If, like us, you’ve spent all your time trying to work through the whopping 31 songs that Taylor Swift released as a surprise double album, then you might have some questions. Namely, did Matty Healy leave his typewriter around Taylor’s house? And who uses a typewriter anyway?
Even if that particular song wasn’t about the 1975 frontman, we think it’s fair to suggest that more than one tune on the new album The Tortured Poet’s Department is about Taylor’s former flame. So if you need a reminder of how things went down with ‘Tatty’, we’ve got you covered. From the first hints of their romance to every song we think might be a Matty reference, here is their relationship timeline…
2014: Matty and Taylor meet
Although nothing happened between the pair, Taylor went to see The 1975 with her friends Karlie Kloss and Lily Aldridge, where she met the singer. At the time, Matty told Australia’s 2DayFm: “We met each other, we exchanged numbers in the same way that a lot of people in this kind of world do, and we spoke occasionally.”
2016: Matty’s quotes are taken ‘out of context’
Speaking to Q Magazine, Matty spoke about his alarm at being linked to Taylor Swift. He said: “If I had gone out with Taylor Swift I would've been, ‘[Expletive] hell! I am not being Taylor Swift's boyfriend.' You know, [Expletive]. That.' That's also a man thing, a de-masculinating, emasculating thing.”
He later shared a post claiming that his quotes were taken out of context and that he “had fears of being 'somebody's boyfriend' (remember this is all speculation as we never dated!) before even being recognized for my music or presence as a person in my own right”.
Praising Taylor, he continued: “I found her to be one of the most gracious, hard-working, creatively gifted, and beautiful women that I have had the pleasure to meet. I personally have a lot of respect and admiration for her.”
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January 2023: Speculation begins
No one was quite so hysterical as the crowd at The 1975’s London concert in January, when Matty welcomed Taylor to the stage. The star performed Anti-Hero and The City with the band during the surprise appearance, sparking rumours that the pair might be somewhat friendly.
View post on TwitterApril 2023: Pap pictures say a thousand words
A month after it was confirmed that Taylor and her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn had parted ways, there are plenty of snaps of Taylor and Matty together - as well as Matty regularly attending Taylor’s Era tour - that there was no doubt that the pair were an item. They appeared to solidify it after they both mouthed: “This is about you. You know who you are. I love you,” during their performances, which was of course captured by camera-wielding concertgoers and shared on social media.
June 2023: Is it over now? Yes.
According to ET, Matty and Taylor called things off in June, with a source saying that they were very busy and realised that they weren’t compatible. Taylor has since been in a relationship with athlete Travis Kelce.
February 2024: Matty’s mid-show rant
After Taylor announced the name of her new album, Matty spoke about a situation during a show, which many fans believed to be related to Taylor’s new music. He said: “Do not come for me. Trust me. You know who I’m talking to. Honestly, you know who you are. I’m as mental as I seem. I have the receipts. Don’t [expletive] with me. Trust me.”
April 2024: Taylor’s album drops
Taylor appears not to have heeded Matty’s warning as fans believe that several of her songs are about their relationship, I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can), But Daddy I Love Him, The Tortured Poets Department and The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.
The lyrics of the latter read: “You hung me on your wall/ Stabbed me with your pushpins/ In public showed me off/ Then sank into stoned oblivion/ Cause once your queen had come/ You treat her like an also-ran/ You didn’t measure up in any measure of a man.” Eek.
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