Jack Antonoff is  Earplugs tuning out the noise, literally.

The Bleachers singer and music producer set the record straight after he was seen putting what was assumed to be airpods in his ears during Katy Perry’s Video Vanguard performance at the 2024 MTV VMAs on Sept. 11.

“I would like to tell you directly from me that I did in fact use earplugs the other night,” Taylor Swift’s longtime collaborator wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Sept. 12. “They were blue ‘hearos’ brand and I’m mortified to admit that I’ve been using them for a long time as well as buying them in bulk.”

The 40-year-old decided to poke fun at those who dissected the moment online, which was caught on camera. Noting that he uses the earplugs on planes and every night when going to bed, Antonoff quipped, “There is nothing left to do but apologize and thank those who have covered this story because although it’s an embarrassment to my family and I, I do believe that this was a very important and pressing issue that needed to be exposed.”

During the annual awards show—hosted by Megan Thee Stallion—Antonoff and his wife Margaret Qualley were seated next to Swift, whose dance moves were regularly featured in audience reaction shots.

After clips surfaced of the moment online, some fans presumed that Antonoff was placing something in his ears to block out Perry’s performance after her past feud with Swift. However, Perry has since extended a literal olive branch to Swift and even attended an Australian date of her Eras tour. Throughout Perry’s performance, Swift was spotted dancing and clapping for the pop star.

Continuing in his faux apology, the former Fun. member wrote, “I’m sorry to those I let down and today I will not be going to work and instead thinking about my earplug use and everyone that has been affected by it. The band I have decided to keep all dates as scheduled.”

For more candid moments from the VMAs, read on.