What Really Happened Between Taylor Swift and Matty Healy?

Taylor and Matty Healy’s romance emerged in the public eye on 2014, capturing the attention of fans and media alike. Their shared social circles, including mutual friends like Jack Antonoff, who has produced albums for both of them, added a layer of intrigue to their relationship. We need to dive back into their relationship in the context of her album, as there's speculation suggesting that Healy might have inspired some of her songs.

Matty Healy, known for his frontman role in the British pop-rock band The 1975, has often caused controversy, not just for his comments about Swift but also because he was part of multiple racist and sexist conversations in the past. This turned Healy into one of Taylor’s most controversial boyfriends. Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, gives us a glimpse of this relationship, but in typical Taylor fashion, no lyric lays out the full story in detail. 

On April 24, 2024, Healy spoke out about The Tortured Poets Department for the first time, giving media and fans a glimpse into his perspective, adding a whole new layer to the former couple's complicated past and separation.

Here's a play-by-play of their short-lived romance, and how it comes alive in TTPD.

Healy and Swift meet backstage in Los Angeles during one of his concerts, where swift was attending with Ellie Goulding and Selena gomez. In an interview, Healy recounted their meeting and he mentioned that he casually exchanged numbers with Taylor. Notably, later that month, Taylor was captured in a striking fashion moment, wearing a black plaid skirt paired with a The 1975 tank top while in LA.

Taylor attends one of Healy’s concerts in New York City, this time with her long-time friend, Karlie Kloss and Lily Aldridge. According to a report from Us Weekly, a close friend of Swift shared, “It’s very new and they’re having fun,” giving us a glimpse of the early stages of their relationship.

In an interview, Healy discussed a flirtatious dynamic that didn't hold much significance for him. He shared, "So the one time I did have a flirtation with a girl, it ends up going everywhere...I mean, I got on E! News and people were like, 'Who's Matt Healy?' so that was cool. But I didn't make a big deal out of it myself. It's not really anything to talk about, because if she wasn't Taylor Swift we wouldn't be talking about her. She wasn't a big impact on my life." He also mentioned that dating Taylor would be an "emasculating" thing.

After this comment, there was an expectation for him to apologize, and he did. He put out a statement to make it clear that he's not a misogynist. He pointed out that he wasn't keen on being labeled as someone's boyfriend, and he repeatedly said that he did not date Taylor. 

During his appearance on Newel Griffith’s podcast The Green Room, Healy shared his excitement about the possibility of collaborating with Taylor on her new acoustic record. He said, “Taylor Swift doing an acoustic record? I can't think of a record that would sell more than that. Like, Taylor Swift's intimate return to country. Of course, you'd wanna produce that! She's [probably] gonna sit on that idea, but Taylor, if you ever want someone to help you set up the mics for your acoustic record, just so you know, I'm there.”

May was incredibly eventful for Swift's fans. According to a report from The Sun, Swift and Healy were confirmed to be dating. A source revealed, "It’s super-early days, but it feels right. They first dated, very briefly, almost ten years ago but timings just didn’t work out. Taylor and Joe actually split up back in February, so there was absolutely no crossover. Both Matty and Taylor have been touring over the past few weeks, so it’s been a lot of FaceTiming and texting, but she cannot wait to see him again."

Then, after The 1975's performance in the Philippines the day before, Healy attended Taylor's inaugural Nashville Eras concert. Fans observed both singers mouth the phrase, “This one is about you. You know who you are. I love you,” during their concerts that week. On May 6, Healy joined the Eras tour alongside his friend Phoebe Bridgers.

The excitement continued with their first photo together as they arrived at Swift’s condo on Sunday after the concert. People finally knew that they were dating at this time, and they also found out that the two did date in 2014. Entertainment tonight reported that they were romantically involved and that Jack Antonoff reconnected them. 

On May 12, Swift and Healy made their debut as a couple with a public date at New York City's Casa Cipriani. According to a source who spoke to Page Six, they were spotted "cuddling and kissing," and a fan-taken photo came out of Swift and Healy holding hands, which only caused more talk about their relationship. 

With the release of The Tortured Poets Department, fans are buzzing with speculation that some songs from Swift's new album are about her relationship with Healy. This surprise has caught many off guard, as expectations were initially geared towards songs about her six-year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn. However, it seems that the truth lies elsewhere.

Fans are pointing to tracks like “Guilty as Sin,” “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can),” and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” as potential reflections of her time with Healy. The song “But Daddy, I Love Him” nods to when fans were mad about the singer dating Healy due to his 2016 comment about dating Taylor being “emasculating.” 

On April 24, 2024, a TMZ photographer approached Healy in Los Angeles with an inquiry about Swift's references to him in The Tortured Poets Department, and asked Healy "how [he] would rate [his] Taylor diss track compared to the 30 others." Healy appeared confused at first, but the photographer quickly clarified his question, and the British singer laughed before responding: “Oh, I haven’t really listened to that much of [the album], but I’m sure it’s good.” 

After the video surfaced online later that day, fans took to the Internet to pick apart the interaction. Many were unsurprised at the singer's polite remark because although he is not popular amongst Swifties—primarily for his past remarks on Swift, his problematic reputation, and comments about Ice Spice, the newest apparent addition to Swift's "Squad"—many songs on The Tortured Poets Department offer a fond reflection of the Swift's relationship with the 1975 frontman. 

While Swift has not recently commented on her relationship with Healy, A source close to Healy told Us Weekly that “Their relationship was fast, but extremely passionate and real,” and although the former couple “don’t speak anymore,” they “had a strong bond” and Healy will “always hold a special place for her.”