All The Things Taylor Swift's Exes Have Spilled About Her

With her more-than-two decades in the limelight, singer Taylor Swift's love life has been in the spotlight numerous times. The Grammy-winning artist is especially known for her love songs, which is why fans believe that many of her lyrics are about some of the partners she's had over the years. The "Blank Space" singer got engaged to NFL player Travis Kelce in 2025, after being with him since mid-2023. And while there are some red flags in Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship, the two seem to have overcome any obstacles they faced, as they're headed towards a wedding.

However, Swift's former partners will always be part of her story, whether because they inspired some of her biggest hits or because of what they've publicly said about her. "It's so heartbreaking when things click, but your comfort level with fame is so different than [the person you're dating]," Swift said in a "60 Minutes" interview in 2011, which was re-released on the "A Second Look" podcast in 2024. "You couldn't really have a good relationship with someone who cares that much. It seems a little unnecessary to care that much about keeping people out." 

And for Swift, fame has been a significant part of the majority of her life, which is why she often addresses her relationships publicly. But while Swift used her songs to send cryptic messages about her exes, some of her former partners have actually talked about the billionaire musician after their breakup. And here's exactly what they said.

Taylor Swift began dating Scottish DJ Calvin Harris in the spring of 2015, and their romance lasted a little over a year. In June 2016, news of their breakup hit the media, and at first, it seemed as if the two ended things on good terms. "The only truth here is that a relationship came to an end & what remains is a huge amount of love and respect," Harris shared in a since-deleted post on X (via People), which Swift retweeted.

However, by July, things had changed, as it was revealed that Swift was a writer on the Rihanna and Harris song "This Is What You Came For." The DJ revealed that Swift wanted to keep it a secret — until she didn't. "I wrote the music, produced the song, arranged it and cut the vocals, though. And, initially, she wanted it kept secret, hence the pseudonym," Harris wrote in since-deleted posts on X (via People). "Hurtful to me at this point that her and her team would go so far out of their way to try and make ME look bad at this stage, though."

The DJ also mentioned the fact that Swift quickly moved on, as she was dating Hollywood star Tom Hiddleston a month after news of her and Harris' breakup broke. "I figure if you're happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of trying to tear your ex bf down for something to do," the musician wrote. "I know you're off tour, and you need someone new to try and bury like Katy ETC, but I'm not that guy, sorry. I won't allow it," Harris added, referring to Swift's then feud with fellow pop star Katy Perry.

In the spring of 2012, Taylor Swift and former One Direction member Harry Styles became the topic of conversation after their romantic stroll in Central Park in New York City. While the two seemingly only had a swift romance, they have remained one of pop culture's most iconic couples. "When I see photos from that day, I think: Relationships are hard, at any age," the English singer told Rolling Stone in 2017. "And adding in that you don't really understand exactly how it works when you're 18, trying to navigate all that stuff didn't make it easier. I mean, you're a little bit awkward to begin with. You're on a date with someone you really like. It should be that simple, right? It was a learning experience for sure. But at the heart of it — I just wanted it to be a normal date."

When asked whether he thought that Swift's bangers "Style" and "Out of the Woods" were about him, Styles said, "I mean, I don't know if they're about me or not... I'm lucky if everything [we went through] helped create those songs." While both Swift and Styles refrained from talking about each other, their run-in and hug at the 2023 Grammys is proof that they still have plenty of respect for each other.

On her song "Back to December," Taylor Swift allegedly sings about actor Taylor Lautner, whom she dated in 2009. In 2023, Lautner opened up about how the two went from exes to friends. "I think when you respect somebody for who they are, like in their soul, it allows you to move on, forgive and continue that love in a different way," the actor said on "Call Her Daddy." "We stayed friendly, we would see each other now and then. But we then did fall out of touch and didn't talk for a while," the "Twilight" star revealed, adding, "But I've always had the deepest respect for who she is as a person before anything else." In the early 2020s, the two stars found their way back to each other, but this time as friends. "Honestly, I would say one of the greater things to happen in my life over the last year is the rekindling of our friendship," Lautner admitted.

In 2023, Lautner — who has been married to nurse Taylor Dome since 2022 — even appeared in Swift's music video for "I Can See You," setting her fans into a frenzy. "I know on paper, it sounds like a tough situation, but I was not once ever worried about it," the actor said on "The Squeeze" podcast, which he hosts with his wife. "We're just confident in our relationship. [My wife] is the coolest, chillest person ever. She also is a diehard fan of that person." Now, it's safe to say that there is no bad blood between all of the Taylors, as the two are proof that it is possible to have a successful relationship with your ex.

Even though Taylor Swift and singer John Mayer never confirmed their relationship, they are believed to have been romantically involved at the end of the 2000s. At the time, Swift was 19 while Mayer was 32 years old, making them one of the celebrity relationships with bigger age gaps than you realized. After they separated, Swift released the song "Dear John," which includes lyrics like "Don't you think I was too young to be messed with," and there was no doubt among fans that the song was about her romance with the musician. 

In 2012, Mayer revealed to Rolling Stone how the song made him feel, acknowledging that it was about him. "It made me feel terrible ... As a songwriter, I think it's kind of cheap songwriting," Mayer shared. "I know she's the biggest thing in the world, and I'm not trying to sink anybody's ship, but I think it's abusing your talent to rub your hands together and go, 'Wait till he gets a load of this!' That's bull****." The singer added that he "didn't deserve it," saying, "I'm pretty good at taking accountability now, and I never did anything to deserve that. It was a really lousy thing for her to do."

Taylor Swift met British actor Tom Hiddleston in May 2016, while still dating Calvin Harris. In July 2016, it became clear that she and Hiddleston were more than just friends, as the two reportedly began dating in June, when news of her breakup with Harris became public. Their short-lived romance ended in September, and even though some assumed the unlikely pairing was a publicity stunt, Hiddleston acknowledged that their romance was real. "The truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and we're very happy," he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016.

In 2017, Hiddleston addressed their brief relationship and the effects the public scrutiny had on it. "So we decided to go out for dinner, we decided to travel ... [but] a relationship in the limelight... A relationship always takes work. And it's not just the limelight. It's everything else," he told GQ, adding, "It was real. Taylor is an amazing woman. She's generous and kind and lovely, and we had the best time."