The 1975‘s Matty Healy was reportedly “blindsided” by how much of Taylor Swift‘s album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ was supposedly inspired by their relationship, but found it “hilarious” because they were “never serious”.
It is estimated Swift and Healy were involved with each other from April to June 2023, just after she split from long-term boyfriend Joe Alwyn.
A close friend of Healy’s told US Weekly that Healy still has “mixed feelings” about the situation: “He loves the attention it’s brought to him, [but] he also thinks it’s hilarious because at no time [were they] ever serious.”
They added that Healy was “blindsided” that Swift’s lyrics made out their relationship to be more serious than it purportedly was. In ‘loml’, she sings: “You shit-talked me under the table, talking rings and talking cradles,” and “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.”
“For her to be saying things about baby carriages …and living together – he says it had never even come up,” the source said. “He’s taking it in his stride.”
It was previously reported that Healy is “uncomfortable” with the attention from the album but was “relieved” it wasn’t worse.
Last month, after being approached by paparazzi in Los Angeles, Healy was asked how he felt about his “Taylor diss track”. While it’s unclear which exact song the paparazzo was referring to, the ‘About You’ singer replied: “My diss track? Oh! I haven’t really listened to that much of it, but I’m sure it’s good.”
Denise Welch, Healy’s mother also shared a response after being asked about the album. Welch – who has previously said that she is seen as “the Virgin Mary” among The 1975‘s fanbase – has shared her thoughts after being asked about the album during an episode of Loose Women.
“I wasn’t aware she had an album out at all, I haven’t heard anything to do with it,” she joked before the live audience broke into laughter and guest Dermot O’Leary added, “It’s suddenly all become very awkward.”
The 1975 did benefit from the album in a way, however, as streams of The 1975’s music increased by 14 per cent following the release of ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.
Meanwhile, the UK leg of the ‘Eras’ tour kicks off tonight (June 7) in Edinburgh, where Swift will perform the first of three shows at Murrayfield Stadium.
Fans have been queuing for days, with some trying to buy merchandise told by security that they could expect to wait over an hour to get served.
From there, she will play three shows in Liverpool from June 13-15, one night in Cardiff on June 18 and three in London’s Wembley Stadium on June 18-22. She then heads to Dublin on June 28, before taking the tour around Europe.