How “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Requested Taylor Swift’s Permission to Feature a Song
Lola Tung (Belly), Christopher Briney (Conrad), Gavin Casalegno (Jeremiah) ERIKA DOSS/Amazon Studios
The Summer I Turned Pretty creators faced a challenge in securing the rights to feature Taylor Swift‘s music in the series.
During the episode of Jenna Bush Hager‘s “Open Book” podcast that aired on Thursday, January 9, TSITP creator and showrunner Jenny Han shared her experience trying to obtain a Swift song for the season 1 finale of the successful Prime Video series.
Han, 44, recounted her efforts, stating, “I was kind of trying to Inception it into everyone’s heads that we need this.” She was committed to doing “whatever it took” to include “The Way I Loved You” from Swift’s Fearless album. “Honestly, I don’t think anyone thought we would actually get it.”
An Amazon Music representative encouraged Han to draft a letter to Swift, 35, explaining the significance of including the song in the show.
“I wrote a handwritten note detailing how much it would mean—not just to me but to the fans. That was the gift I wanted to give because I knew they would go crazy for this,” she reminisced. “We were so fortunate to get more than one [song].”
Taylor Swift Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty revolves around Belly (Lola Tung) and her brother, Steven (Sean Kaufman), who spend their summer at a beach house owned by their childhood friends, Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). Belly’s initial crush on Conrad complicates her life as she begins to develop feelings for Jeremiah.
As a self-declared Swiftie, Han has previously highlighted how audience input shaped the soundtrack of the show.
“For me, being able to provide fans of the book that moment is incredibly meaningful because if you’re a fan of The Summer I Turned Pretty, you’re likely a fan of Taylor Swift,” she stated in an interview with The Wrap back in June 2022. “Many fans asked me to include her music in the show, and I was never sure if we could make it happen. When we did, I was beyond excited. It’s probably my most exhilarating moment throughout this process, especially since we ended up having five total, which I can’t wait for the fans to experience. Some moments might even surprise them.”
Season 1 featured selections from Swift’s catalog to evoke romantic sentiments tied to Belly’s feelings for Conrad, including “Cruel Summer,” “Lover,” “The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version),” and “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” showcasing the love story’s development.
The second season escalated the musical experience with nearly double the number of Swift songs, including “August,” “Sweet Nothing,” “Delicate (Taylor’s Version),” “Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” and “Exile.”
“I believe Taylor is someone who supports women, and I felt like she believed in me,” Han remarked during the Thursday interview. “I can’t express enough how grateful I am that she allowed us to use her music. I think she recognizes her fans would enjoy the show too.”
The Summer I Turned Pretty is available for streaming on Prime Video.
