When Taylor Swift unexpectedly dropped not one, but two new albums this Friday, fans went into hyper-analysis mode as they devoured the lyrics. Among the prevailing theories? Swift has reignited her long-standing feud with Kim Kardashian through cryptic lyrics on the records.
The saga between the two superstars dates back to 2016, when Kim leaked edited clips of a phone call between Swift and her then-husband Kanye West. The clips suggested that the former had approved controversial lyrics about her on West’s song “Famous.” Swift denied the claim, saying she had never played the full song.
Years later, the unedited footage backed up Swift’s stance that West had not played her the full lyric referencing her as “that b***h.” However, the incident had already left deep psychological scars for Swift, who revealed in her 2023 Time Person of the Year profile that it caused her to become a recluse, lose trust in others, and enter a dark mental space.
Now, Swifties believe two tracks from her surprise 31-song, double album release “The Tortured Poets Department” and “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology” contain lyrical callouts aimed squarely at Kardashian.
On “thanK you aIMee,” fans honed in on the capitalized letters spelling “IM” and lyrics like “I don’t think you’ve changed much/ And so I changed your name” and “your kid comes home singin’/A song that only us two is gonna know is about you” – potentially a nod to Kardashian’s daughter North posting TikToks about Swift’s music.
The 27th track “Cassandra” also raised eyebrows, with lines about being “filled” with “snakes” (Kardashian once infamously called Swift a “snake”) and a reference to getting “the call” that could point to the leaked phone conversation.
Of course, Taylor Swift is a master lyricist who often blends truth with fiction. Her songs can have multiple meanings and her devoted fan base has been known to sometimes read too deeply into things.
But the timing of these lyrics, combined with her candid comments about the traumatic fallout from the Kardashian leak, have many convinced she’s finally airing her side through the most powerful medium she knows – her music.
Only Taylor Swift knows the full truth. But by leaving a trail of intriguing lyrical breadcrumbs, she’s ensured the world will be watching, guessing, and hanging on every last word from the poet behind “The Tortured Poets Department.”
