John Mayer called for kindness in a message shared in an Instagram photo series on Thursday, just before the former Taylor Swift re-released her 2010 album Speak Now.
The 33-year-old Bad Blood singer shared a similar message when she asked fans not to “defend” her against the 45-year-old Gravity hitmaker during an Eras Tour concert last month, explaining that it was was not the intention of the re-recording, which was discontinued July 7th.
In a carousel of snaps Mayer took while performing in Boulder, Colorado with Dead and Company as part of their summer 2023 farewell tour, Mayer included an image that appeared to reference “Speak Now” (Taylor’s version).
The image showed colorful drones filling the night sky over the open-air stadium, spelling out the phrase “Please be kind.”
He also uploaded a number of other photos from the concert and although John asked for kindness, some social media users ignored the request in the comments section.
Request for kindness: John Mayer, 45, called for kindness in a message shared in an Instagram photo series on Thursday, just before the former Taylor Swift, 33, re-released her 2010 album Speak Now
A message: The image showed colorful drones filling the night sky over the open-air stadium, spelling out the phrase “Please be kind.”
One follower typed, “Today isn’t the best day for you, is it?” while another wrote, “Go stream speak now (Taylor’s version) by @taylorswift (she was 19).”
John and Taylor notably collaborated on 2009’s track “Half Of My Heart,” and were reportedly romantically linked later in December of the same year. At the time, the Your Body Is A Wonderland singer was 32 and Swift was 19.
But just a few months later, in February 2010, the two singers parted ways. In October 2010, Taylor released Speak Now, which included a song called “Dear John,” which fans speculated was about her breakup with Mayer.
Some lyrics further substantiated the rumours, such as: “Dear John, I see it all now that you’re gone/Don’t you think I was too young to mess with him?/The girl in the dress cried the whole time. “Way Home” and “Don’t you think nineteen is too young/To be played by your dark twisted games when I loved you so?/I should have known.”
Dear John also appears on the newly released Speak Now album, out Friday. Mayer later released a single titled “Paper Doll” in 2013, which was speculated to be a refutation of Taylor’s song “Dear John.”
Lyrics like “You’re like twenty-two girls in one/And none of them know what they’re runnin’ from” are said to be a nod to their Red album, which includes the track 22.
“Someone’s gonna paint you another sky” is said to be a possible reference to Taylor’s “Dear John lyrcis”: “You paint me a blue sky/And go back and turn it to rain.”
During a previous interview with Rolling Stone in 2012, Mayer also commented on the song “Dear John,” revealing that the lyrics made him “terrible” and “humiliated.”
Former relationship: John and Taylor notably collaborated on the 2009 track Half Of My Heart and later that same year they became romantically linked when he was 32 and she was 19; seen in June in Ohio
Reaction: He also uploaded a number of other photos from the concert and although John asked for kindness, some social media users ignored the request in the comments section
Not the “best day”: One follower typed, “Today isn’t the best day for Out, is it x,” while another wrote, “Go stream speak now (Taylor’s version) by @taylorswift (she was 19)”
Track “Speak Now”: In October 2010, Taylor released “Speak Now,” which included a song called “Dear John,” which fans speculated was about her breakup with Mayer; The two were spotted in NYC in 2009
“Because I didn’t deserve it.” I’m pretty good at taking responsibility now, and I’ve never done anything that deserved it. “It was a really lousy thing of hers,” he informed the outlet.
John added, “I never got an email.” I never got a phone call. I was really unprepared and it really humbled me at a point when I was already unremarkable. I mean, how would you feel if someone kicked you deeper from the lowest point you’ve ever hit?’
Speaking to Glamor shortly after Mayer’s testimony, Taylor said it was “presumptuous” of the singer to “assume” the song was written about him. “I never tell who my songs are about.”
Before Taylor and John recently called out for fans’ kindness, he’s also received negative comments from Swifties in the past. When he joined TikTok in March 2021 and posted his first video, fans of the singer referenced Dear John’s lyrics in the comments, according to People.
And later in November of that year, he received death threats from fellow fans after Swift re-released Red. It was assumed that some titles were about her breakup with Jake Gyllenhaal, but her fans still spoke negatively about Mayer.
Last month in June, the star herself quickly addressed her fans during a June 24 concert stop of the Eras Tour in Minneapolis before performing “Dear John” live for the first time in 11 years.
The pop megastar opened up about the re-release of the hugely successful 2010 album and urged her fans to hold back their outrage. She said: “I’m 33 years old, I don’t care about anything that happened to me when I was 19.”
Taylor even seemed to imply that the song wasn’t actually about her 45-year-old ex, as is widely believed, as she said before performing the song “Dear John” for the first time in over a decade.
Addressing fans: Last month in June, the star herself quickly addressed her fans during a concert stop on the Eras Tour on June 24 in Minneapolis before performing “Dear John” live for the first time in 11 years
Opening: Taylor even seemed to imply that the song wasn’t actually about her 45-year-old ex, as is widely believed, as she said before performing the song “Dear John” for the first time in over a decade
Ignoring the calls: Social media users took to Twitter to offer their own opinions, and one wrote, “Jokes about Taylor Swift.” I bully John Mayer for a variety of other reasons.
No Bullying: A fan also took to Twitter to explain and note that bullying is not the solution
Re-release: The Grammy winner has released 2010’s re-recorded Speak Now album, available Friday 7th July
The A-lister said: “I’m not going to release this album so you can get on the internet and defend myself against someone who you think wrote a song about 14 million years ago.”
The singer also announced her upcoming re-release of Dear John as part of Taylor’s Version of her 2010 album Speak Now. Taylor previously gave a live performance of Dear John during a concert in Auckland, New Zealand in 2012.
The performance came a few months after John discussed his 2013 song Paper Doll.
During his John Mayer solo live show in April, John discussed the title, telling the audience, “I wonder if people don’t like it because it sounds a little sour.” I like “Pi**ed Off” as a song not. I think it was more hurtful,” via Yahoo.
Adding, “Is there anything that’s a little stupid?” I try not to infuse the song with rudeness, and that happens sometimes. “Guess I’m not very good at this – sarcastic bitch.”
His candid comments came just days after it was revealed that Taylor had split from her boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn – from whom she recovered by enjoying a tumultuous romance with evil British rocker Matty Healy.
Though Taylor expressed intentions to re-release her Speak Now album, fans didn’t quite heed her pleas for kindness.
Social media users took to Twitter to offer their own opinions, with one writing, “Jokes about Taylor Swift.” “I bully John Mayer for a variety of other reasons.”
Another wrote: “John Mayer groomed you as a teenager when he was 32. He’s sexually harassed several women and that’s extremely racist, so he deserves everything that’s happening to him.”
New dates! Taylor excitedly announced the news on Twitter, writing, “I really can’t contain my excitement because… we’re adding 14 new shows to the Eras Tour.”
On tour: The singer has been sifting through a busy schedule for her Eras tour, which concludes next month’s US dates in Los Angeles in August; seen in June in Ohio
A fan then commented that bullying wasn’t the solution. “Attention Twitter Swifties. Taylor Swift asked us not to be mean to John Mayer when SPTV comes out. “Someone on TikTok suggested ignoring him instead, and I think ignoring him will hurt his ego a lot more than bullying ever will.”
The singer has been sifting through a busy schedule for her Eras Tour, which wraps up its US dates in Los Angeles next month in August. Later that same month she will begin her international tour dates beginning in Mexico City and South America.
She recently announced that she is also adding 14 new UK/European tour dates for 2024. Taylor announced the news on Twitter, writing, ‘I really can’t contain my excitement because … we’re adding 14 new shows to The ‘Eras Tour.’
“And I get to travel the world and do shows with @paramore!! Hayley and I have been friends since we were teenagers in Nashville and now we get to romp around the UK/Europe next summer??? I scream???’