SWIFTIES know she was in love with a London boy before.

English actor Joseph Matthew Alywn, also known as Joe Alywn, has finally spoken up to the public for the first time on his years-long relationship with the Grammy award winner Taylor Swift, one year after their breakup.

In an interview with Sunday Times on Saturday, June 15, 2024, Alwyn described his past relationship with Swift as “long, loving, and fully committed.”

Alwyn said he “hopes that anyone and everyone can empathize and understand the difficulties that come with the end of a long, loving, fully committed relationship of over six and a half years.”

“That is a hard thing to navigate,” he added. 

“What is unusual and abnormal in this situation is that, one week later, it’s suddenly in the public domain and the outside world is able to weigh in.”

Joe and Taylor were rumored to have met at the Met Gala back in 2016, and both of them could escape from the eagle eye of the fans and the media.

Swift’s sixth studio album started hinting at her relationship with the English actor releasing songs connected to it.

Joe Alywn made his film acting debut in Ang Lee’s 2016 war drama Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk. He has also appeared in The Favourite (2018), A Christmas Carol (2019), The Last Letter from Your Lover, and The Souvenir: Part II (2021), and Stars at Noon and Conversations with Friends (2022).

In April 2023, several posts from media outlets claimed that Swift and Alwyn called it quits for their relationship. Swifties, Taylor Swift’s fanbase name was stunned after this announcement was released.

Since Alwyn is now on Swift’s long list of ex-lovers? What should people know more about Alwyn in Swift’s discography?

Reputation says it was the beginning

Swift’s sudden hiatus after her fifth studio album 1989, made headlines all over the world where she deleted all of her posts from various social accounts.

The American singer-songwriter did not miss a chance to include easter eggs for her rumored boyfriend at that time even though it was also the peak of Swift’s issues with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

Alwyn’s easter eggs from the first track …Ready for It? is clearly Swift’s introduction of him that might not notice it.

JOSEPH in CHINESE #ReadyForItMusicVideo pic.twitter.com/sRFW4VKaKp

— whydoihavetonamethis (@305446110) October 27, 2017

Glowing Chinese characters were seen in the music video that is translated in “Joseph” referring to Joe Alwyn’s true name.

Ok and that clearly says “Joseph” with a halo on it. #ReadyForItMusicVideo pic.twitter.com/KvxgorP17K

— the tortured mj department🖋️ (@smilesandswifts) October 27, 2017

There was also graffiti written on the door “Joseph” with a halo on top.

Taylor punches in the numbers 21 and Joe's birthday is Feb 21st 🤔 #ReadyForItMusicVideo pic.twitter.com/qc6fJcoDwC

— Taylor Swift News (@TSwiftNZ) October 27, 2017

In the keypad scene, Swift is punching the 2 and 1, which signifies February 21, the birthdate of Joe Alywn.

Dress is the twelfth track of the album, and it tells how Joe saw Taylor in the Met Gala 2016 and how Joe embraced Taylor’s past.

Lover was them getting to know each other and building their castles

Lover, her seventh studio album, was the continuation of how Swift and Alwyn built their castles.

London Boy, the eleventh track of the album, talks about how she adored Alwyn as she sings the part “You know I love a London boy” since it describes Alwyn’s laugh, dimples, and accent.

In addition, Lover’s track “Paper Rings” shows how Swift wants a long-term relationship with someone as she sings “I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings.” 

It also describes their private moment as they painted his brother’s room blue together.

The peak and downfall told through folklore and evermore

Even after the time when pandemic began, Swift and Alwyn were still making stories through folklore and evermore albums.

the one, the first track of folklore, her eighth and surprise album during the pandemic implies that Alwyn is not her lasting love despite her wishes for him to be the one.

folklore’s eleventh track invisible strings revealed that they were destined for each other but Taylor was doubting if they lasted for each other.

It can be recalled that folklore was Swift’s third album to receive “Album of the Year” from the Recording Academy Awards. Moreover, Joe Alywn used the pseudonym William Bowery, credited as co-writer and he collaborated with Swift on some songs, Exile and Betty from folklore, champagne problems, exile, and Coney Island from the album evermore.

Months later, Swift released her ninth album and second surprise album as she described it “sister album” of folklore, evermore.

I’m elated to tell you that my 9th studio album, and folklore’s sister record, will be out tonight at midnight eastern. It’s called evermore.
📷: Beth Garrabrant pic.twitter.com/xdej7AzJRW

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) December 10, 2020

Swift was looking back through their relationship and where they went wrong, and she knew if their relationship was to end it would pain her a lot as evermore feat. Bon Iver revealed in its lyrics.

For the deluxe version of evermore, her last track it’s time to go shows that Swift is somehow trying to convince herself that letting go is probably the best action to do.

Midnight thoughts lead to self-blaming

Midnights, Taylor Swift’s tenth studio album throws mixed messages on the artist’s current situation in terms of her relationship

On Midnight Rain, the lyrics show how Swift lost Alwyn and that she was wrecked after. It also describes how she felt their relationship was like a film reel in slow motion. 

Embracing the five stages of grief through TTPD

Taylor Swift likes to surprise her fans as she unveiled her eleventh studio album also known as The Tortured Poets Department through her speech at recently held 2024 Grammy as she received the Best Pop Vocal Album For ‘Midnights’

The sixth track of TTPD But Daddy I Love Him, can be related to the first and second stages of grief, which are ‘Denial’ and ‘Anger’. Swift was describing how her world seems to have crashed down and she doesn’t want to accept the fact that their relationship has ended.

Another manifestation of Anger is the The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, evident through the bridge part where Swift recalled how Joe was aware that their relationship is falling apart yet, they are pretending not to see the cracks of it. Adding that she will forget Joe but she will not forgive what he did. 

The next stage of grief ‘Bargaining’ can be connected to I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) based on its lyrics, Swift wrote that people, most likely her closest ones, prayed for her healing but she insisted that she could bring back her relationship with Alywn.

‘Depression’ stage can be linked to So long, London. From the love-filled start of meeting a London Boy to bidding farewell. The lyrics tell that after trying everything to save their sinking relationship, she finally stopped and realized she was drowning in it.

Finally, Swift finds ‘Acceptance’ through loml which, contrary to its common meaning of “love of my life”, actually stands for the “loss of my life.” She narrates their memories together, their best and worst times, and how after all the pain and suffering, she still thinks of Joe as the loss of her life.

While these personal interpretations may be what Joe was referring to during his interview with the Sunday Times when he said that, “there is always going to be a gap between what is known and what is said,” fans should respect the ex-couple’s decisions on what they want to tell the public and accept their era has long drawn its close.

After all, Alwyn added that he “made [his] peace” by not divulging all details to the public,” and the fans should do so as well.

Joe Alywn is currently working on his next acting project in the film “The Brutalist” and is set to co-work with Felicity Jones, Adrien Brodym, and Guy Pearce, directed by Brady Corbet.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift is on track to completing her Eras tour concert in December.

With reports from Marvin Cabalhin