Taylor Swift: how her emotional new album helped her find happines

Everything about Taylor Swift and her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department”

Taylor Swift once again proves her mastery of surprises with the announcement of her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” at the Grammy Awards on February 4th.

This sparked fervent speculation among fans about its content, with many assuming it would delve into her recently ended six-year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. However, on April 19th, when the album finally dropped, Swift's devoted fanbase, known as Swifties, were taken aback. “The Tortured Poets” turned out to be a profoundly vulnerable breakup album, but not about Alwyn. Instead, it explored Swift's brief yet impactful romance with The 1975 frontman Matty Healy in the months that followed.

Just as fans were absorbing the lyrical revelations, Swift surprised them once more with a late-night revelation – the album was not a single offering but a double album. “I'd written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you,” she announced at 2 a.m., dropping an additional 15 songs to form “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.”

Featuring 31 new tracks crafted with her longtime collaborators Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, Swift's album lays bare her emotions – from the frustrations of a stagnant relationship to the excitement of new beginnings and the heartbreak of unexpected endings. Close friend Keleigh Teller shared on TikTok that tracks like “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” capture Swift's ability to perform despite feeling utterly shattered.

Songs like “Guilty as Sin?,” “The Tortured Poets Department,” and “The Black Dog” make explicit references to Healy, 35, mentioning his favorite bands, his distinctive attire, and mutual acquaintances such as Antonoff.

This album and its lyrics, drawn directly from Swift's personal experiences, mark the first time she has openly addressed her weeks-long relationship with Healy, which came to an end in June 2023 amidst criticism from fans. The couple, whose romantic rumors date back to their meeting in 2014, faced backlash when news of their budding romance emerged the month prior, especially due to a controversial podcast appearance by Healy where he laughed at racist remarks about Ice Spice.

Despite the public scrutiny, Swift confronts the situation head-on in songs like “But Daddy I Love Him,” refusing to let external judgment dictate her decisions. Swift's commentary on Amazon Music revealed that she penned similarly themed tracks like “Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?” during a period of bitterness towards society's treatment of artists.

As the album progresses, Swift offers further insight into the abrupt end of their romance, hinting at Healy's sudden departure. “You said normal girls were boring / But you were gone by the morning / You kicked out the stage lights / But you're still performing,” she laments on “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.”

Although Swift previously expressed that writing “The Tortured Poets Department” was a necessary step to navigate a challenging period in her life, it's evident that she has since found healing and love once more. On the same day as the album release, Swift delighted fans by sharing a joyful compilation video on YouTube Shorts, offering a glimpse into her life with her NFL superstar boyfriend Travis Kelce. The affectionate lyrics of songs like “So High School” leave no doubt about Swift's deep affection.

As Swift prepares for the upcoming leg of her highly successful Eras tour, with her return to the stage scheduled for May 9th in Paris and shows lined up through December, Kelce remains an integral part of her newfound happiness. According to a close source, the couple's relationship is characterized by mutual support and a dedication to spending quality time together before Swift resumes her tour, reflecting their shared contentment.