In 2013, Jack, most famously known by his stage name ‘Bleachers,’ co-founded TAC with his sister and fashion designer Rachel Antonoff.
Jack originally gained fame in the mid-2010s; with his band ‘Fun’, their hit song “We Are Young” and placements in “Glee” and a Super Bowl Ad, he achieved a “truly inhumane, goofy, ‘Almost Famous’-level of success.” But, he remembered “immediately — immediately — feeling like, ‘I don’t want to play “We Are Young” when I’m 35,’ I don’t want to be defined by this.” Years later, Jack is a prime producer and songwriter for artists like Lorde and Taylor Swift and leads the pop-rock band Bleachers.
He is responsible for hit songs like Taylor Swift’s “Out of the Woods,” Lorde’s album “Melodrama,” and “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” with Zayn Malik. Swift herself has said “Sometimes he sits at the piano and we both just start ad-libbing and the song seems to create itself. His excitement and exuberance about writing songs is contagious. He’s an absolute joy. That’s why everyone loves him. I personally wouldn’t trust someone who didn’t.”
“I could ask anyone here and find a way that they know me,” he had said earlier. “They’ve heard the music. It makes me feel like the world is smaller, like I know people. I’m a part of your life,” he added. “You might not know it, but I am.”
The Ally Coalition believes that “allies need to fight discrimination and we use music to mobilize fans.” The brother-sister duo has used their unique connection to the entertainment industry to partner with artists and utilize their platforms to evoke change. Their work raises awareness of the systemic issues facing the LGBTQ+ population and provides support to LGBTQ+ organizations through tours, social media campaigns, and collaborative partnerships. “As straight Americans, we have two choices: we can choose to sit back and enjoy our rights as we have them, or we can realize that it is actually not freedom at all when our friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues do not share these basic rights.”
Most significantly, The Ally Coalition produces an annual Talent Show in NYC. The show has been headlined by artists such as Taylor Swift, Lorde, The National, Hayley Kiyoko, Sasheer Zamata, Lana Del Rey, and many more. The 8th Annual Talent Show is coming up on December 19th at NYU Skirball Center in New York City, and we look forward to seeing the community come together for an incredible evening of music and comedy this year!
Currently, TAC is on tour with MUNA, an American indie pop band. Together with headcount, they amplify the work of local LGBTQ+ organizations across the country. Past tours have included Arlo Parks, Courtney Barnett, Frank Turner, and more. TAC is often offering volunteer opportunities to fans to serve their local homeless or LGBTQ+ communities throughout tour stops.