Taylor Swift is thought to have hinted at her break-up with British actor Joe Alwyn and The 1975 star Matty Healy in her new album, while a song loaded with American football references is thought to be aimed at her romance with NFL star Travis Kelce.
The US pop superstar released her 11th studio album titled The Tortured Poets Department on Friday, with fans poring over a raft of new lyrics in an attempt to decode the new music.
So Long, London appears at number five in the tracklist – the slot reserved for the most meaningful song on each of Swift’s albums – and is thought to offer new insight into her split with The Favourite actor Alwyn after six years together.
The Tortured Poets Department. An anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time – one that was both sensational and sorrowful in equal measure. This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed and… pic.twitter.com/41OObGyJDW
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 19, 2024
In the lyrics, Swift hints at wedding plans, singing: “You swore that you loved, me but where were the clues, I died on the altar waiting for the proof”, as well as being upset at having to leave London which she said she “loved”.
Meanwhile, fans have interpreted the lyrics to the first song on the album titled Fortnight, featuring US star Post Malone, to be about British singer Healy, whom she was rumoured to be dating briefly last year after her split from Alwyn.
Hours before the release of the album, Swift announced that Fortnight would be the first single of the album and a music video is set to be released at 1am on Saturday in the UK.
While Swift doesn’t namecheck Healy, a number of songs appear to reference him, including on Guilty As Sin where she sings about having “fatal fantasies” for someone from her past while in a relationship.
Fans also believed the 15th track, The Alchemy, was a nod to her blossoming romance with Kansas City Chiefs star Kelce. The song references American football terms including the team, warm benches, winning streak, trophy, and league.
The pop star began a high-profile romance with NFL star Kelce last year, with her rushing the field at the Super Bowl to kiss him after his third victory in five years, and recently attending the Coachella music festival together.
Swift also namechecks Charlie Puth in the title track of the album.
The 34-year-old sings: “You smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate, we declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist.”
It comes after the album appeared to have been leaked online 24 hours before its scheduled release, with some fans insisting they were waiting for the official drop.
After the album was released, Swift wrote on social media: “An anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and sentiments from a fleeting and fatalistic moment in time – one that was both sensational and sorrowful in equal measure.
“This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed and boarded up. There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once wounds have healed.
“And upon further reflection, a good number of them turned out to be self-inflicted. This writer is of the firm belief that our tears become holy in the form of ink on a page. Once we have spoken our saddest story, we can be free of it.
“And then all that’s left behind is the tortured poetry.”
At this hearing, I stand before my fellow members of The Tortured Poets Department with a summary of my findings. Album tonight. Fortnight music video tomorrow at 8pm et.https://t.co/BAtr2MpPIs pic.twitter.com/hWsrsXSQuW
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 19, 2024
The album also includes a song titled Florida!!! featuring UK-based band Florence + The Machine.
Other song titles include The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, and Clara Bow, while the bonus song is titled The Manuscript.
Before the album’s release, fans had speculated whether the album title was a reference to star Alwyn.
In December 2022, Alwyn and Normal People star Paul Mescal revealed they had a WhatsApp group chat with Fleabag actor Andrew Scott called The Tortured Man Club.
At the time, they joked they were not using it as much any more because they were less tortured before news of Alwyn and Swift’s split emerged less than four months later.
Swift is known for writing songs about her ex-boyfriends, with previous flames Joe Jonas, Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal and John Mayer among those who have been linked to some of her biggest hits.
Swift will bring her Eras tour to the UK from June 7, when she kicks off with three shows in Edinburgh.
The run of London shows begins on June 21.