After six years, Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn reportedly called it quits over “differences in their personalities,” which is pretty much code for “Look away, there’s nothing to see here.”
According to a source that spoke with People after the breakup was first reported on April 8, the 32-year-old actor “struggled” with Swift’s level of fame, while the 33-year-old pop star “didn’t see them working out in the long run.” Still, the source added, “[Taylor] doesn’t have anything bad to say about Joe.”
According to fans, the mass exodus of Swift’s closest allies from Alwyn’s Instagram follower count suggests otherwise. A few weeks after their split went public, Swifties noticed some suspicious timing behind Alwyn’s loss of famous followers. Particularly, Ryan Reynolds and Gigi Hadid seemed to unfollow the Conversations With Friends star immediately after in-person hangs with Swift. “Blondie just going around and telling her friends the tea,” one fan commented on one TikTok explanation of the drama.
While Taylor Swift’s catalog of work is so much more than a collection of breakup songs, it can’t be denied that she’s the reigning queen of heartbreak anthems. Is it any wonder fans are looking for any hint that her split from Alwyn is less drama-free than reports suggest? Of course, fans are not just divining Easter eggs out of nothing (though there’s plenty of that going around with each Eras Tour performance).
Here’s a complete timeline of Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s breakup…at least, what Swifties have been able to piece together. Speak now, Blondie!
February 2023: This may be when Swift and Alwyn “actually split up,” according to a source who spoke to The Sun in May 2023.
March–April 2023: Alwyn doesn’t make any appearances during the opening leg of Swift’s Eras Tour, but many assume he’s filming or staying hidden due to the private nature of their relationship.
March 31, 2023: Swift makes a switch to the Folklore segment of her performance during the Eras Tour. Swift sang the love song “Invisible String” for her first four shows but replaced it with the melancholy song about past love, “The 1,” during her March stops in Arlington, Texas.
