Taylor Swift has said so long, London — but fans are still searching for every connection between the pop star and her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn.
On Friday, June 14, the Sunday Times’ Style magazine released the cover for their upcoming issue, which features Alwyn, 32, front and center. The headline, “London Boy: What Joe Alwyn Did Next,” immediately piqued fans’ interest, as it’s seemingly a reference to Swift’s “London Boy,” from 2019’s Lover, which is presumably about Alwyn.
“‘London boy’ he’ll forever be in Taylor’s shadow im crying,’” one person quipped via X, while another replied, “Forever her ex.”
Other’s pointed out the similarities to a different Swift tune, “So Long, London,” off her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department. The song — a famous “track 5” on the record — seemingly details the twosome’s breakup and Swift’s reasons for ending the romance. (The pair dated for nearly six years before calling it quits for good in April 2023.)
Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn kept their romance relatively private, but there were plenty of milestones to look back on prior to their April 2023 split. Swift’s relationship with the U.K. native was made public in May 2017. One year later, a source told Us Weekly exclusively that the Grammy winner believed that Alywn was […]
The mention of “London Boy” was enough for Swiftie’s to bust out the push pins and red string, with some speculating that “What He Did Next” could be a play on words about his next moves after the pair’s breakup. A second headline that reads “Tangerine Dream” was also noticed, as Swift uses the phrase in the lyrics of 1989 (Taylor’s Version)’s “Slut!” (The pop star also released a Tangerine Edition vinyl for that record.)
Alwyn’s blue and white striped shirt, meanwhile, drew comparisons to Swift’s Folklore tune “Invisible String,” on which she seemingly croons about the “teal” color of Alwyn’s t-shirt when he used to work at yogurt shop as a teenager. Blue is also the color Swift continually references in most of her songs about Alwyn, often pointing out his bright blue eye color or using it as a metaphor for his up-and-down emotions.
“It’s new / the shape of your body it’s blue,” she sings in Lover’s “Cruel Summer,” while the lyrics for Folklore’s “Peace” read, “If your cascade ocean wave blues come,” among others.
Fans took it a step further when they recognized the magazine itself, Style, is, technically, another Swift reference. Swift has her song of the same name about ex-boyfriend Harry Styles, whom she dated on-and-off from 2012 through 2014.
“Pls not the ‘style’ and ‘london boy,’” one fan quipped.
Swift and Alwyn split in 2023, but the invisible string still tugs on both of them. Alwyn is currently promoting his upcoming film, Kinds of Kindness, which costars the duo’s longtime mutual friend, Emma Stone, as well as Margaret Qualley, the wife of Swift’s longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff. In May, Alwyn arrived at Cannes Film Festival just days after Swift played four nights of sold-out Eras Tour shows in Paris. (Bonus: Swift related a song titled “Paris” on her 2022 album Midnights, largely theorized to be about Alwyn.)
SplashNews.com (2); Shutterstock; SplashNews.com Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn were together for nearly six years before their split — and the singer provided glimpses into their love story (and breakup) through her music. Swift and the U.K. native were first linked in May 2017 and primarily kept their romance under wraps until news of their […]
Despite their mutual famous friends, a source exclusively told Us Weekly in April 2023 that Swift’s celebrity status played a part in the twosome’s breakup. “Joe is very shy and never liked all of the attention that came with dating one of the most popular singers in the world,” the insider shared, adding that he never “blamed” Swift for her popularity. “He just didn’t like having to be on all of the time.”
Swift has moved on from their relationship, briefly dating The 1975’s Matty Healy before sparking a romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce in summer 2023. Alwyn has not dated anyone publicly since the split, but a source told People last month that Alwyn is a “great guy” but “can’t stand the attention that comes with” being an actor and is “not comfortable in the spotlight.”