There are some theories out there that Taylor Swift is singing about her friend Brittany Mahomes on the new song “CANCELLED!,” though it seems unlikely that the song is actually about her.
Taylor herself has already explained the meaning of the song, though she didn’t directly address the inspiration. She confirmed that the song is about how she’s had her own experiences with mass judgement and scandalous moments, so she will stand by her friends’ side when they’re in those moments.
“Having had those experiences, it makes me move through the world a little bit differently. And when other people go through it, you kind of find yourself thinking about how they’re probably going to get smarter because of this. If they can get through it, if they can be tough enough, they can actually learn some things through this process. And how I don’t naturally just cast people aside just because other people decide they don’t like them. I make my own decisions about people based on how they treat me within my life and their actions,” Taylor said in her Amazon Music track-by-track breakdown.
So, why do fans connect it to Brittany? And why is that likely wrong?
Keep reading to find out more…
Brittany has had her fair share of backlash on the internet, including for her alleged support of President Donald Trump and also for spraying football fans with champagne after a big Chiefs win in 2022.
She once tweeted, “I just wish I could do what I want without getting attacked every week.”
The reason why fans are connecting the lyrics to Brittany is the Gucci reference in the song. When the Brittany and Patrick Mahomes went on a double date with Taylor and Travis Kelce to the U.S. Open in 2024, the stars were famously wearing Gucci.
There’s also a mention of a “roster” and since Brittany is a former athlete, fans think that could be a tie.
Well, there’s one problem…
Taylor sings in the bridge about how the friends in question “stood by me before my exoneration.” This means that the subject of the song has been in her friends circle for years, before Taylor ever went through cancellation herself. Brittany is a new friend, so she doesn’t fit that bill.
It seems pretty obvious that Taylor‘s longtime friend Blake Lively is the inspiration of the song.
There’s also a line in the song that is a direct quote from a conservative podcast host, who said the phrase in an episode about Blake and Taylor.
Taylor has explained the meanings and stories behind all 12 songs on the album.
