Apparently, Taylor Swift has been holding out on us… again! Are you ready for it? On Feb. 16, Swift’s team broke the internet once again with an announcement featuring not just an alternate cover for her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, but a shiny new exclusive song called “The Bolter.” But what does “The Bolter” mean? Turns out, the internet has a few theories — including one about Joe Alwyn.
After receiving a Grammy for her pop album, Midnights, in January 2024 (marking her 13th award, which also happens to be her lucky number), Swift announced the release of her eleventh studio album during her acceptance speech. Immediately after, social media exploded with excitement as she shared the information on her accounts for the album titled The Tortured Poets Department, with the tagline, “All’s fair in love and poetry.”
Swift dropped the news about the vinyl variant of The Tortured Poets Department and its bonus track while performing on her Eras Tour in Melbourne. The announcement came right before performing “You’re Losing Me,” which is a song speculated to be about her most recent ex-boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. So, while “The Bolter” appears to be just another poetic title, fans are already speculating a certain connection to Alwyn.
After the release, fans immediately began to reference a viral video of Swift and Alwyn bolting, as some might say, away from paparazzi, back when they were together. Many fans believe that Alwyn struggled to keep up with the level of fame and attention Swift got, which is likely why they lasted so long during her break from fame and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neither Swift nor Alwyn commented on these rumors, but it’s a popular theory amongst fans.
Consequently, there might be an invisible string tying a number of the pieces in Tortured Poets to Alwyn, like “So Long, London” and “Fresh Out the Slammer” (which could be a reference to “the jailer” in her love song written about him, “…Ready for It?” on her Reputation album).
What does “the bolter” mean?
According to Swifties, of course, “The Bolter” is a reference to Joe Alwyn. However, these theories should be taken with a grain of salt, because the real definition of a bolter, in fact, refers to “an outsider in a contest or race.” Perhaps, the song will be more on par with “Anti-Hero” or “Mastermind,” where her vulnerability shows.
Either way, as she prepares to release her fifth album release in three years, Taylor Swift’s immense talent and versatility are no hoax. I already know that “The Bolter” will appear in my Spotify Wrapped this year.