The Rumors
Over the last few weeks, rumors have been circulating that Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn split up. Although neither of the two had explicitly confirmed anything, even the slightest possibility of this breakup was a shock to many fans. The pair had been together for over six years, and in terms of Taylor’s career, this meant five new albums, two re-recorded albums, and dozens of songs dedicated to Joe. “Can we always be this close, forever and ever” she writes in her song “Lover”, almost three years into their relationship. Joe is also speculated to be the inspiration for “Invisible String”, a song in which she writes about finding her soulmate.
With fans connecting to Taylor’s songs about her warm, comforting, loving relationship, it’s not shocking that Swifties did not take these breakup rumors lightly. The drama ensued when on April 8, it was confirmed that Joe had not yet attended any of Taylor’s shows on the Eras Tour. Although this fact alone caused quite a stir on social media, many fans still held onto hope that the rumors were false. Swift often kept her relationship with Joe private: “Romance is not dead, if you keep it just yours” she writes in “Paris”, a song from her most recent album, Midnights. However, through the days to follow, it became harder to ignore the evidence of a breakup.
The Split
Taylor’s performances during her tour have been some of the most interesting pieces of evidence toward the split. For instance, during her third weekend of the tour, she unexpectedly changed her setlist, swapping out “Invisible String” for “The 1”, a song about a relationship that had run its course. Although this switch occurred prior to the rumors, the song choice leads fans to believe it could be a sign that her relationship with her supposed-soulmate has come to an end.
In addition, on April 20, she was seen in public having dinner with her close friends, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. That same night, the it-couple both unfollowed Joe Alwyn on instagram, as did a number of Taylor’s other friends, such as the Haim sisters. Taylor’s performances since the rumors have risen have been filled with emotion, tears, and powerful anthems.
Looking Ahead
Regardless of why the relationship ended, it is very likely that Taylor is upset the relationship didn’t work out. What does all of this mean for the future of Taylor and her music? To start, we can look forward to a pretty entertaining tour, full of surprises. (and maybe even a new breakup album in the works…) However, there’s a lot we can all learn from how Taylor is dealing with this emotionally challenging situation.
Think about it: The Eras Tour has given Taylor the opportunity to do what makes her happy, and surround herself with people who care about her. She constantly talks about how much she loves to sing and perform, which is perfect as her fifty-two 3-hour performances keep her busy doing the things she loves. In addition, her massive loyal fan base – many of which are attending these sold-out concerts – are always ready to support Taylor when she needs it. Because of this, the tour is probably pretty liberating for her as she enters her “single era”, because she gets to spend time with so many people that love her and her music.
Taylor Swift has been a strong-willed, creative, and caring role model for women and girls everywhere. If she can come out of a six-year relationship and still continue to put on amazing performances each night for a record-breaking tour, it goes to show that anyone can do anything with the right motivation and support from those who care about them.