By Alice Gibbs
Copyright newsweek
Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated new album The Life of a Showgirl just after midnight on Friday.
Swift has always been known to use her songs not only to tell personal stories but also to reference figures from pop culture, her romantic life, and past controversies.
As fans begin to stream the singer’s twelfth studio album for the first time, rumors are swirling about who has inspired the 12 tracks.
Travis Kelce
Songs: “Wi$h Li$t,” “Wood”
Fans believe her fiancé, NFL star Travis Kelce, gets multiple shout-outs across the new album, making him one of its central inspirations.
On “Wi$h Li$t,” Swift paints a picture of a cozy domestic future together—complete with “two kids” and a driveway basketball hoop—echoing the desires of her millennial fanbase now entering their 30s.
In stark contrast, “Wood” has drawn headlines for its more risqué lyrics, serving as a cheeky and very explicit ode to Kelce and their sex life.
High School Friend
Song: “Ruin the Friendship”
With a more somber tone, fans are speculating this track references the death of a boy from Swift’s hometown. The lyrics express regret over never dating him, giving the song a nostalgic and bittersweet quality.
In “Ruin the Friendship,” Swift’s childhood friend Abigail is also name-checked—the second time she has appeared in Swift’s discography, following her mention in Fifteen from the 2008 album Fearless.
Taylor Swift performs onstage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Rogers Centre on November 14, 2024. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Song: “Actually Romantic”
Rumored to be a response to Charli XCX’s Brat track “Sympathy Is a Knife,” this song is widely interpreted as Swift firing lyrical shots at her fellow pop star.
Charli herself has never explicitly confirmed that her track was aimed at Swift, but speculation has circulated heavily online, with fans pointing to pointed lyrical overlaps. Swift’s “Actually Romantic” appears to answer that chatter, fueling the perception of a subtle pop rivalry even if neither artist has directly admitted it.
Scott Borchetta
Song: “Father Figure”
Rumors have swirled as more people ask who Swift’s new song “Father Figure” is about. Fans have pointed to the former Big Machine label boss, who oversaw Swift’s early career and later clashed with her over ownership of her masters, as the likely target of this fiery track.
The reference is particularly pointed given that Swift recently regained control of her discography through a series of re-recordings and deals, a move widely celebrated by fans.
The lyrics here reportedly take aim at betrayal, broken trust, and the power struggles that defined their relationship.
Blake Lively
Song: “CANCELLED!”
Following reports that Swift and BFF Blake Lively had a falling out earlier this year, rumors have swirled that the album’s song “CANCELLED!” may be in reference to the actress.
Swift sings about toxic friends who are “cloaked in Gucci and in scandal,” a lyric fans have connected to Lively’s past role as a brand ambassador for Gucci’s Première fragrance in 2012–2013.
