Probably the most widely talked about love story of 2023 has been the coupling of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Both royalty in their own fields, Travis as a Superbowl winning Tight End for the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor as one of the most successful singer/songwriters in history, each has brought a huge following along to learn about the fandoms of the other. Constant NFL memes of Taylor watching her beau on the field clutter socials the day of and after a game. Videos of Travis reacting to Taylor’s lyric change in Karma while on stage in Argentina (from “Karma is the guy on the screen” to “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs”) are still circling around. Clearly, this is a couple people love to watch, and love to root for as well.
Whether you are #TeamTayvis or not, what we know of the story itself is most definitely a true Meet Cute. From what we do know, Travis attended Taylor’s #TheErasTour performance in Kansas City, Missouri on July 8, 2023. Travis went as a fan, and with an intention of gifting Taylor with a friendship bracelet which had his phone number on it. Unfortunately, Taylor did not take guests prior to the show, and Travis was left with his own phone number. Travis called Taylor out on his podcast, New Heights, which he hosts with brother Jason Kelce, on July 28, 2023, letting the world know that he was unsuccessful in meeting her.
From there, rumors began circulating about the two possibly dating sometime in mid-September. Travis admitted in a September 21, 2023 interview, that he had extended an invitation to Taylor to attend a future Chiefs football game, but played coy, saying “we’ll see what happens in the near future”. Only 3 days later, Taylor attended the Chiefs vs Bears game on September 24, sending the internet ablaze. We now know that the two began talking very shortly after Travis’ podcast at the end of July and chose to go public at that September game.
So what happened in between? We can only speculate.
Taylor has been known for many things including the Easter Eggs she hides in anything and everything to send her fans down a rabbit hole speculating about what’s to come. At the beginning of 2024, we are still waiting on the Reputation TV announcement that most of us thought would come weeks ago, (and then a week after that, and then again after that…). Although she does not usually put out Easter Eggs about her personal life, one might be curious to take a walk through the surprise songs she chose from the time she and Travis began dating. Read on for 1 Swiftie’s interpretation of Taylor’s choices.
Disclaimer: This blog post is in no way affiliated with Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, or either of their teams. The content of this post is not intended to be taken as fact. This is merely an opinion post created for entertainment purposes.
August 3, 2023: Los Angeles, CA
At face value, Taylor’s surprise songs from the first night in LA scream of Travis. “I Can See You” is all about sexual desire and the fantasy of what could be if she had a chance at a relationship with a certain person. Taylor’s lyrics allude to her visualizing herself with this person in secret. At this point, Travis and Taylor were absolutely secret and just getting to know one another. If those first few meetings were filled with charisma, as it seems they might have been, this song makes perfect sense. That feeling at the start of a relationship when you are full of anticipation, wonder, excitement, and constantly thinking about what might be coming next. “I Can See You” may very well have been a nod to the early connection these two had made.
“Maroon,” the second surprise song, is a little less obvious. This song, about a tragic love story, could be Taylor’s pessimistic view of where the relationship could go, or it could have been completely unrelated. Maybe Taylor was weighing the pros and cons of allowing this budding new romance to continue by thinking ahead to what could be. Or maybe this one was just a song she chose for no reason (fat chance as Swifties know). The jury’s out on this one.
August 4, 2023: Los Angeles, CA:
On her second night in LA, Taylor chose “Our Song”, a tale of young romance and two people learning about one another, as her first surprise song. This one most definitely screams Travis and the possibility of the baby romance they were blooming.
The second song, “You Are In Love” is also a story of love, and a very hopeful one at that. The love story told is one of pure and blissful love that has stood the test of time. This one is almost the antidote to “Maroon” which she played the night before. Could this have been Taylor choosing to take the risk?
August 5, 2023: Los Angeles, CA:
Taylor sang “Death by a Thousand Cuts” and “You’re on Your Own, Kid” on her third night in LA. Neither of these songs really lends itself to budding romance. An incredibly gut wrenching song about lost love and another one which seems to be about loneliness, but ends up about self-love and celebration.
Not sure she was thinking too much about Travis on this day.
August 7, 2023: Los Angeles, CA:
“Dress” seems to truly embody what may have been happening between Taylor and Travis. The song talks about the early stages of a relationship or a secret romance, with a line stating “they’ve got no idea about me and you”. At this point, Travis was her little secret, and in those early stages, she may have been feeling “electrified” by their connection. The song clearly exudes passion and lust, two things which are very easily observed between Taylor and Travis now.
The second song, “Exile”, seems much less related to Travis. The only connection seems to be that she has recently moved on from seeing someone and has someone new in her life. Otherwise, I got nothing!
August 8, 2023: Los Angeles, CA:
“I Know Places” and “King of My Heart” were 1000% chosen for Tayvis! “I Know Places” talks about a relationship that could be doomed to failure simply because of her popularity. Both Travis and Taylor have a huge following and the public is highly invested in their lives, especially their personal lives. Taylor has said previously that in order to have a successful relationship, it has to begin in secret to allow them a chance to survive. This is exactly what Taylor and Travis did.
“King of My Heart” is another Travis-leaning song. After her breakup with Joe Alwyn and short romance with Matt Healy, Taylor seemed to be ok being on her own. This song talks about a new person chasing her even after she has accepted being on her own. The line “And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for” hints at the sparks she and Travis obviously share. Even when you aren’t looking, you can’t ignore that perfect person standing in front of you if it happens. This song is a celebration of a sweet, private romance and the excitement of what’s to come.
August 9, 2023: Los Angeles, CA:
On her last night in LA, Taylor sang “New Romantics” and “New Year’s Day”. “New Romantics”starts out somber, sadness about a lost relationship. It shifts to a hopeful anthem about the younger generation and the positivity about the future. A future, possibly, with Travis?
“New Year’s Day” similarly has both positive and negative tones. Taylor speaks to the uncertainty of life and what can come your way. She sings about the need to have a partner who brings comfort, stability, and reliability to walk through the inconsistencies of life with her. Perhaps Travis can be that person for her.
TOUR BREAK:
Following the LA shows, Taylor took a tour break. The Eras tour resumed at the end of August in Mexico City for 4 nights. At this time, Taylor and Travis were still seeing one another secretly.
August 24, 2023: Mexico City Mexico:
Given the timeline we have, it is likely that Taylor and Travis had been secretly seeing one another or talking for almost a month by this point. “I Forgot That You Existed” is a really strong and powerful song about moving on from something or multiple things that have caused you pain and turmoil, realizing one day that you are just over it or “indifferent” somehow. Taylor may be alluding to Travis helping her get over some of her previous relationship challenges. “Sweet Nothing” would be a nice follow up to that, as it is Taylor expressing that she has found comfort and security in her partner, especially knowing that his heart is true to her as a person, not her as a superstar. This is something Travis would understand given his own status as a megastar. Taylor’s lyrics also indicate that her partner is complementary of her, making her feel special and appreciated. This is something we can see just by watching the two of them together.
August 25, 2023: Mexico City Mexico:
“Tell Me Why” could be a nod to Travis and Taylor’s first disagreement. In this song, she complains about her partner and something they have done to bother her. Maybe the very first lover’s quarrel??
The second song, “Snow on the Beach” suggests that maybe they’d already kissed and made up by the second song. This one is so hopeful about being destined to be with someone and falling in love with that person just as they are falling for you. By this point, Taylor may have been feeling like she had hit the jackpot with a dreamy, caring, and equal partner in this new relationship.
August 26, 2023: Mexico City Mexico:
“Cornelia Street” is written about the early parts of a relationship when things are so good that you are almost waiting for something to falter. This is definitely a fear many have early in a relationship that you are invested in, like Taylor and Travis likely were.
“You’re on Your Own, Kid” has the famous reference to making friendship bracelets, which we know Travis tried. Otherwise, it seems this one is less related to her relationship with Travis.
August 27, 2023: Mexico City Mexico:
“Afterglow” has Taylor feeling guilt over a mistake she made in a relationship. Perhaps a few days and hindsight had Taylor thinking the “Tell Me Why” choice from earlier in this run had more to do with something she said or did? “Afterglow” could be a quiet apology.
The second song, “Maroon” was referenced above from night 1 in LA. It builds from the amazing chemistry that has her choosing her partner eventually leads to the end of the love story. Just hoping this one is not a foreshadowing of things to come for these two.
TOUR BREAK:
Taylor took another tour break here and during this time, Tayvis went public at the September 24, 2023 Chiefs vs. Bears game. Cut to November, and Taylor was back on the road and this time, Travis joined her for a show!
November 9, 2023: Buenos Aires, Argentina:
Taylor arrived in Argentina without Travis and did the first show with him still in the states. “The Very First Night”, Taylor’s first surprise song, she introduced explaining that it was “the very first night of the South American tour”. It’s possible this was the only reason. It’s also possible that she continued to reminisce about the beginnings of this relationship and how giddy she was, and still is, with Travis.
“Labyrinth” lyrics give us all we need about her choice in this song. “Oh, no, I’m falling in love again” is a line from the chorus. She also says, “I thought he plane was going down, How’d you turn it around?” which may be a reference to her sadness from her break up earlier in the year to the complete 180 she did once she met Travis.
November 11, 2023: Buenos Aires, Argentina:
Following a postponed show due to inclement weather, Taylor returned to the stage, this time with Travis in the VIP tent. This was the show when Taylor famously changed they lyrics of “Karma” from “Karma is the guy on the screen” to “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me”, while sporting the biggest and most obvious love grin we’ve ever seen her give.
Surprise songs on this stop included a mash up of “Is It Over Now?” and “Out of the Woods” as well as “End Game”. Both of the first two songs are off 1989, which Taylor re-released just days before these shows, which could explain her choice on these songs specifically.
As far as “End Game”, it is my humble opinion, and strong desire, that Travis is Taylor’s “End Game’ and that this is it for her. We have watched her go through many ups and downs in several relationships and she truly appears to be happier than she ever has been. Let’s hope these two really are “End Game” for one another.
November 12, 2023: Buenos Aires, Argentina:
For the final show in Argentina, Taylor sang “Better than Revenge”, which we know is about a woman who ‘stole’ Taylor’s boyfriend out from under her. Let’s hope this has nothing to do with Tayvis.
Her second song, “Slut!” was a track from the vault off 1989 TV. This one is a reference to her reputation having been in tumultuous relationships previously. I wonder if there may have been some chatter about her history which led to this song choice?
November 17, 2023: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
“Stay Beautiful” was off Taylor’s debut album and is a fun and light hearted song about a crush she has on a boy. Another reference to young and early love which could be related to Travis.
“Suburban legends”, a vault track from 1989, seems to embody a romance which did not last, and that feeling your young would never go wrong. The idea that the romance is stuff of “suburban legends” peppers the song. Maybe in this case, her new romance really is though?
November 19, 2023: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
Sadly, on November 17, 2023, a fan passed away due to heat exhaustion prior to Taylor’s show. On this night, Taylor likely addressed this incredibly heartbreaking loss with “Bigger Than the Whole Sky”, which is very obviously about a loss.
Her other song choice, “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” may have been colored by her sadness over the loss of her fan. The song does lend itself to a deep and abiding love which she desperately wants to hold on to, which could be a Travis reference, even though the song itself feels more sad than hopeful.
November 20, 2023: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
“Me!” the first surprise song on this night is about self-empowerment. It is less about being in a relationship with someone else, and more about being in one with yourself. Of course there is one line that could have been written by Travis “Baby doll, when it comes to a lover I promise that you’ll never find another like me”.
“So it Goes” has Taylor heavily attracted and invested in a new love. The song is highly sexually charged and most definitely describes a passionate connection she has with someone. Obviously we know where this one came from.
November 24, 2023: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
Both songs from this night, “Now That We Don’t Talk” and “Innocent” seem to be disconnected from Travis. We know from before that “Innocent” was a cathartic way for Taylor to process an incident with Kanye West at the VMAs in 2009. “Now That We Don’t Talk” is another sad love song which has her struggling to move on from an ex. This was a vault track off the recently released 1989 TV, which might explain why she choice it for this night’s performance.
November 25, 2023: Sao Paolo, Brazil:
“Safe and Sound” which was originally on the “Hunger Games” Movie Soundtrack, is at first glance about being lonely, lost and feeling pressure to find your way. Ultimately, it turns positive when it alludes to the understanding that even when you are feeling alone, there will always be someone who can walk with you through the challenging times. “Untouchable” has a similar feel and is another song about realizing that we don’t have to walk through the difficult parts of life alone. It is about allowing yourself to be vulnerable and to put yourself out there even when you may be afraid to get hurt. This could be Taylor’s realization that Travis will be that strength and comfort for her.
November 26, 2023: Sao Paulo, Brazil:
“Say Don’t Go” and “It’s Time to Go” were the final surprise songs of the South American run. Given both songs have the word “Go” in the title, I’m placing bets these were just easy choices related to her “Going” home from this leg of the tour, and in this case, going home to her new beau.
Taylor’s next shows are not scheduled until February in Asia.
Might we get more references to her current relationship when she returns to the stage? Only time will tell!
