Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Taylor Swift Shake It Off mash-up video made by Oxford Union in effort to persuade star to visit

Stephen Fry, Morgan Freeman and John McCain feature in video

Heather Saul
Friday 21 August 2015 09:34 BST
Comments
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

One of the world's most famous debating societies has created a 'Shake It Off' mash-up video featuring several famous faces in an effort to convince Taylor Swift to visit them.

Established in 1823, the Oxford Union has hosted a number of internationally recognised figures, such as Stephen Fry, Morgan Freeman, Senator John McCain and more.

But Swift has yet to appear before the society, leading its members to issue a plea they hope she won’t be able to ignore.

Charles Vaughan, the President of the Union, said it had been unable to book Swift in the past because of her touring schedule and were keen to get her attention with the video.

He told The Independent the mash-up took a team seven days of trawling through footage and editing to arrive at the finished product.

"There were two people working on the video editing, two people trawling through the catalogue of videos, and the rest of our committee was helping by suggesting changes," he said.

"Taylor Swift is an international sensation who does not just produce enjoyable music but has become a contemporary cultural icon. The Oxford Union hosts some of the world’s most influential speakers and celebrities, and Swift is one of the most exciting performers today who appeals to such a broad range of audiences.

"Any artist who can create a single which has one billion views on YouTube is someone particularly special.

Mr Vaughan said the video had received a positive reaction from people inside and outside of Oxford.

"It’s wonderful that many people outside of Oxford have got in touch with us too saying how much they enjoy the video," he added.

"We are pleased that people have seen a different and more fun side to the Oxford Union, and hope they will continue to follow us online."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in