- Fans are worried that
Taylor Swift andJoe Alwyn have split after listening to the singer's eighth studio album "Folklore ," which she released on Friday. - Tracks like "The 1" and "Exile" have led some of Swift's fans to wonder if the songs were written about a break-up with the English actor, who she's dated for over three years.
- However, "Folklore" is a compilation of stories from various perspectives rather than just her own, Swift explained in a statement via Twitter.
- The songstress also began working on "Folklore" in April before Alwyn confirmed that the couple was quarantined together, showing that they were still together after the album was underway.
Taylor Swift surprised fans by dropping her eighth studio album "Folklore" at midnight on Friday, and it's entirely different than anything she's put out before.
Whereas her most recent album "Lover" (2019) was packed with upbeat pop tunes that gave listeners glimpses into her private relationship with her longtime English beau Joe Alwyn, "Folklore" achieved something different altogether.
After listening to the 16-track album, which veers from Swift's past work both in its style and overall vision, many fans expressed their concern that the couple had parted ways.
—Emily (@emily_klehm) July 24, 2020
—Jordana | folklore (@deathbyswiftie) July 24, 2020
Luckily, there's a lot of evidence that isn't the case.
Here's what fans are saying and what we know about the couple's current relationship status.
Lyrics in tracks like 'The 1' and 'Exile' made fans wonder if they were written about Alwyn
It's not uncommon for Swift to write songs about her relationships (like the heartbreak John Mayer caused in "Dear John" and Joe Jonas' broken promises in "Forever & Always"), so it's only natural that the singer's fans would analyze the new album's lyrics for any hints about her mysterious three-year relationship with Alwyn.
Instead of a love song though, Swift began the album with "The 1," a heartfelt look at a relationship that didn't work out.
"It would've been fun / If you would've been the one," she sings, adding, "You know the greatest loves of all time are over now."
Fans immediately reacted with confusion, wondering if Swift and Alwyn had split up without anyone knowing.
—Liam O'Neill (@__Liam_O) July 24, 2020
—STREAM FOLKLORE AT MIDNIGHT (@IllicitLovers) July 24, 2020
Listeners had even more questions by the time they reached "Exile," the fourth track on the album. The song, which features Bon Iver, is about two exes reflecting on their failed relationship.
"I'm not your problem anymore / So who am I offending now? / You were my crown, now I'm in exile, seein' you out / I think I've seen this film before / So I'm leaving out the side door," Swift sings.
The brooding indie track, which weaves Bon Iver and Swift's voices together into perfect harmonies, was so heartfelt that many fans had a hard time believing that it wasn't rooted in Swift's reality.
—Giselle LOVER FEST WEST N2 PIT 1 (@GisiLovesTaylor) July 24, 2020
—Hana (@MissAmericHANA) July 24, 2020
Swift explained that she wrote the album from various perspectives
Minutes after Swift dropped the album at midnight, she released a statement via Twitter providing insight into the creative process behind "Folklore."
Images such as a cardigan, a disco ball, and a tree swing filled Swift's mind during isolation, she wrote. The musician explained that these visions became clearer with time, leading her to shape them into stories.
"I found myself not only writing my own stories, but also writing about or from the perspective of people I've never met, people I've known, or those who I wish I hadn't," Swift wrote.
—Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) July 24, 2020
In "The Last Great American Dynasty," the musician tells the story of Rebekah Harkness, the socialite that used to live in Swift's home in Rhode Island. She switches gears and tracks a teenage love triangle from three perspectives in the songs "Cardigan," "August," and "Betty."
The stories in her songs mirror traditional folklore, in which she said "the lines between fantasy and reality blur and the boundaries between truth and fiction become almost indiscernible."
So the regret in "The 1" and the heartbreak in "Exile" may not be part of Swift's own personal narrative.
There appear to be several positive nods to Alwyn on 'Folklore'
While earlier tracks drew concern from fans about the status of Swift's relationship, they needn't look further than "Invisible String" for Easter eggs about Alwyn.
In the first verse, Swift drops a hint that the song is likely about the actor.
"Teal was the color of your shirt / When you were sixteen at the yogurt shop / You used to work at to make a little money," she sings.
During a 2019 interview with Red Magazine, Alwyn recalled his gig at a frozen yogurt shop called Snog in London before he broke into acting. He also was photographed wearing a teal t-shirt when he visited Swift in Nashville, her adopted hometown, in 2017, according to photos published by the Daily Mail.
Swift also threw in a hint that the couple celebrated their three-year anniversary at the Lakes, a mountainous region in the U.K.
"Bold was the waitress on our three-year trip / Getting lunch down by the Lakes / She said I looked like an American singer," Swift sings.
And like she did on "Reputation" and "Lover," the songstress used the color gold when describing her boyfriend in "Invisible String," writing "one single thread of gold tied me to you" and saying that "Gold was the color of the leaves."
Some fans think that Alwyn cowrote two 'Folklore' songs under a pseudonym
When Swift announced that she was dropping the album on Twitter, she drew attention to the "musical heroes" who collaborated with her on "Folklore."
The list included The National's Aaron Dessner, Bon Iver, Jack Antonoff, and lastly, William Bowery.
—Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) July 23, 2020
The first three names on the list are well-known musicians, while Bowery, who cowrote "Exile" and "Betty," doesn't have any existing credits as a songwriter or artist.
Swift has used pseudonyms on past projects, so fans began to wonder if Bowery was a cover for someone else.
—zaynah loves and gio (@lastskiss) July 24, 2020
—Katie☆ (@Afterglow1990) July 24, 2020
One of the theories is that Alwyn used the fictional moniker to maintain privacy, as he and Swift have both made a point to keep their personal and professional lives separate.
After searching for leads, people wondered if Swift used "Bowery" as the last name since she and Alwyn attended the same Kings of Leon concert at the Bowery Hotel in New York City in 2016.
They also pointed out that Alwyn's great-grandfather was a composer named William.
—a folkWHORE (@taylowkey13) July 23, 2020
Swift nor Alwyn have commented on the fan theory.
Alwyn confirmed that he was quarantined with Swift after she started writing 'Folklore'
Dessner, who cowrote and produced numerous songs on "Folklore," released a statement saying that Swift first approached him with the project in April.
"I was excited and honored when Taylor approached me in late April about maybe writing some songs remotely together. I had been isolating with my family but writing a ton of
After Swift had finished her first song on the album, Alwyn confirmed that he was quarantined with the "Red" singer at her home.
"The Favourite" actor shared photos of Swift's cat Benjamin Button on his Instagram story, proving that the couple was still together by the time the album was already in the works.