CELEBRITY
Matty Healy was ‘completely blindsided’ by Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets Department while still having ‘mixed feelings’… after singer targeted him on album following brief romance
Matty Healy was ‘completely blindsided’ by ex Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department after singer targeted him in some tracks on the record-breaking 11th studio album. The 1975 frontman, 35, and the Grammy winner, 34, briefly dated last year from April until their split only a few months later in June – and the songstress seemingly took aim at Healy in songs such as Fortnight and Guilty As Sin.
A close friend of the British-born performer opened up to Us Weekly in an article published on Thursday to reveal that Matty still has ‘mixed feelings’ regarding Swift’s LP – which dropped on April 19. ‘He loves the attention it’s brought to him, [but] he also thinks it’s hilarious because at no time [were they] ever serious.’ The source further expressed that the ‘lyrical content’ had also left the Somebody Else performer ‘completely blindsided.’
In one of the tracks titled, Loml, Taylor references to marriage as well as children, with some lyrics including: ‘You s**t-talked me under the table, talking rings and talking cradles.’ She also sang, ‘You and I go from one kiss to getting married/Still alive, killing time at the cemetery/Never quite buried/In your suit and tie, in the nick of time.’ The insider explained to Us Weekly, ‘For her to be saying things about baby carriages …and living together – he says it had never even come up. He’s taking it in his stride.’
In the song, Fortnight – which featured Post Malone – Taylor also appeared to target her brief fling with Matty. The pair were first linked in April 2023 – the same month it was confirmed that Swift and ex Joe Alwyn had split. Throughout the month of May, the two were spotted together in NYC holding hands and also stopped by a recording studio together. He also attended a few of her Eras Tour concerts in both Nashville and Philadelphia.
However, by early June, Matty and Taylor ended their romance, with a source telling People at the time, ‘She had fun with him, but it was always casual. They are no longer romantically involved.’ ‘They were never boyfriend-girlfriend or exclusive and were always just having fun. There is no drama, and who knows what could happen again. It was a good time and ran its course.’ But in some lyrics in Fortnight, Swift seemingly referenced to the fling which occurred after her split from Alwyn.
‘And no one here’s to blame/ But what about your quiet treason? /I took the miracle move-on-drug/ The effects were temporary/ And I love you, it’s ruining my life,’ she sang. The title of track means two weeks, and also possibly referenced to their short-lived fling. In Fresh Out The Slammer, Taylor seemingly took aim at Matty once again – who was born in the United Kingdom. ‘To the one who says I’m the girl of his American Dreams/And no matter what I’ve done, it wouldn’t matter anyway,’ were included in the lyrics of the track.
And in The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, she sang, ‘Was any of it true? Gazing at me starry-eyed in your Jehovah’s Witness suit,’ possibly referencing to Healy’s suits that he has donned while performing on stage. Earlier this year in April, Matty broke his silence shortly after Taylor dropped TTPD when asked about his opinion on the album. ‘I haven’t really listened to that much of it but I’m sure it’s good,’ The 1975 frontman told Entertainment Tonight.