Taylor Swift lit up the opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony Saturday with a nod to 2021 inductee Carole King, and even King had a tear in her eye.
Swift soothed the crowd with a rendition of King’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” wearing a lacy, black bodysuit to match the formal tone of the night.
After the first few bars, the “Cardigan” singer looked out into the crowd with a sly smile and briefly stuck out her tongue between her teeth as to let them in on a surprise.
The best part, was when the camera panned to King in the audience and showed her wiping away tears and silently channeling her gratitude to the songwriting superstar on stage.
“I want to thank Taylor — thank you for that awesome performance. And also, thank you for carrying the torch forward,” King said during her induction speech.
The women have a history, and most recently, King presented Swift with her Artist of the Decade award at the 2019 American Music Awards, calling her versatility and impact “extraordinary.”
“I cannot believe that it’s Carole King who gave me this award,” Swift said at her acceptance. “My parents are here tonight, and they would listen to all of your records in high school.”
Jennifer Hudson also honored King with her own rendition of “Natural Woman” at the induction ceremony, which King wrote but was made famous by Aretha Franklin.
King is only the third female artist to be inducted into the hall of fame twice, according to Rolling Stone Magazine, joining Stevie Nicks and Tina Turner.
