como es la adultez. Me pareció que, en realidad, era de lo que estaba hablando el disco: ver de qué manera, aunque vayamos cambiando y convirtiéndonos en otras personas, todo lo que llevamos enseñado por las personas que nos han querido se queda dentro de nosotros para siempre y forma parte de nosotros allá donde vayamos.
El disco cierra con ‘Canción muralla’, un tema que interpreto como una reflexión sobre el legado. Al ser un músico que lleva décadas con una agrupación, que también tiene cosas bajo su nombre, y que ahora presenta su debut en solitario, ¿a qué conclusiones has podido llegar respecto a dejar un legado?
Escribía en la nota de prensa de ‘En qué momento me dudé de ti’ que los médicos curan, los maestros enseñan, los arquitectos hacen casas, pero, ¿qué hacemos los músicos más allá de hacer música? Que en el fondo no sirve para tanto. Y a veces uno sueña con poder hacer algo que le sirva a los demás en un momento difícil y qué mejor que hacer una canción que te permita ser una muralla para lo malo, un refugio para cuando estés en un día complicado y que llegue a todos esos sitios donde como seres humanos no podemos llegar. Es como el único superpoder que nos queda a los músicos: hacer canciones que nos trasciendan y que les sirvan a otras personas.
¿Cuál es esa ‘Canción muralla’ para ti?
Para mí este disco ha sido una buena muralla y un buen lugar donde refugiarme. Más allá de lo que suceda con él, ya el haberlo transitado ha sido una muralla y un puente también. Al final, la muralla está para protegerse, pero luego hay que tender puentes. Así que todo en él para mí ha sido una muralla. Ahora los puentes les toca tenderlos a quien lo escuche.
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