I feel almost certain that pretty much everyone has heard the name Taylor Swift at least once in their lives. Whether you’re a die-hard Swiftie, you’ve heard her name in passing, or you’re a part of my English Literature course where she gets mentioned more often than you’d think. We’re studying Frankenstein by the way, not that I’m complaining. Especially since the latest discussion involved the announcement of her newest album, The Tortured Poets Department.
These past few years have definitely been eventful for the Swifties! Swift has released multiple re-recordings and a whole new album, and she has recently just announced her latest album at the Grammys, set to be released on April 19th. April 19th is also home to America’s Independence Day, National Poetry Day, and National Cat Lady Day. I think it’s safe to say that Taylor Swift does nothing without a purpose.
When you’re talking about Taylor Swift, easter eggs, hidden meanings and conspiracies will inevitably make an appearance, considering how everything she does is managed strategically. So, it’s only natural that her new album is swimming in theories. Let’s unpack a few of them!
Firstly, let’s discuss Joe Alwyn. Now if you’ve heard of Swift, you’ve definitely come across Alwyn as the two were in a six-year relationship, calling it quits roughly last year. Immediately, fans theorised that her latest album would give all the details of the breakup. Prior to her announcement, there was speculation that she would be releasing Reputation TV, however, we now know that to be incorrect, but one thing she did give us was the famous black and white aesthetic. This emphasised the theory that this was definitely an Alwyn album, considering her first love songs about him started in black and white, and this album is a reflection of their relationship ending just the same. Feels very tortured to me.
Now, continuing on from this Joe Alwyn take, I was intrigued by the group chat he was in. Alongside Paul Mescal (Normal People fans can shriek at this point) and Andrew Scott, the three of them were part of the ‘Tortured Man Club’ group chat. People immediately thought her album title was a reference to this, reiterating the theory of this being a breakup album. I mean, ‘So Long, London’ definitely screams Joe Alwyn, with him being the beloved ‘London Boy’!
Talking about song titles, track 16 is labelled ‘Clara Bow’ based on a real actress. Fans assume that this track will be about how Swift relates to the actress, and the similarities between the two. Clara Bow also has the nickname of being the original ‘It Girl’ and with Swift constantly being the current conversation, she definitely appears to be the modern ‘It Girl’.
There are also controversial references to Matty Healy. One of her songs is titled ‘Down Bad’ and many people think this could be a reference to her fling with Healy. Taylor was heavily scrutinised for her relationship with Healy, considering his racist and misogynistic comments that he made quite frequently. People had the theory that this song was an insight into her opposed relationship whereby she potentially neglected her morals.
Talking about controversy, there’s a lot around her currently regarding how she uses her influence to speak about important matters, as well as lots of political conspiracy theories. But they can be unpacked in detail another time!
Easter eggs are endless with Taylor Swift, as well as conspiracies, so there’s much more where these came from. What do you think of all the meanings and theories regarding The Tortured Poets Department? If you have any more, let us know!
Written By: Momnah Shahnaz
Edited By: Sonja Stojiljkovic