In her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” Taylor Swift subtly referenced Charlie Puth, prompting fans to draw connections to her former flame, Matty Healy.
Released on April 19, Swift’s 11th album was anticipated to delve into her breakup with Joe Alwyn after a six-year relationship. However, keen-eared listeners detected hints pointing towards Healy, aged 35, rather than Alwyn.
“You smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist,” Swift, 34, sings on the album’s title track. “I scratch your head, you fall asleep / Like a tattooed golden retriever.”
The song title “Chocolate” bears resemblance to Healy’s band The 1975’s breakout hit, adding to the intrigue. Furthermore, Healy had previously acknowledged Puth, aged 32, in a tweet years prior to the release of TTPD, garnering appreciation from the latter.
“That Charlie Puth and Boyz II Men track is harrrrrd,” Healy tweeted in May 2018, according to a resurfaced screenshot. (He was seemingly referring to “If You Leave Me Now” from Puth’s second album, Voicenotes.)
Swift and Healy’s romantic link first emerged in 2014 when they were spotted sporting each other’s merchandise. At the time, The 1975 was gaining traction, and Healy expressed feeling “emasculated” by the association with a more prominent figure in an interview with Q Magazine.
Despite facing criticism for his remarks, Healy clarified his stance, vehemently denying any misogyny. The duo’s sightings together, including Healy’s appearance at one of Swift’s Eras Tour concerts alongside opening act Phoebe Bridgers, fueled speculation about their relationship until their split in June 2023.
Although their liaison was characterized as casual by insiders, Swift’s lyrical content in TTPD suggests a deeper connection to Healy, potentially influenced by his persona and past controversies.
“They shake their heads saying, ‘God help her’ when I tell ’em he’s my man / But your good Lord doesn’t need to lift a finger / I can fix him, no really I can / And only I can,” she sings on “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can).”
