“An anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and feelings of a fleeting and fatalistic moment.”
In her own words, Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, is a product of her personal life – which is often played out in the most public of ways.
Fans have already spent hours pouring over his string of new lyrics in the 31 new songs.
Two hours after its release, the singer announced The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, which includes 15 additional new songs.
From Kim Kardashian to Travis Kelce, here we take a look at who the lyrics might be about.
Breakup with Joe Alywn
Fans were expecting a breakdown in the singer’s six-year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn – and they weren’t disappointed.
Even in the album title there appears to be a reference – Alwyn and Normal People actor Paul Mescal revealed in 2022 that they had a WhatsApp group chat with Fleabag actor Andrew Scott called The Tortured Man Club. Four months later, news of Swift and Alwyn’s split emerged.
The song that appears at number five on the new tracklist – often the spot reserved for the most significant song from each of her albums – is So Long, London, and is said to offer new insight into her breakup with the British actor.
In the lyrics, Swift hints at marriage plans by singing, “You swore you loved me but where were the clues, I died on the altar waiting for the proof”, while being upset about having to leave London , what she said. “love”.
She also refers to “the house on the Heath” that she left behind. The singer was often seen in Hampstead Heath with Alwyn when they were dating, as he lived in north London.
“And I’m pissed that you let me give you all this youth for free,” she sings. “I have locked myself in my house for many years – I will never get that time back.”
Swift was on her Eras Tour when it was reported that she and Alwyn had split – and the first show she played was in Florida, which is the title of one of her new songs, featuring Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine.
“The hurricane that bore my name when it came, I got drunk and dared to lose my temper,” she sings.
In another song, Fresh Out The Slammer, Swift talks about feeling isolated in a relationship. “Another summer in the shelter, the thunder rumbles, it doesn’t understand me.
“Burst in winter, silent dinners, bitter, he was with her in her dreams.”
Romance with Matty Healy
Meanwhile, fans interpreted the lyrics of the album’s first song called Fortnight, featuring American star Post Malone, as being about the British singer. Matty Healywho she was rumored to briefly date last year following her split from Alwyn.
Swift sings: “Sometimes I wonder if you’re gonna ruin everything with me, but you told Lucy you’d kill yourself if I ever left and I told Jack that about you so I felt seen, all those we know understand why it’s destiny.”
But who are Lucy and Jack, the friends in whom lovers confide?
Fans have suggested that Lucy could be Lucy Dacus, a singer in the band Boygenius who is friends with Healy.
Meanwhile, Swift’s close friend Jack Antonoff was a producer on the song.
While Fast doesn’t name check Healy, a number of other songs appear to reference him, including Guilty As Sin where she sings about having “fatal fantasies” about someone from her past while she is in a relationship.
Fans also suggest that the song The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived seems to allude to Healy “ghosting” her.
“You tried to buy pills from a friend of mine, they just ghosted you, now you know what it feels like.”
New relationship with Travis Kelce
“I’m making a comeback where I belong,” she sings in her 15th track, The Alchemy.
This song certainly seems to be a nod to her blossoming romance with the Kansas City Chiefs star. Travis Kelce.
The song references American football terms including “touch down”, “team”, “warm the benches” and “winning streak”.
Swift started dating the athlete last year and she participation in the Super Bowl made headlines around the world, including that kiss with Kelce after the Chiefs win. The couple recently attended the Coachella music festival together.
“Take off your shirt and your friends lift you above their heads,” she sings.
“Beer stuck to the ground, cheers going on, ’cause they said there’s no chance, trying to be the best in the league, where’s the trophy, he’s just running towards me .”
Kelce, who recently landed a role as host of game show Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?, said he listened to parts of the album and found it “amazing”.
Learn more:
Boyfriend hails his “incredible” album
Argument with Kim Kardashian
In one of the additional new songs, thank you aIMee, fans decoded what they think is a reference to Kim Kardashian. The capitalized letters in the title spell Kim.
Kardashian’s ex-husband Kanye West infamously stormed the stage at the 2009 VMAs as Swift accepted her award for Best Video Directed by a Female Artist, a move he later claimed in lyrics. “made this asshole famous“.
In the middle of the row, Kardashian posted a video online of what appeared to be West on the phone with the singer, where Swift appeared to consent to the vulgar lines.
“I wrote a thousand songs that you don’t think are cool, I built a legacy that you can’t undo,” Swift sings.
“But when I count the scars, there is a moment of truth, which is that there wouldn’t be this if you hadn’t existed.
“And maybe you reframed it and in your mind, you never beat my black and blue mind.”
She then appears to reference North West, West and Kardashian’s 10-year-old daughter.
“And one day your child comes home singing a song that only we will know is about you.”
After the album’s release, Swift wrote on social media: “An anthology of new works that reflect events, opinions and feelings of a fleeting and fatalistic moment – a moment both sensational and painful in a equal measure.
“This period of the author’s life is now over, the chapter closed and barricaded. There is nothing to avenge, no scores to settle once the wounds have healed.
“And upon reflection, many of them turned out to be self-inflicted. This writer firmly believes that our tears become holy in the form of ink on a page. Once we have told our saddest story , we can be free of it.
“And then all that’s left is tortured poetry.”
Swift will bring her Eras tour to the UK from June 7, kicking off with three concerts in Edinburgh.
The series of London shows begins on June 21.