Taylor Swift Says She ‘Needed’ to Write ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ After Joe Alwyn Split

Taylor Swift opened up about writing her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, and revealed it helped her process her emotions during a difficult time. The “Cruel Summer” singer’s comment fuels speculation that the album is about her split from Joe Alwyn.

"Songwriting is something that actually gets me through my life,” Taylor, 34, told her fans during her Friday, February 16, concert in Melbourne, Australia, which was shared via video on X. “I've never had an album where I needed songwriting more than I needed it on Tortured Poets."

Following the statement, Taylor revealed a new cover for the album and announced that there will be an exclusive song on a special vinyl version called “The Bolter.”

“Look at that cover. It’s so tortured. So poetic,” she said while looking at the black and white photo on the screen behind her. She then performed the Midnights bonus track “You’re Losing Me” for the first time during the Eras tour acoustic set, which many people have speculated is about Joe, 32.

Fans rushed to social media to reiterate their claims that the album will be about the Favourite actor, with one person writing, “Taylor playing ‘You’re Losing Me’ after confirming that The Tortured Poets Department was a lifeline for her and she had to make the album to heal … oh Joe ur done for.”

After Taylor announced the new album during the Grammy Awards on February 4, many fans wondered if the new songs were inspired by the end of her relationship with Joe. The former couple dated for more than six years before they called it quits in April 2023. Both Taylor and Joe have not publicly discussed their split, though fans are expecting her to drop major bombshells in the new album.

“It’s safe to say that Joe is bracing himself for a lot of questions. No one is safe,” a source close to the “Enchanted” singer exclusively told Life & Style on February 6. “Joe should be worried about what she reveals.”

Soon after the album title was shared, several fans began to speculate that the album name is a reference to Joe. A past interview that he did with Paul Mescal in December 2022 for Variety’s Actors on Actors segment resurfaced online, which showed the duo discussing a group chat they had called “The Tortured Man Club” with Andrew Scott.

“It hasn’t had much use recently,” the Conversations With Friends star said, while Paul, 28, chimed in, “No. I feel like we’re less tortured now.”