Remember that summer in 2016? The "Summer of Slushies" or whatever the tabloids called it?
If you were anywhere near a radio, you heard that pulsing, ethereal house beat and Rihanna’s signature "Ooh, ooh, ooh." It was the song of the season. But for a few months, nobody actually knew the full truth about who wrote This Is What You Came For. People just assumed it was another gold-standard collaboration between Calvin Harris and Rihanna. They’d done "We Found Love," after all. They were the dream team.
Then things got messy. Like, "deleting photos on Instagram" messy.
Nils Sjöberg and the Secret Credit
When the track first dropped in April 2016, the writing credits listed Calvin Harris and a mysterious Swede named Nils Sjöberg.
Industry insiders didn’t think much of it at first. Pop music is full of Swedish songwriters—it’s basically their national export. But fans are literal detectives. Taylor Swift fans, specifically, have a level of forensic dedication that would make the FBI blush. They started noticing things. They noticed the song’s melodic phrasing felt familiar. They noticed that Taylor’s voice seemed to be buried in the high-pitched background "oohs."
It turns out, Nils Sjöberg wasn't a real person. It was a pseudonym for Taylor Swift.
She wrote the lyrics and the melody. She sat at a piano, played a demo for Calvin (her boyfriend at the time), and they recorded a scratch vocal on her phone. They both liked it. But they also both agreed—initially—that if they released it as a high-profile "Calvin Harris ft. Taylor Swift" collab, the media circus would swallow the music whole. They wanted the song to stand on its own feet.
So, Taylor became Nils.
The Breakup That Changed Everything
Everything stayed quiet until the relationship imploded in June 2016. It was a "fast" breakup, followed almost immediately by those photos of Taylor and Tom Hiddleston on the rocks in Rhode Island.
Calvin wasn't thrilled.
The tipping point came during an interview with Ryan Seacrest. Ryan asked Calvin if he’d ever collaborate with Taylor. Calvin’s response? "You know, we haven't even spoken about it. But I can't see it happening."
Ouch.
💡 You might also like: True Blood Online Stream Free: What Most People Get Wrong
Even though Taylor had agreed to the pseudonym, hearing her then-partner publicly dismiss the idea of ever working with her—while he was literally sitting on a hit they wrote together—stung. Soon after, Taylor’s representatives confirmed to People magazine: "Taylor Swift wrote 'This Is What You Came For' under the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg."
The Twitter Rant Heard 'Round the World
Calvin didn't take the confirmation lying down. In a series of now-deleted tweets that have been etched into internet history, he let loose.
"I wrote the music, produced the song, arranged it and cut the vocals though. And initially she wanted it kept secret, hence the pseudonym," he wrote. He followed it up with some heavy hitters: "I figure if you're happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of trying to tear your ex bf down for something to do."
He even dragged the Katy Perry feud into it. It was a total meltdown of the "cool DJ" persona.
But here’s the nuance: Calvin wasn't lying about the production. Writing a song is the blueprint; producing it is building the house. He took a piano demo and turned it into a worldwide EDM smash. However, in the world of publishing and royalties, the "writer" is the person who creates the melody and lyrics. In that regard, Taylor held the keys.
The Aftermath and BMI Credits
Shortly after the Twitter explosion, the official credits on the BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.) database were updated. Nils Sjöberg was scrubbed. Taylor Swift was added.
This had massive financial implications, obviously. As the primary songwriter, Taylor receives a significant chunk of the performance royalties every time the song is played on the radio, streamed on Spotify, or featured in a commercial. For a song that has billions of streams, that’s not just "coffee money." It’s "buying another mansion" money.
Interestingly, this wasn't the last we saw of Nils.
Taylor is nothing if not a fan of "Easter eggs." In her music video for "Look What You Made Me Do"—the lead single for her Reputation album—there is a tombstone in the opening graveyard scene. The name on the stone? Nils Sjöberg.
It was her way of "killing off" the secret identity and reclaiming her work. It was a visual middle finger to the idea that she should stay hidden.
Why Pseudonyms Exist in Pop
You'd be surprised how often this happens. Why did Taylor do it?
- Brand Protection: Sometimes artists want to see if their writing can succeed without their famous name attached.
- Genre Hopping: If a country-pop star writes a hard EDM track, they might worry it confuses their "core" audience.
- The "Relationship" Factor: As mentioned, they didn't want the song to be "The Calvin and Taylor Song." They wanted it to be the song of the summer.
Other artists do this too. Prince wrote as "Christopher." Paul McCartney used "Bernard Webb." It's a way to play a different character for a three-minute track.
What This Means for You as a Listener
Knowing the backstory changes how you hear the song. When you hear Rihanna sing, "Baby, this is what you came for / Lightning strikes every time she moves," you aren't just hearing a club anthem. You're hearing Taylor Swift’s lyrical DNA filtered through Calvin Harris’s production lens.
It’s a fascinating case study in creative ownership.
Even though the relationship ended in a firestorm, the song remains a masterpiece of the era. It’s a rare moment where two of the biggest forces in music collided, even if they had to hide behind a fake Swedish name to do it.
Actionable Insights for Music Fans and Creators
If you’re interested in the "behind the scenes" of your favorite hits, here is how you can dig deeper into song ownership:
- Check the Databases: Don't just trust the Spotify "Credits" tab, which can sometimes be incomplete. Use the ASCAP or BMI public repositories. These are the legal registries for songwriters and are much more accurate.
- Look for Pseudonyms: If you see a name that doesn't fit the artist’s usual circle—especially if they have no other credits—it’s often a secret pen name for a major star.
- Understand "Work for Hire" vs. Songwriting: In the music industry, producers often get a "production" credit, but unless they contribute to the lyrics or the core melody, they don't always get a "songwriter" credit. This is why the Calvin/Taylor dispute was so heated; it was a battle over the "core" of the song.
- Follow the Royalties: If you're a creator, always get your split sheets signed before the song is released. The Nils Sjöberg drama happened because the "secret" wasn't handled with a formal legal exit strategy once the relationship soured.
Ultimately, "This Is What You Came For" is a reminder that in the music industry, the person behind the curtain is often just as famous as the one on the stage.