This week saw the release of Taylor Swift’s new album Midnights followed by seven more surprise songs she called her 3am Edition. The tracks have many references to Swift’s relationships, as usual, and some direct ones about her long time boyfriend Joe Alwyn.
A source told Entertainment Tonight that their relationship is still “super strong” after six years together. They “are doing great” says the source, adding, “Taylor loves the fact that Joe unconditionally supports her” and “they are there for each other through everything and feel so proud of each other.”
The source continued, “They appreciate their time together, but also like that they can both do their own things, both in their professional careers or personal lives.”
Swift generally likes to let her fans pick apart her lyrics and create their own theories about who the subjects are, but she admitted directly that her new song “Lavender Haze” is about her relationship with Alwyn.
“I happened on the phrase ‘lavender haze’ when I was watching Mad Men, and I looked it up because I thought it sounded cool, and it turns out that it’s a common phrase used in the ’50s where they would just describe being in love,” she said. “If you were in the lavender haze that meant you were in that all-encompassing love glow. I thought that was really beautiful.”
She continued, “I guess, theoretically, when you’re in the lavender haze you’ll do anything to stay there and not let people bring you down off of that cloud. I think a lot of people have to deal with this now, not just ‘public figures,’ because we live in the era of social media, and if the world finds out that you’re in love with somebody they’re going to weigh in on it. Like my relationship for six years, we’ve had to dodge weird rumors, tabloid stuff and we just ignore it. This song is sort of about the act of ignoring that stuff to protect the real stuff.”
In the bridge, she sings, “Talk your talk and go viral / I just need this love spiral / Get it off your chest / Get it off my desk.”
People do jump on any news of the couple, who tend to keep things very private. But it has been revealed that Alwyn collaborated on songs with Swift for her 2020 albums, Folklore and Evermore, and is again credited for the song “Sweet Nothing” on Midnights. You know that Swift trusts him if he’s helping her make music.
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.
