Taylor Swift interpolates Father Figure on The Life of a Showgirl

Taylor Swift will interpolate George Michael's 1987 hit "Father Figure" on a song of the same name that appears on her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, due Oct. 3, and George Michael's estate said it approved the use. The track is listed as the fourth song on the standard edition and will credit Michael among its songwriters, according to the estate's statement.

"We were delighted when Taylor Swift and her team approached us earlier this year about incorporating an interpolation of George Michael's classic song Father Figure into a brand new song of the same title," the estate wrote. "When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same."

Swift's decision to incorporate "Father Figure" follows weeks of public speculation about the song's credits. Kenny Goss, the late singer's former partner, told reporters he believed Michael would have approved of the interpolation. Fans have noted a recent resurgence in the original, in part driven by renewed attention on social platforms.

The original "Father Figure" appeared on Michael's solo debut, Faith, and reached number one on the U.S....