Summary
- Fans speculate that Taylor Swift's breakup with Joe Alwyn was due to her reluctance towards marriage over fame, based on song lyrics.
- Swift hinted at her relationship with Travis Kelce being more public compared to her private romance with Alwyn.
- Although Swift hasn't directly addressed her split with Alwyn, fans continue to wonder about the reasons behind their breakup.
Of the countless songs the famous singer has written, Taylor Swift's songs co-written with her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, who goes by the pen name William Bowery, are some of the most compelling. While her music is always about her past heartbreaks and hopes for a better future, these tunes paint a picture of Swift and Alwyn's six-year relationship, which lasted from 2016 to 2023.
Although Travis Kelce has talked about dating the super famous Swift, Joe Alwyn is more private and keeps to himself more. That's what makes Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn's breakup such a fascinating mystery, even today. In this article, we'll take a look at what fans have said about why the couple split up, and whether Swift has addressed the breakup.
Fans Believe They Know Why Taylor Swift And Joe Alwyn Broke Up
When fans discussed why Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn might have broken up in the Swiftly Neutral SubReddit, Redditor @thelaurafedora wondered if Alwyn was ready for marriage and Swift is the one who said no.
The fan wrote:
"SHE was the one who didn’t want to get married, and Joe broke up with her over it. She chose fame over marriage, and the evidence is all over her music."
The fan continued that Swift's song "Mine" could suggest that she isn't sure about marriage because of the lyrics "You say we'll never make our parents' mistakes." From their perspective, the song "Champagne Problems," which Swift and Alwyn wrote together, is also a sign. They asked, "What couple writes a song about breaking up because the girl is terrified of marriage 4 years into their relationship?"
The fan added that they see clues in the "Midnights" song "Lavender Haze." They wrote:
"'He wanted a bride, I was making my own name. Chasing that fame.' (a person who WANTS to get married would NOT be writing this song!!!) 'All they keep asking me is if I’m gonna be your bride. The only kind of girl they see is a one night or a wife.'"
Several Taylor Swift fans agreed that it's possible that she didn't want to get married, and that is what ended her six-year relationship. Redditor @Adventerous_Push_374 wrote, "I felt he was the one who wanted to settle down. I think Taylor likes the idea of marriage in theory, in her head. But going actually forward with it, terrified her."
Joe Alwyn's Notable Movie And TV Roles
- Masham in The Favourite (2018)
- Henry in Boy Erased (2018)
- Lawrence Sterling In The Last Letter From Your Lover (2021)
- Nick in Conversations With Friends (2022)
Redditor @ElegantGobbledygook shared that when they listened to "Midnights," they felt that the songs pointed to "someone who is afraid to make a permanent commitment."
Another fan wrote that from their point of view, "She doesn’t want to marry Travis or someone in the future. She chose fame over marriage. I’m fine with it. I support her decision."
Of course, this is all speculation, and no one knows why Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn really broke up. All fans have to go on are song lyrics and what some sources have told publications. According to these sources, the split happened because of Swift's celebrity.
In the spring of 2023, a source explained to People, "Joe has struggled with Taylor's level of fame and the attention from the public." A source also explained to Us Weekly that Joe's "shy" personality made it tough for him to be with someone so famous. Some fans also think that the couple was engaged, but that was never confirmed and there is no evidence that this happened.
While Swift has dated many people in the past, her relationship with Alwyn was her longest one. Fans were invested in this relationship and it makes sense that they would look for reasons why it didn't work out.
Did Taylor Swift Talk About Breaking Up With Joe Alwyn?
While Taylor Swift didn't explain why she and Joe Alywn broke up, she did seem to hint at their relationship in her 2023 interview when she was featured as the Time Person Of The Year.
Swift referred to her relationship with Travis Kelce as a "public" one in the same interview. She said, “When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care. The opposite of that is you have to go to an extreme amount of effort to make sure no one knows that you’re seeing someone. And we’re just proud of each other.”
Since Swift and Alwyn kept most of their romance private, it seems that Swift was suggesting that she was happy that her feelings for Kelce were out in the open.
While the singer didn't address her breakup in detail during her Eras tour, Buzzfeed reported that there was one small moment that suggested that she wanted to tell fans that she was doing fine. When Swift saw that a fan had a sign that asked "You ok?" she looked at the fan and gave a thumbs-up sign. As Buzzfeed noted, Swift doesn't tend to respond to any signs that people have at her concerts, which makes sense since there must be so many.
It's possible that in the future, Taylor Swift will want to let her fanbase know why she and Joe Alwyn broke up. If that doesn't happen, it's likely that her fans will keep wondering.