Before Taylor Swift released her latest album , The Tortured Poets Department , fans were sure at least one person would be mentioned: her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn. Other potential top contenders include her recent (rumored) ex-boyfriend Matty Healy and her current boyfriend Travis Kelce. The actual lyrics brought a few surprises, including a big list no one saw coming.
Swift's title track pays homage to musician Charlie Puth. "You smoked a cigarette, then you ate seven bars of chocolate/We declared that Charlie Puth should be a greater artist," she sings. It offers a snapshot of a couple's small moments, but it had a huge impact on social media The fallout, it proved extremely divisive on social media.
The swifts are fighting
Some of Swift's fans agreed with her, including duo Dan + Shay. "We agree with @taylorswift13 that @charlieputh deserves to be a greater artist," they wrote on X (the part formerly known as Twitter). One fan added, "Taylor is telling the truth and I applaud her."
However, many others believe otherwise. "Charlie Puth will be pissed off for the rest of her life by this, like why the hell did she say that," one person wrote on Twitter. Others pointed out that Puth is already so successful that she could have Become the focus of another artist.
The lyrics were leaked beforehand, and some fans couldn't believe it was real. "We claim Charlie Puth should be a greater artist" which is literally the last thing I want to hear Taylor Swift sing on a Taylor Swift song," one wrote.
selena gomez relationship
One reason fans were shocked was that Puth was rumored to be dating Swift's close friend Selena Gomez in 2016. They denied being romantically involved at the time, but he later said their relationship was "very brief and small, but "very impactful" in a 2018 Billboard interview. He added that his 2017 song "Attention" - The song - which he himself describes as "mean" and "shit talking" - was inspired by their time together, both in a Billboard article and in a 2023 tweet (Gomez has yet to confirm they dated. .)
Fans haven't forgotten Puth's controversial comments about the woman who inspired the song, saying she was trying to manipulate him because she wouldn't sleep with him. "I knew she wanted me to be so deeply involved with her that I would never leave her, but I could never get what I wanted from her," he said in 2017, according to Buzzfeed.
More controversy
There are other reasons for fans' mixed feelings. His past comments about women haven't gone down well with some fans, and he's also been criticized for his relationship with Dr. Luke and some of his social media activity in support of Israel during the Gaza war.
All in all, what Swift sang about Pus left many Swifties confused. As someone said, "That Charlie Puth lyric really confuses me as to why she would put it there..."
