Judas Priest's Rob Halford Lauds Taylor Swift, More Pop Icons and Defends His Love of Their Music

Judas Priest's lead singer, Rob Halford, recently admired pop artists and revealed his favorites - including the song he will be bopping to on his deathbed.

Stressing his belief in the limitless nature of music, the 73-year-old heavy metal icon stated that he "doesn't believe in barriers."

Halford shared insights on his current music preferences during a recent conversation with the Houston Chronicle amid the now-canceled Judas Priest concert in Sugar Land, Texas.

The interviewer inquired about the pop artists he enjoys listening to, responding, "Chappell is amazing. I turned on to (Lady) Gaga instantly. Her talent is just extraordinary. And she says she's a huge fan of Chappell."

"The way that the torch is passed from performer to performer, artist to artist, it's a beautiful thing to do."

He also gushed about the enduring success of pop music icons, saying, "What's remarkable about people like Gaga or Taylor Swift is their longevity."

"They're called pop artists. Is that the right word to call them? ... But pop, for as long as I can remember, for the most part, and don't get me wrong here, it's almost dispensable because there's so much of it."

"It's such a beautiful expression. It's like catching fireflies. Pop songs can be gigantic, and you'll never hear them again."

"But then you'll get a Madonna or a Cher or a Gaga, or hopefully Chappell or a Taylor Swift. The way they craft their music, it becomes immortal."

The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee confidently declared that he could even spend his last moments alive grooving to the sounds of "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga.

Halford, who came out as gay in 1998, added, "I don't know whether it's because I'm a gay man and I just have this joy and love of all things creative and arts, I absorb it."

"I don't believe in barriers. I don't believe in walls. I don't believe in censorship. I think that all music is a feast. All of it touches me in various ways. And I translate all of that into my own work."

This comes amid Judas Priest's announcement that their scheduled performance alongside Sabaton at Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land, Texas, has been canceled due to "unforessen circumstances."

Judas Priest started their "Invincible Shield" world tour in the spring of 2024, starting in Wallingford, Connecticut.

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Judas Priest, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Chappell Roan