Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, but Billy Joel is shaking off critics who are tweaking Taylor Swift for her love of the Empire State.
A fellow spokesperson for New York tourism, the "Piano Man" fired back at those who've have mocked Swift's title of Global Welcome Ambassador to the city.
“I see the New York press going, 'Taylor Swift is going to be the new New York representative?'” he told USA Today last week. “You snoots. Let her in. That's what New York is all about. I say, 'Welcome.'"
Joel went on to commend Swift for her skill as a song scribe. “I think she's a talented songwriter,” Joel added. “She catches a lot of junk, maybe because she's so popular with young girls. But I like what she's projecting. I respect what she's doing.”
With 13 combined Grammy Awards — six for Joel and seven for Swift — the singer-songwriters even could collaborate on some mash-ups of their previous tunes. Perhaps:
- “Welcome to a New York State of Mind”
- “Style, Highland Falls”
- “Miami 20-22 (Feeling the Lights Go Down on Broadway)”
- “We Are Never Ever Starting the Fire”
- “Just the Way You Were Trouble”
- “It’s Still You Belong with Me”
Perhaps “State of Grace” might make for the most difficult mash-up, as both artists already recorded different songs by that name.
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