This weekend brought with it a piece of unexpected and shocking news for Taylor Swift fans. After 6 long years of dating, Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn ended their relationship. The news was first reported by Entertainment Tonight. According to the source, the breakup was amicable, and without any dramatic turn of events. The breakup explains the unexpected absence of Alwyn at the era’s tour which was attended by several of Taylor’s close friends including Selena Gomez and Emma Stone.
Although the reasons for the breakup aren’t clear, the source stated that the “relationship had just run its course.” Perhaps, as the cynics say, there is an expiry date for all relationships, and a queen like Taylor Swift is no exception. Swift is yet to speak about the supposed breakup. The fans are already heartbroken about the news that came like an unexpected blow at an unexpected time. Just two weeks ago, there were reports about Alwyn accompanying Swift for the tour as he has been supportive of her career all along.
The Discreet Pair
The immense popularity of both Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn explains why the couple chose to keep their relationship discreet and out of the public eye as much as possible. Past celebrity history has proven time and again that the spotlight can be quite harmful to relationships. Despite the secrecy, Taylor’s love for Alwyn did seep into her songs, several of which were performed on the tour. Perhaps, the end of a relationship doesn’t always have to be bitter.
The duo met at the 2016 Met Gala and started dating the very next year. Even while they were dating, the couple never addressed the speculations about their relationship status. Swift and Alwyn have always displayed the admirable quality of keeping their public and private life separate. When the engagement rumors began doing their rounds last year, Alwyn managed to give a rather ambiguous reply, “If I had a pound for every time I think I’ve been told I’ve been engaged, then I’d have a lot of pound coins. I mean, the truth is, if the answer was yes, I wouldn’t say, and if the answer was no, I wouldn’t say.” Well, talk about playing coy. Alwyn definitely proved that he is a master at persiflage with that one statement.
Swift has always been quite discreet about her personal life. It is unusual to stumble across a situation where Taylor Swift opens up about her personal life, especially her love life. Despite the gazillion songs about love, the singer and songwriter has always made sure that her love story was kept at a safe distance from the spotlight and the corresponding scrutiny. However, contrary to the usual, Swift vaguely touched upon her love life while talking about the inspiration behind “Lavender Haze,” a part of her Midnights track.
“I happened upon the phrase ‘lavender haze’ when I was watching Mad Men. I looked it up because I thought it sounded cool. And it turns out that it’s a common phrase used in the ’50s where they would describe being in love. If you are in the ‘lavender haze,’ then that meant you were in that all-encompassing love glow. And I thought that was really beautiful.”
End of an Era
With the breakup, Taylor Swift is stepping into her single era, and although the news is a bitter pill to swallow, we cannot help but applaud the way the whole issue was handled. Six years is a long time, and the fact that the couple ended it in a mature way without any bad blood is indeed commendable.
