Nils Sjöberg
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a fictitious name adopted for a specific purpose, often to separate the work from the public image of its creator. Taylor’s best-known pseudonym is Nils Sjöberg.
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Why Use a Pseudonym?
Speaking about why artists use aliases, Taylor explained:
«I think, when a pseudonym comes in is when you still have a love for making the work and you don't want the work to become overshadowed by this thing that's been built around you, based on what people know about you. And that's when it's really fun to create fake names and write under them.»
This Is What You Came For
Taylor first used the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg in 2016, when she secretly co-wrote her then-boyfriend Calvin Harris’ hit single “This Is What You Came For” featuring Rihanna. Her uncredited backing vocals also appear on the track, layered with Rihanna’s. At the time, Taylor chose to use a pseudonym so their relationship would not overshadow the song. In an interview with Paul McCartney for Rolling Stone in October 2020, she reflected:
«I wrote under the name Nils Sjöberg because those are two of the most popular names of Swedish males. I wrote this song called 'This Is What You Came For' that Rihanna ended up singing. And nobody knew for a while. I remembered always hearing that when Prince wrote 'Manic Monday,' they didn't reveal it for a couple of months.»
Look What You Made Me Do
Taylor later revived the pseudonym for a cover of her own song “Look What You Made Me Do,” which appeared in the TV series Killing Eve. The track was credited to a band called Jack Leopards & The Dolphin Club—a group that does not exist. Swifties quickly speculated that the vocals belonged to Taylor’s brother, Austin Swift, and that Taylor had used Nils Sjöberg as a band member credit to avoid Scooter Braun profiting from the recording. At the time, Braun still owned the master recordings of Taylor’s first six albums under Big Machine Records. By employing the pseudonym, Taylor ensured that royalties from the cover would be directed to her and her collaborators rather than to Braun.
