Paul McCartney Reveals Why He Performed at Taylor Swift’s Wedding: ‘She Asked Me to Do It’
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Paul McCartney said Taylor Swift personally asked him to perform at her wedding to Travis Kelce, explaining for the first time why he sang at the ceremony. The story matters because the guests have kept details of the wedding private, while McCartney’s account confirms Swift chose a Beatles song with a particular meaning for the occasion.
Swift requested “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, which McCartney had not performed live since 1964, when he played it with the Beatles. She was on stage with him, and he encouraged her to sing it to Kelce, though it is unclear whether they sang together. In the same interview, McCartney recalled Larry David declining to join a concert singalong of “Hey Jude” and joked that he would never invite him to another show.
- Swift asked McCartney to perform at her wedding.
- She chose “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, last played live by him in 1964.
- McCartney joked that Larry David would not be invited back to a concert.
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Paul McCartney is a British singer and songwriter who became famous as a member of the Beatles, one of the most influential pop groups of the 1960s. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was an early Beatles hit, released in 1963.
Taylor Swift is an American singer and songwriter, and Travis Kelce is an American football player. Their relationship has drawn public attention, while details of their wedding have mostly remained private.
The account links two generations of popular music through a song McCartney had not performed live since 1964. It also offers a glimpse of how music featured in the couple’s ceremony, without establishing exactly how Swift and McCartney performed the song together.
Full account
Former Beatle Paul McCartney has disclosed the circumstances surrounding his musical performance at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding. During an appearance on American chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live on 2 October, McCartney confirmed that he had sung 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' at the couple's reception, held at Madison Square Garden in New York on 3 July.
When questioned by Kimmel about how his involvement came about, McCartney revealed that Swift herself had extended the invitation. 'She asked me to do it,' the musician stated, adding that the bride had specifically requested the 1964 Beatles composition. The song represented a significant moment for McCartney, marking his first public performance of the track since he performed it with The Beatles in the mid-1960s.
Swift was present alongside McCartney during the performance, and the renowned musician encouraged her to participate. McCartney recounted suggesting that she join in with the rendition and direct the lyrics towards her new spouse. During the interview, McCartney momentarily hesitated when recalling the moment, initially referring to her husband informally before remembering his name — Travis Kelce. The exact nature of the performance, specifically whether the two singers created a duet, remains unclear from publicly available accounts.
The wedding itself has remained notably private, with guests maintaining strict confidentiality regarding ceremony details. Neither the couple has released any official photographs from the occasion. When asked whether images might emerge in future, Swift's friend Dakota Johnson, who attended the event, indicated this was unlikely. Kelce subsequently discussed the celebration on his New Heights podcast, describing it as 'a night out we'll never forget' and praising the venue for providing an intimate atmosphere that prevented external distractions.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 does not specify the wedding date; Source 2 provides it as 3 July
Source 1 focuses on McCartney's performance and other interview topics; Source 2 emphasises wedding privacy and guest perspectives
Source 2 includes McCartney momentarily forgetting Kelce's name during the interview; Source 1 omits this detail
Source 2 incorporates commentary from other wedding attendees; Source 1 does not reference other guests' accounts