When Taylor Swift
dropped ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ fans were quick to dissect the lyrics to dig up which exes may have inspired her new record. Among the most talked-about names were Joe Alwyn, Matty Healy, and the love of her life, Travis Kelce. While the pop titan never confirmed who the muse of ‘TTPD’ was, speculations only grew louder. Now, a little more than a year after the album, one of her exes has fired back — and has done so under heavy spotlight.
Taylor Swift, who has long mastered the art of lyrical shade and poetic takedowns, might have just gotten a taste of her own medicine.
Taylor Swift just got Swifted by her ex
Holding his drink in one hand and flicking his lighter with the other at the much-acclaimed Glastonbury Festival, fans believed Matty Healy was just enacting one of his signature moves. However, what looked like a regular bit from the very beloved British popstar soon turned into a head-turning moment, sending the attendees reeling. “I am probably the best songwriter of my generation
,” Healy quipped, before quickly adding, “The best, what do we say… a poet… ladies and gentlemen, is what I am.”
Swifties did not need more to connect the dots.
Matty Healy trolls on stage at Glastonbury:
“I’m probably the best songwriter of my generation — the best, what do we say? A poet.”pic.twitter.com/6cPOXZqGBd
— Pop Base (@PopBase) June 27, 2025
Before social media and tabloids could run wild with speculations of bad blood between him and Taylor Swift, though, Healy made amends, noting that he was only joking about being a poet. As many would know, the Grammy winner allegedly referenced him as one in the eponymous song of her eleventh studio album. ‘Fortnight’ and ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’ are other songs believed to be about him. And Healy’s Glastonbury rodeo was not the first time the singer played it safe when addressing his contribution to Swift’s music
.
Healy tiptoed around ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ before chiming in a week after the heartbreak anthem took over the charts.
Matty Healy kept his distance at first — brushing off TTPD like it was just background noise
Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ dropped on April 19, 2024, and by April 25, Matty Healy was already being pushed for a response. Entertainment Weekly caught the singer while he was out and about, asking him what he thought of his “diss track
.” While initially seeming taken aback by the question, the singer quickly morphed his expression, responding only by saying he had not really heard much of it. Not wanting to be rude, Healy expressed confidence in his ex-flame’s storytelling, saying he was nonetheless assured it was good.
“THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT” by Taylor Swift is now the FASTEST female album in Spotify history to reach 8 BILLION streams on Spotify!
—It beats out “Midnights”by 39 days. pic.twitter.com/9hvXcyOTwd
— SpotifySwiftie (@SpotifySwiftie) June 26, 2025
Soon after, a source close to Healy revealed to US Weekly that Swift had given him a heads-up about his mentions on her new disc. It could be that the advance nod worked in Healy’s favor while shielding himself from probing reporters on the road. While both pop stars have moved on in life, it looks like their past keeps coming back to haunt them, sometimes even initiated by themselves.
What do you think of Matty Healy’s latest jibe at Taylor Swift? Let us know in the comments!