“Ancient texts say that if you hop to this song you will get 1,000 years of good luck,” Perry, 41, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, July 9, alongside footage of her touring crew dancing to “Watch It Burn” in Aix-les-Bains, France.

In the clip, Perry and a slew of crew members enthusiastically jumped around in front of a fleet of trucks. Trudeau, 54, made a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo, hopping across the frame until he was no longer visible to the camera.

Perry did the same trend earlier this week from Stuttgart, Germany, though Trudeau did not appear to participate in that video.

Katy Perry Shares Rare Peek Into Her Life With Boyfriend Justin Trudeau

Perry released “Watch It Burn” last month, detailing the end of her relationship with ex-fiancé Orlando Bloom. Us broke the news in 2025 that Perry and Bloom, 49, had called off their six-year engagement. Perry, who shares 5-year-old daughter Daisy with Bloom, began dating Trudeau several months later. (The former politician separated from wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, with whom he coparents three kids, in 2023 after more than 20 years of marriage.)

“I have love in my life now. That’s transformed me,” Perry gushed of their relationship on Justin Tranter’s “Unfamous” podcast in June. “You think when The Beatles say, ‘All you need is love,’ it’s a cliché? Clichés are clichés for a reason … it’s like you don’t know until you have your baby how beautiful that experience is and how it transforms you.”

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She continued, “I am constantly in transformation, and I have so many placements of Scorpio in my chart that it would be easy for me to go to the dark side. I’m constantly rebirthing, constantly transforming, constantly, you know, phoenix to ashes, then hopefully eagle.”

According to Perry, the last year had been “pretty tough” amid her breakup from Bloom.

“It would have been easy for me to fall into that weird victim triangle,” she acknowledged. “So, instead of falling into ‘woe is me,’ I was just like, ‘Let’s just feel this f***ing pain, let’s feel this anger and let’s move on. Let’s learn from it also. Let’s get some feedback from it.’”

Katy Perry 'Rejects' Calls From Her Exes During Onstage Performance

Perry and Trudeau’s one-year romance has since heated up — and crossed continents and countries.

“They’re used to travel. They’re going back and forth all the time,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in June, revealing Trudeau’s plans to accompany Perry to her international summer concerts. “It’s just part of the rotation of their lives.”

In addition to Perry’s headlining gigs, she and Trudeau plan to blend their families even more.

“When they’re not working, they’re figuring out time to be with each other and factor their modern family into the equation,” the source added at the time. “Their kids are all off school, [so it is] easier to spend time together. They’re playing family more and more.”

The two-time Grammy nominee, 33, released his powerful new single, “Break Up in Reverse,” on Friday, July 10, after revealing his split from his girlfriend, Raiche Wright.

The lyrics find Swims wishing to undo a failed relationship. “Every night would get better instead of getting worse / I’d watch you slowly slip back into my hands,” he sings during the song’s chorus. “Say goodbye to me in the beginning / And love me in the end.”

The “Lose Control” singer even references Wright’s home state, crooning in the track’s second verse, “You’d be on your way back from Massachusetts / Bet it breaks the hearts of stars when we use ’em as excuses.”

Swims confirmed on Friday that “Break Up in Reverse,” which follows the April release of “Mr. Know It All,” is autobiographical.

“‘Break Up in Reverse’ really hits home for me right now and where I am in my life. Upon writing this song and my next album, I’ve been going through it with my relationship with my baby’s mother coming to an end,” he said in a statement, referencing Wright, with whom he shares a 12-month-old son.

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The “Bad Dreams” singer went on to share that “Break Up in Reverse” is also inspired by rapper Nas‘ 2001 song “Rewind.”

“We loved how the whole song takes place in reverse,” he explained. “So we thought, ‘How beautiful would it be if we took the same idea but wrote it about my relationship’ with the punchline being ‘Say goodbye to me in the beginning and love me in the end.'”

Swims first confirmed his breakup from Wright, 30, during a Q&A at Stagecoach in April.

“I’m going through a bit of a situation with my baby mother, a little heartbreak going on,” he said at the time before assuring the crowd that he was still “in a good place” in his life. “I got a 10-month-old … and he’s the sweetest kid in the world. Trying to make [music] not about being a dad is the hard part because nobody wants to hear just nothing but dad tunes.”

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Wright has also publicly addressed her separation from the musician, most recently sharing that the exes are still adjusting to being coparents.

“The thought of having to split time with my baby 50/50 has been the hardest reality I’ve ever had to face,” she wrote on her Instagram Story on Tuesday, July 7. “When I dreamed of becoming a mother and having children, I never imagined this would be my reality. My heart hurts, and my stomach is in constant knots. My heart goes out to anyone who is going through this, or who has ever had to.”

“I’m announcing today somewhat sadly but nonetheless truthfully, that I’ve reached a place where publicly more and more I need to use a wheelchair, mostly in airports, or public events,” Ward, 78, announced via X on Thursday, July 9. “I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can’t walk very far without needing to rest, meaning I need to sit down.”

He went on, “We started using the wheelchair about 18 months ago, mostly in airports. I became 78 years old on May 5th 2026. I was a long distance walker, I’ve walked in many different parts of the world, and I’m still a drummer. I can still play pretty good for 78 years old.”

The musician has had his share of medical issues over the years, including struggles with mental health and sobriety during the band’s heyday. (Ward got sober and became a vegan in the 1980s, earning himself a nickname as the “Heavy Metal Vegan.”)

In 1998, Ward suffered a heart attack while rehearsing for Black Sabbath’s reunion tour and later recovered from additional cardiac incidents in 2017 and 2021. In recent years, the drummer has dealt with mobility issues.

“My talents and ambitions, and my unyielding need to be artful, and to play drums, is still as strong as it was so many years ago now,” he added. “I’m just saying if you see me in a wheelchair, I’m just catching a ride, I’m not in retirement or ill or giving up, or any of those thoughts that ignite when we see people in wheelchairs.”

He went on, “I’m making myself public and transparent about my new transport, and letting you know I’m OK. If you see me in the airports or visiting friends in the music arenas or theatres say hi, I don’t bite, I’ll just look different, as pictured here. Much love to you all and I’ll keep rocking until I’m dead.”

“And the secrets we hide, can be dangerous to our health, I’m letting transparency prevail, with love and progression,” he concluded.

Ward’s announcement came just shy of one year after the Osbourne family confirmed the death of former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy on July 22, 2025.

Ozzy Osbourne Health Struggles Prior to His Death: A Timeline

“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” Osbourne’s family said in a statement to Us Weekly at the time. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

Every living original member of Black Sabbath paid tribute to Ozzy following his death, with Ward writing via Instagram, “Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you’re forever in my heart.”

“Deepest condolences to Sharon and all family members. RIP Sincere regrets to all the fans. Never goodbye. Thank you forever,” he added.

Ozzy reunited with Ward and the other Black Sabbath original members mere weeks before his death at his final Back to the Beginning concert in Birmingham, England, on July 5, 2025.

“I’m fit enough at the moment, touch wood, and I’m really enjoying doing the shows,” the “Total Eclipse of the Heart” hitmaker told Hello! Magazine in March. “I’m still rocking on that stage with my wonderful band, and if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything.”

At the time, Tyler was promoting the launch of her Jubilee Tour in honor of the 50th anniversary of her breakthrough single, 1976’s “Lost in France.” She was supposed to kick off the milestone concerts in Malta in May but was sidelined with emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal earlier that month.

Tyler spoke to the outlet about her physical regimen ahead of the tour, revealing that she tried to stay active even while on the road.

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“I do home Pilates, only 20 minutes a day — it’s something I can do in my hotel rooms,” she said in March. “I have had problems with my knees; I didn’t have new knees, I had what they call washouts [a knee procedure], which turned out to be very successful. So, hopefully that will last for a long time.”

In May, Tyler’s spokesperson confirmed the Jubilee Tour was on hold due to the musician being hospitalized for an intestinal issue.

“I’m very sorry to announce that Bonnie has been admitted to hospital in Faro, Portugal, where she has a home, for emergency intestinal surgery,” her rep said at the time. “The surgery went well and she is now recuperating. We know that all of her family, friends and fans will be concerned about this news and will be wishing her well for a full and swift recovery.”

Days later, her spokesperson confirmed that Tyler was “seriously ill but stable in hospital in Faro,” though her doctors believed at the time that “she [would] make a full recovery.”

“When there is any further news of Bonnie’s condition then we will issue another statement but ask that the media cease to speculate or publish wild rumors, which simply serve to upset her family, friends, and many fans, and ask again for privacy and decency at this difficult time,” the statement concluded.

Unfortunately, Tyler’s health took a turn for the worse and the “It’s a Heartache” singer died at age 75 on Wednesday, July 8.

“Bonnie’s family and team are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in hospital in Portugal as a result of the illness that she was being treated for,” her family said in a Facebook post. “We will issue a further statement shortly but for now ask for privacy to deal with this tragedy.”

While Tyler scored numerous hits in the U.K. and Europe, she was best known in the U.S. for her 1983 No. 1 single, “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” She also scored a Top 10 hit in the U.S. with 1978’s “It’s a Heartache” and recorded “Holding Out for a Hero” for the Footloose soundtrack in 1984.

She was married to property developer Robert Sullivan for 53 years. They had no children.

They may not always have the lead role, be the team captains or have millions of Instagram followers, but something about these individuals catches our attention and has Us googling them shirtless for more.

We’ve always known Zac Efron has it going on, but Dylan Efron’s unexpected rise to prominence on Traitors had Us looking up his Instagram — only to find it’s stock-full of thirst traps. (Thank you, Dylan Efron.)

Sure, Jalen Hurts is all the rage, but the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl championship suddenly had Us drooling over Saquon Barkley’s “Saquads” and tuning into the Big Game.

And yes, John B. (a.k.a. Chase Stokes) is the obvious crush on Outer Banks, but series villain Drew Starkey’s nuanced and erotic performance in Queer had Us looking at the actor in a whole new light.

Keep scrolling for more of Us’ weekly picks for People We Googled Shirtless:

The “Queen of Pop” took to Instagram on Monday, July 6, to give fans a BTS glimpse of the making of her new “Danceteria” sequence from her upcoming project, Confessions II: The Film.

The hypnotic homage to club culture is featured on Madonna’s new album, Confessions II, which dropped on Friday, July 3, and will likely be the soundtrack moving dance floors across the globe this summer.

“This is a trip down memory lane,” Madonna, 67, says as the film opens on a flurry of throwback stills that transport viewers straight to the strobe-lit energy of Danceteria, which once ruled the NYC nightclub scene from 1980 to 1986.

What begins as the star humorously hunched over in a urinal progresses into a breakdown of the music video, released on Monday.

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In the clip, the icon struts through a packed bathroom in true after-hours fashion as familiar faces join the parade, from Kate Moss and Benedict Cumberbatch to Richard E. Grant, Gwendoline Christie, and Odessa A’zion.

“I’ve waited my whole life to do this,” confesses Gwendoline Christie to the camera, before the clip cuts to a scene of the Game of Thrones star complementing Benedict Cumberbatch on his suave dance moves.

Viewers are then met with a playful interaction between Madonna and Cumberbatch just before the two hit the dance floor. “Are you ready to dance?” Madonna asks, as the actor responds, “Oh, yeah.”

Throughout the video, Madonna also gives numerous nods to her early days of stardom within the New York nightlife scene. One dancer can be seen wearing a “Like a Virgin” rhinestone tank top, and in another clip Madonna tucks a cassette tape into her bust as she perches beside Kate Moss on a bathroom sink.

“That felt like being back in the 1980s”, says longtime friend Debi Mazar, one of the several pals Madonna references in the song. Mazar shares that the two reunited for the video after 40 years of friendship.

“It’s a throwback, but it’s modern,” says Mazar as she chats with DJ Honey Dijon in between takes. “We need the world to be happy right now,” she continues, “we need a dance record”.

A handful of other famous faces make the cut too, including scenes with Richard E. Grant and Arca singing alongside the star in a bathroom stall and Vision Farley breaking down his raunchy dance number with the singer.

Other stars who joined the sequence include musicians Shygirl and Sabrina Carpenter, soccer star Cole Palmer, actress Julie Garner and Madonna’s daughter, Lourdes Leon.

Ahead of their July 2016 nuptials, the couple spoke candidly about their decision to remain celibate until marriage.

“We’re hanging in there. I’m not gonna lie. I’m human, so it is not easy,” Ciara, who was already the mother of son Future Jr. from her previous relationship with ex-fiancé Future, told Cosmopolitan in February 2016. “Especially when I look at him and I think he is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen — that I’ve ever laid my eyes on, to be honest. I’m like, ‘Look the other way! Look the other way!’”

After tying the knot, Ciara and Wilson went on to welcome daughter Sienna in 2017 and son Win in 2020. Their third baby, and Ciara’s fourth child, daughter Amora was born in December 2023.

Scroll down to relive Wilson and Ciara’s sweetest relationship moments:

That imbalance is why federal regulators are suing, why artists are canceling tickets after the fact, and why Spotify is now betting that streaming data can better decide who deserves a seat.

Why Floor Seats Aren’t Always Worth It and How to Find the Best Way to Get Concert Tickets for Any Show

Why Concert Tickets Are So Hard to Get Right Now

The bottleneck is not demand alone. It is automation.

Scalpers deploy complex software that can purchase far more tickets than a human could select, and at a much faster rate. Ticketing sites keep rolling out anti-bot measures, but resellers keep rewriting their code to slip past new rules and restrictions.

They also work the presale system from every angle. That includes joining multiple fan clubs, buying presale codes on open marketplaces, spinning up dozens or even hundreds of fraudulent accounts to receive promotional emails, and stacking credit cards that qualify for partner presales.

The result is a primary market that behaves like a secondary market before a real fan can even load the checkout page.

How Regulators Are Cracking Down on Concert Tickets Resale

The Federal Trade Commission is going after the pipeline itself. In a September 2025 press release, the agency announced it was suing the two largest players in the industry.

“The Federal Trade Commission and seven states sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster for tacitly coordinating with brokers and allowing them to harvest millions of dollars worth of tickets in the primary market,” the release said. “Live Nation and Ticketmaster then sell the illegally harvested tickets at a substantial markup in the secondary market, causing consumers to pay significantly more than the face value of the ticket.”

Translation for fans, regulators are alleging that the resale mess is not just a bot problem. It is also a business model.

How Artists Are Fighting Back for Their Fans

Several major artists have stopped waiting for platforms or the government to fix things.

Oasis reportedly moved to cancel thousands of reunion tour tickets that surfaced on the secondary market. Ed Sheeran has canceled tickets tied to scalpers and reissued them to fans at fair prices. More recently, Harry Styles had Ticketmaster void tickets identified as illegally obtained.

There is also a resale product designed to work the other way. Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange, developed for Pearl Jam in 2019, lets fans trade tickets at the original purchase price. Billie Eilish, Hozier and Noah Kahan are among the dozens of artists who have used it to enable fan-to-fan trading while deterring resellers.

Why Floor Seats Aren’t Always Worth It and How to Find the Best Way to Get Concert Tickets for Any Show

What Spotify Reserved Could Change for Real Fans

The newest wrinkle is a streaming-based approach. Spotify’s Reserved program identifies an artist’s most engaged listeners through streaming activity, then holds seats specifically for them.

The pitch is simple. If you have been playing an artist on repeat for years, you should not lose a ticket to someone whose only relationship to the show is a spreadsheet full of stolen presale codes.

Whether Reserved scales beyond a handful of tours will decide a lot. For now, it is one of the clearest signals that the industry is starting to treat “actual fan” as a category worth protecting.

Online records show that Bennett died in the Meopham village of Kent, England, on May 29 ahead of her 37th birthday, but the news did not become public until her former G.R.L. bandmates Emmalyn Estrada, Natasha Slayton and Paula Van Oppen released a joint statement on Monday, July 6.

“It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren,” Estrada, 34, Slayton, 37, and Van Oppen, also 37, wrote via Instagram. “Our hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us.”

Their statement continued, “We will forever cherish the love, laughter and countless memories she gave us. Her beautiful spirit touched so many lives and she will be deeply missed and forever loved. Rest peacefully, sweet Lauren. You will be in our hearts.”

No additional details regarding Bennett’s death, including the cause, were available at the time of publication. An inquest is scheduled for October 30.

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Bennett was best known for her role in G.R.L. The girl group formed in 2012 with Bennett, Estrada, Slayton, Van Oppen and Simone Battle. The following year, the group found success with their hit song “Vacation,” which was featured on the Smurfs 2 soundtrack, and their collaboration with Pitbull on his song “Wild Wild Love.”

While G.R.L. was on the rise, tragedy struck in September 2024 when Battle died at age 25. Her death was later ruled a suicide.

“Words cannot express the depth of our loss. Simone’s incredible talent was only surpassed by the size of her heart,” the group tweeted at the time. “We will carry her memory with us in everything we do.”

After Battle’s death, G.R.L. released their song “Lighthouse.” In addition, the group revealed a campaign with the nonprofit Give an Hour. Their G.R.L. Gives an Hour initiative was dedicated to raising awareness about mental health issues in the United States.

Less than a year later, G.R.L decided to disband following Battle’s death. Bennett pursued a solo career in 2015 and released her song “Hurricane” the following year.

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“After G.R.L. ended I had no idea what was going to happen next, everything fell apart pretty fast. That’s when this song was written,” Bennett wrote via Instagram in 2016. “After seeing my mother suffer with mental struggles for years I then lost a friend to this. It has always affected my life in some way. We all at least know someone who has dealt with it or have yourself. This is a story to show from my eyes what it feels like to suffer from this but also the other perspective to lose someone to this.”

In addition to her time with G.R.L., Bennett was best known for being featured on LMFAO’s hit song “Party Rock Anthem,” the first No. 1 of her career.

“Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love,” Richie, 77, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, July 4, sharing numerous photos featuring the iconic singer performing on stage. “I’m doing well, and I’m grateful for all of you.”

He continued, “Pittsburgh and Detroit were an absolute joy. The energy, the dancing, the faces in the crowd… we made real memories together. See you in Toronto… let’s party all night long.”

Late last month, Richie postponed two of his Sing a Song All Night Long Tour shows in Illinois and Ohio after he was forced to cut the opening night of his tour short due to illness.

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“Under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health, Lionel Richie has postponed his show on Friday, June 26, in Chicago, IL, and Saturday, June 27, in Columbus, OH,” a statement shared via the Live Nation Chicago and the United Center in Chicago’s official instagram accounts on June 25 read. “He and Earth, Wind & Fire will return to the stage on Tuesday, June 30, in Pittsburgh, PA. Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back to performing for his fans.”

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The statement concluded at the time, “We apologize for any inconvenience this causes fans who have tickets for these two shows. Rescheduled dates will be announced soon.”

Richie has yet to publicly release any additional information regarding his illness, including any diagnosis or treatment he received. According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, the singer was performing on stage in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 24 when he started feeling dizzy and stopped the set just under an hour into his tour’s opening night performance.

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Richie was singing “Dancing on the Ceiling” while he was forced to take a seat. According to the local news outlet, Richie then left the stage and, 40 minutes later, the singer’s saxophonist Dino Soldo returned to the stage to give fans an unfortunate update.

“Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,” the performer told the crowd at the time. “He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.”

Us Weekly reached out to representatives for Richie at the time for comment, but did not hear back.

Is Your Child Old Enough to Go to Their 1st Concert?

Before you start scanning ticket sites, take an honest look at whether your child is genuinely ready for a live show. Babies and toddlers typically don’t do well at concerts, and the volume levels at most venues can actually damage their hearing. “Overall, taking small children to large concerts is not recommended given the lack of regulation surrounding sound standards at different venues,” Abhita Reddy, MD, a board-certified pediatric ENT/otolaryngologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, told Parents.com.

Beyond age, consider whether your child actually loves the artist. Authentic excitement carries a kid through the long lines, late nights and sensory overload that come with live music. If you’re chasing a hot ticket, hold off on telling your child until the tickets are officially in hand and look into signing up for the artist’s presale to improve your odds.

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Choosing the Right Seats For a Kid’s 1st Show

Where you sit matters more than most first-time concert parents realize. If the artist plays multiple venue sizes on their tour, a smaller venue or outdoor amphitheater is often a gentler introduction than a packed stadium. The crowd feels manageable, the walks are shorter, and the overall experience is less overwhelming for a kid taking it all in for the first time.

There’s a common belief that floor seats are automatically the best because they’re closest to the stage. The reality is more complicated. Floor seating is level rather than angled, which means your sightline depends entirely on how tall you are compared to the people in front of you, which is a tough setup for a small child. Lower-level seated sections often strike the best balance, offering an unobstructed view of the stage without the pushing and competition of general admission floor, and they’re typically cheaper than floor tickets, according to GotStubs.

Whenever possible, grab aisle seats. They make bathroom runs, snack trips and early exits dramatically easier and you’ll want all three options available.

How to Prepare Your Child Before the Concert

A little prep work goes a long way toward avoiding meltdowns. Watch live concert clips of the artist together in the days leading up to the show so your child has a sense of what the volume, lights and crowd energy will feel like in person. Surprise can be exciting, but for first-timers, knowing roughly what’s coming helps them settle in faster once the lights drop.

A few practical items to pack:

• Kids’ earplugs or noise-canceling headphones. Children’s ears are more sensitive to loud sounds, and concert volumes can cause real damage without protection.
• Snacks and drinks, if the venue allows them. Concession lines run long and prices run high. If outside food isn’t permitted, arrive early to handle the lines before the show starts.
• Layers. Venues can swing from chilly to hot and sweaty in a matter of minutes once a crowd fills in.
• A small stuffed animal or familiar item for younger kids who might need something grounding if things get overwhelming.

If the show is going to run late, prep your child for a later bedtime and clear the next day’s schedule. A tired, overscheduled kid the morning after rarely remembers the magic of the night before.

What to Expect During the Concert

Get there early. Arriving before the crowd builds gives your child time to absorb the energy gradually, find your seats without rushing, handle bathroom and snack trips calmly, and visit the merch stand before lines balloon. A T-shirt or poster turns into a lasting reminder of the night well worth the detour.

Once the show starts, watch your child more than you watch the stage. If they’re tired or overstimulated, leaving early is the right call. Pushing through a meltdown rarely ends well for anyone, and an early exit doesn’t erase the parts they enjoyed. Take a few photos before the lights go down, and try to catch a candid shot of their face during the opening song that look of disbelief and joy is the photo you’ll want years from now.

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After the Show: Locking in the Memory

The car ride home is prime conversation territory. Ask what their favorite part was, what surprised them, and what they’d want to do differently next time. Those answers shape how you plan the next concert and they help your child process an experience that may have been bigger and louder than anything they’d been through before.

A first concert isn’t just about the artist on stage. It’s about your kid discovering what it feels like to be part of a crowd singing the same words, watching someone they admire perform a few hundred feet away, and realizing music hits differently when you’re hearing it live. Done right, it’s a memory that sticks.

“Oh my god, it was crazy. It was crazy,” the singer, 46, said in a clip of a recent Rolling Stone interview shared via TikTok on Friday, July 3. “I saw cocaine for the first time. Like, went to use the bathroom at a party and there was a little — this [does] not even belong to the band, this was one of those things where we’re out and about.”

Bareilles continued, “I was like, ‘Oh my god, that’s cocaine.’ Couldn’t believe it. Still never done cocaine, guys. I don’t do drugs. Except with therapists.”

Bareilles famous attended UCLA as the same time as Maroon 5 band members Ryan Dusick and Mickey Madden. (The band also consists of lead singer Adam Levine, PJ Morton, James Valentine, Nate Morton, James Carmichael and Matt Flynn.)

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After college and establishing themselves in their respective singing careers, Bareilles has toured with Maroon 5 on multiple occasions, including the band’s 2008 “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long Tour” and their 2012 “Hands All Over Tour.”

@rollingstone

@thesarabareilles on writing a song based on Stephen Colbert losing his father and two brothers at a young age: On Anderson Cooper’s podcast, “He had this incredible conversation with Stephen Colbert. It’s these two men that I really love, and their tenderness with each other and about their loss was so moving to me.” #sarabareilles #goodgrief #stephencolbert #andersoncooper #allthereis

♬ original sound – Rolling Stone

“Oh my god, those boys were so wonderful to us,” the singer continued of her experience on the road with the band. “They were so generous and so kind and they were, felt like big brothers. They took me on the road, our band, they took us under their wing, they shared everything they had.”

She continued, “It was — it was really awesome. I could not get over seeing all the girls. There was a lot of, like, literally throwing underwear. I thought it was, like, a trope that happened, but it’s real. They just throw their underwear, and I’m like, ‘Did you bring two pairs?’ is the first thing I think about, because if you’re wearing a skirt and you sit down on a surface your vagina is touching the chair. So, this is where my mind goes.”

In a January 2014 interview with CBS News, Bareilles opened up about how the members of Maroon 5 were able to alter the path of her singing career by showcasing her talents while touring.

“Those boys changed the trajectory of my life in a big way,” she told the news outlet at the time. “And yeah, I’m forever grateful.”

In addition to discussing her on- and off-stage connection with the band, Bareilles also discussed the release of her new album “Good Grief” — her first in seven years — which focused on her depression and feelings of grief during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“What I realized is that grief must be witness. You must share it. It doesn’t heal on its own,” she explained. “And the recognition that is born from taking the time to share and unpack and just see each other in your grief is the thing that actually transforms and transmutes.”

She added, “Of course, I wish my friends were still here, but I am a different person because of losing them and loving them. And I am more of who I think I’m meant to be become because of it. So it’s wild. Grief is a miracle. It’s just love. It’s so beautiful.”

Beyoncé, 44, dropped “Morning Dew (Donk)” in the early hours of Saturday, July 4.

“Beyoncé marks the 4th of July Holiday with a special gift to her fans with the release of ‘Morning Dew (Donk),’” a press release reads. “[This is] a new song that also starts a 60-day countdown to her next birthday, and the re-issue of B’Day, her ground-breaking second album that was released two decades ago on September 4, 2006.”

Beyoncé cowrote the track, her first new release in two years, alongside Pharrell Williams, The Dream and Darius Dixon. Beyoncé and Williams, 53, also produced the single.

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According to the press release, “Morning Dew” is “a direct nod to her loyal BeyHive” ahead of B’Day’s 20th anniversary milestone.

“The song, which will be included on the 20th Anniversary edition of B’Day, arrives accompanied by a lyric video that repurposes old footage, directed by frequent collaborator Cliff Watts,” the statement notes. “It was Cliff Watts who shot Beyoncé’s iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover around her 25th birthday.”

Beyoncé graced the SI cover in 2007, marking the first time a non-athlete or non-model appeared underneath the masthead.

“It’s amazing to me and I never thought it would happen. It’s great for us [and] our clothing line, House of Deréon. I’m wearing all of our swimsuits. My mother was able to design them,” the music icon gushed, referring to mom Tina Knowles and their now-defunct fashion label. “It’s a great launch for us, and I’ve never done a swimsuit spread.”

Beyonce Celebrates 10 Years Since the Release of Her Self-Titled Album

Beyoncé continued at the time, “What better place to do that [than] a magazine that’s so classy and so elegant, still very sexy, but in a very, very upscale way. It is a music issue. Music and fashion, they go hand in hand. When these beautiful models are posing for their shoots, they’re listening to music. We’re all inspired by music and I think it’s so great that they’re acknowledging us musicians.”

Beyoncé had released B’Day, her second solo album, the year before and seven more in the years that followed. The R&B superstar last released Cowboy Carter, her foray into country music, in 2024. The record won both Best Country Album and Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys, which was Beyoncé’s first time taking home the latter honor.

“I just feel very full and very honored. It’s been many, many years, and I just want to thank the Grammys, every songwriter, every collaborator, every producer, all of the hard work,” Beyoncé said in her acceptance speech. “I want to dedicate this to Ms. [Linda] Martell, and I hope we just keep pushing forward, opening doors. God bless y’all.”

While the siblings don’t constantly post about each other on social media, they have shared the rare tribute to each other over the years. Not to mention, Austin seems super supportive of Taylor’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Not only has Austin been photographed alongside Taylor during various Chiefs games in 2023, but he got Kelce a special Christmas gift in December 2023, and the NFL star couldn’t help but gush over it.

“He actually made me feel like a child because his gift to me was straight out of the bag,” Kelce gushed during his “New Heights” podcast in December 2023. “[He] handed me a VHS of my favorite football movie of all time … Little Giants.”

Taylor Swift Has a Supportive Family: Meet Her Parents and Younger Brother

While Austin hasn’t commented publicly on his sister’s romantic relationships, he has explained what it has been like having such an influential sibling.

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“As a brother and friend I couldn’t be more proud, as a lifelong fan I am thrilled beyond words, as a human being I am simply dumbfounded at this level of artistry and depth of insight into what it is to love and to lose and to simply exist,” he wrote on Instagram in December 2020. “Now please stop reading this and go listen to evermore by @taylorswift !!!!!”

Keep scrolling for an inside look into Austin and Taylor’s sibling relationship:

The Kanye West Battle

Taylor and Kanye West haven’t seen eye-to-eye in years, but when he released the song “Famous” in February 2016, Austin outwardly supported his sister.

“Getting a head start on some spring cleaning,” Austin captioned a video of himself throwing West’s Yeezy brand sneakers in the trash. “Here we go again.”

Birthday Tributes

Over the years, Austin has shared sweet birthday tributes dedicated to the “best sister.”

“I can’t believe you’ve been riding ponies, making music, playing with cats, and telling stories for almost three decades now,” he captioned an Instagram post from December 2016. “You’ve always been there for your family and friends no matter what and you’re always finding unique and beautiful ways to show us how much you care.”

His Best Friend

Taylor shared an Instagram post about the 2018 midterm elections in Tennessee. Austin was beaming with pride when his sister shared her beliefs.

“When you thought you couldn’t respect your best friend any more than you already do. And then you do,” he wrote at the time, sharing her original caption.

Her Producing Credit

Eagle-eyed fans speculated that Austin released a cover of Taylor’s “Look What You Made Me Do” under the moniker Jack Leopards & The Dolphin Club. Nils Sjöberg — Taylor’s pseudonym — was listed as a producer on the track, which was featured in a 2020 episode of Killing Eve.

The single art featured what appeared to be a photo of Austin as a child with his face covered. In the image, the youngster is wearing a Dolphin Club T-shirt. Of course, neither sibling has confirmed the fan theory.

Taylor Swift Through the Years: From Nashville Upstart to Music Superstar

A Supportive Sibling

In 2022, Austin let it slip that he was on the team that helped created Taylor’s “I Bet You Think About Me” music video, which was directed by Blake Lively.

“I am so proud and thankful that we’ve been nominated for the ACM award for video of the year!” he wrote on Instagram of the song in February 2022.

The Travis Kelce Connection

Austin dressed up as Santa Claus during the Chiefs Christmas Day game in 2023 and earned Kelce’s respect.

“I respect a full commit,” the NFL star said on the “New Heights” podcast. “It was a full commit. He killed it.”

Lending Swifties a Helpful Hand

Austin swooped in to assist a fan in need at one of Taylor’s Indianapolis Eras Tour stops in November 2024. Per social media footage, a fan dressed as Kelce was seized by security while shouting his name and approaching the VIP area. The fan was instructed to take off their football helmet and did so as Austin came over.

“Hey, let’s not put our hands on people,” Austin told security before complimenting the fan. “I’m sorry about that. It’s a really cool costume. … You guys enjoy the concert. Have a great night.”

Her Man of Honor

When Taylor married Travis Kelce in July 2026, she enlisted Austin as her Man of Honor in lieu of a traditional bridal party.  Travis, meanwhile, chose brother Jason Kelce as his Best Man.

“Her brother Austin Swift served as Taylor’s Man of Honor and Jason Kelce was Travis’ Best Man,” a press release read. “The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler.”

It’s safe to say that Taylor Swift has Travis Kelce‘s family’s stamp of approval.

The 14-time Grammy Award winner’s close bonds with Travis’ loved ones – including mom Donna, dad Ed, brother Jason and sister-in-law Kylie – have only grown since the couple started dating in the summer of 2023.

“Both of their families love them as a couple and Taylor has become even more close with Travis’ mom. Taylor has really been integrated into the family,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2024.

“Everybody knows how close Travis is with his family,” a separate insider told Us in January that same year. “So it really means everything to him how seamlessly Taylor blends in with all of them. His family is all about just hanging out, joking and having a great time. It’s almost like she’s known his family forever, and he loves that about her.”

Taylor Swift's Best Moments With Travis Kelce's Family

Travis ultimately proposed in August 2025, immediately FaceTiming his parents to share the happy news. The couple planned to wed in July 2026 at NYC’s Madison Square Garden arena.

Keep reading for the Kelce family’s glowing quotes about Swift:

Expanding Travis’ Food Horizons

Jason praised Swift for introducing his younger brother to new foods and helping him become less of a picky eater during an October 2024 episode of the siblings’ “New Heights” podcast.

“My girl Tay is getting you opened up,” Jason said. “She’s introducing new foods to you, and it’s become one of the greatest things that I’ve been happy about.”

‘Genuine’ and ‘Generous’

While speaking to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe at the Pro Bowl in February 2024, Jason gushed about how “fortunate” he was to have been introduced to the Tortured Poets Department artist.

“She’s [an] awesome, down-to-earth, genuine person,” he said, adding that Swift’s refreshing personality is “great to see,” especially when “somebody of that caliber of stardom still remain[s] as grounded as they are.”

In a separate interview, Donna revealed the positive characteristics and qualities Swift shares with her youngest son.

“They’re both friendly [and] they’re both generous,” Donna gushed during an episode of iHeartRadio’s “Martha Stewart Podcast,” adding, “They’re both loving, caring individuals.”

Celebrating Her Kindness

Ed couldn’t help but gush about how “down-to-earth” Swift’s personality is while speaking to the Los Angeles Times in February 2024.

“Every game there’s people crowding outside the front of that suite trying to get a glimpse of Taylor, wanting to meet Taylor,” he told the outlet ahead of the Super Bowl. “Taylor’s very gracious, but she can’t do everything.”

He added, “And she’s got security guys who don’t want her doing anything. That’s their job and she’s smart enough to know, ‘I’m paying these guys to keep me safe. I should probably listen to them.’ But if it was up to her she’d be out there with everyone who wants her.”

All in the Family

Not only has the Kelce family praised Swift, they’ve also had nothing but nice things to say about the singer’s parents, Andrea and Scott, and her younger brother, Austin.

“It’s still really, really new, and I really appreciate it,” Donna told Entertainment Tonight in September 2024 at the premiere of Grotesquerie, on which Travis stars. “Wonderful people, very down to earth, very Midwestern. Ohio and Pennsylvania are right next to each other, so we kind of understand each other, so it’s really kind of nice. It feels like home.”

Cat Lovers

Jason’s wife Kylie appeared to make a subtle nod to Taylor’s love for cats during a special holiday appearance on the brothers’ “New Heights” podcast in December 2023.

“Here’s the deal, I told Jason that I wanted to get a cat and he told me no,” she said before attempting to convince Travis to support her in adding a furry new member to the family. “I feel like you might like cats now. I don’t want you to send a cat, I just want you to get on my team here.”

‘Talented’

After Taylor took home seven awards at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, Jason complimented the Valentine’s Day actress on her insane level of talent.

“She is just so talented it’s ridiculous. Not only as a singer, a songwriter, production-wise, she’s so involved in every facet of it,” the former Philadelphia Eagles center said in September that year. “When I think of the big names in music that have sustained [their careers] over such a long time the way she has, it feels like all of them kind of get to that [point]. She’s at that, like, Bruce Springsteen [level].”

Praising Her Work

While speaking exclusively to Us Weekly in April 2024, Donna called Taylor’s 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, her “best” album yet.

“I know there’s a few [songs] that some people think are about Travis but we’ll just see,” Donna told Us. “You know, I’ll have to ask her when I see her.“

Respecting Taylor

During an interview on The Rich Eisen Show in November 2024, Jason revealed that Taylor told him he could give Eras Tour tickets to any of his friends whenever they wanted to go; however, the Monday Night Countdown panelist explained why he declined her offer.

“She’s been nothing but lovely to our family, she’s a wonderful person and I don’t want that to kind of be a dynamic,” adding that he never says yes to people who ask him for an Eras Tour hookup. “It is an immediate no. As much as Taylor has said she will take care of anybody that I ask for.”

He continued, “She does say that, she’s very … she’s great, but I still say no to everybody. I’m not gonna be the one to impose on that. I don’t want to put that position out there.”

Happy Birthday

During a December 2024 interview on the “Baskin & Phelps” podcast, Ed revealed that he was trying to come up with a birthday present for Taylor. “Trying to buy Taylor a present is like trying to buy Jason or Travis a present. There’s nothing they want that they don’t already have,” he shared. “There’s nothing they are thinking they might get, that they haven’t already figured out exactly what model. You can’t go that route. You have to look beyond that, and you gotta dig down and come up with something special.”

Despite Swift’s star status, Ed said he didn’t think Taylor would be impressed by how much a gift costs, but rather the sentiment behind it. “The amount of money is meaningless. You’re not gonna impress Taylor Swift with a gift that costs $100,000,” he explained. “But get something that tweaks the strings of her heart that you spend 10 bucks on, and she’ll just be all gooey. You gotta find something that triggers the emotion.”

Growing Closer

“I think, you know, once we get past the Super Bowl, I think it’s going to be a very good period of time for the two of them,” Ed said of Swift and Travs’ relationship during a February 2025 interview on Australia’s Today show before the Chiefs vs. Eagles Super Bowl game. “Without the NFL season, without the Eras Tour. Just them alone really connecting more. I think that can only be a good thing.”

Podcast Debut

Swift made her debut on Travis and Jason’s “New Heights” podcast in August 2025, during which time she announced her highly anticipated 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, and discussed getting her masters back, her relationship with Travis and his family and more. The episode garnered more than 10 million viewers, making it the podcast’s most-watched episode. At one point during the livestream, the video even glitched and abruptly cut off, with many fans joking that the high amount of viewers “broke” YouTube.

Kylie previously held the record for the most-viewed episode at 8.9 million viewers, but she was happy to give up her spot for Swift.

“Officially no longer the record holder for the most watched episode of the other podcast. There’s no way it’s even close, and I love that for me,” she said during her “Not Gonna Lie” podcast the day after Taylor’s “New Heights” episode premiered. “It is very entertaining to watch the internet break. It’s just crumbling apart, and I love it. I love it.”

Kylie continued, “I love that we know that a day before it releases, my interview on the other podcast is going to lose its long-tenured reign as most-watched episode, and I welcome that wholeheartedly. Let’s drop that sucker down.”

“I remember people asking me, ‘What are you gonna write about if you ever get happy?’” Swift recalled to Elle magazine in March 2019. “There’s a common misconception that artists have to be miserable in order to make good art, that art and suffering go hand in hand. I’m really grateful to have learned this isn’t true. Finding happiness and inspiration at the same time has been really cool.”

In April 2021, Swift officially began a new journey, rereleasing her old albums, beginning with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) after a very public feud with Scooter Braun and former Big Machine Records owner Scott Borchetta over the rights to her first six albums.

“Artists should own their own work for so many reasons,” Swift wrote via Instagram in March 2021 about the process. “But the most screamingly obvious one is that the artist is the only one who really knows that body of work.”

After rerecording four of her albums, Swift purchased her entire discography from Shamrock Capital in 2025.

Scroll down to revisit Swift’s epic journey to stardom:

The pop superstar released her new record on October 3, 2025, and it didn’t take long for fans to find references to the NFL player.

The album opens with “The Fate of Ophelia,” a poppy song about Kelce revealing on his “New Heights” podcast in July 2023 that he had tried (and failed) to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it during her Eras Tour shortly before their romance began.

“I heard you calling / On the megaphone / You wanna see me all alone,” she sings in a nod to him publicly shooting his shot.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Relationship Timeline

Later in the same track, Swift seemingly references Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs with the lyric, “I pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes.”

The Grammy winner also appears to gush over the athlete in “Elizabeth Taylor” (“All the right guys promised they’d stay / Under bright lights, they withered away / But you bloom”) and “Honey” (“When anyone called me ‘lovely’ / They were finding ways not to praise me / But you say it like you’re in awe of me / And you stay until the morning, honey”).

However, the most clear reference to Kelce occurs in “Wood” when Swift shouts out his podcast by singing, “New heights of manhood.” She also sweetly looks ahead to their future together in the “Wish List” chorus: “I just want you / Have a couple kids / Got the whole block looking like you / We tell the world to leave us the f*** alone and they do, wow / Got me dreaming about a driveway with a basketball hoop / Boss up, settle down.”

Swift and Kelce have been together since the summer of 2023. Nearly one year into their relationship, she dropped her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, in April 2024, with two songs believed to be about Kelce. “The Alchemy” made several nods to his NFL career with a slew of football references, while “So High School” included more allusions to their romance, such as how he holds the car door for her and mentioned her in a “marry, kiss or kill” game in a resurfaced interview.

What to Know About Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Engagement

For weeks, Swift has been hinting that her 12th album would be heavily influenced by her relationship with Kelce.

“It just comes from the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life, so that effervescence has come through on this record,” she revealed on “New Heights” in August. “This album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant.”

Swift added that The Life of a Showgirl draws from “everything that was going on behind the curtain” in her personal life during The Eras Tour.

“This album isn’t really about what happened to me on stage. It’s about what I was going through off stage,” she said. “It’s the life beyond the show.”

According to Swift, she “wanted the album to feel the way my life felt, and this completely matches the way that my life has felt.”

Inside Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Future After Getting Engaged

Meanwhile, Kelce was clearly an early fan of the album.

“It’s so much fun,” he teased during Swift’s podcast debut. “I’ve been fortunate enough to hear every single song on here, so I know they’re all 12 bangers. It’s a lot more upbeat, and it’s a lot more fun pop excitement. I think it’s a complete 180 from a lot of the songs on Tortured Poets.”

In response, Swift gushed, “Life is more upbeat,” seemingly referring to her relationship with Kelce.

Later that month, Kelce told “New Heights” listeners that his favorite song from The Life of a Showgirl is “Opalite,” sharing, “Every time it comes on, I always catch myself [dancing].”

Kelce then emphasized that fans would be busting a move to more than just the one song he shouted out.

“I know she mentioned that it’s gonna be a lot more pop beats, but it’s just still so poetic in her melodies and her references and stuff,” he continued. “It’s just so much fun to listen to, man. I’ve been dancing all throughout the house.”

Weeks after Swift announced The Life of a Showgirl, she and Kelce confirmed their engagement, captioning Instagram photos from the proposal, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” They planned to tie the knot in July 2026 at Madison Square Garden.

Taylor Swift often sings about taking the next step in relationships, and she didn’t shy away from the topic of marriage on her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department.

After TTPD dropped on April 19, 2024, eagle-eyed fans — or Swifties — were quick to point out lyrical parallels about wedding rings. On Swift’s 2019 album Lover, she sang about marrying her beau with “paper rings,” whereas on TTPD she crooned about “imaginary rings” in “Fresh Out the Slammer.”

In the song, Swift seemingly detailed how she reconnected with Matty Healy after her split from longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn. But fans have theorized that other tunes from TTPD are about Alwyn and their six-year relationship — which ended before a trip down the aisle. The album also had two tracks, The Alchemy and So High School, about the start of Swift’s romance with Travis Kelce ahead of the July 2026 nuptials.

Aside from lyrical references, Swifties also noticed that the pop star donned a white gown — which could have been a wedding dress — in her “Fortnight” music video with Post Malone.

Scroll down for every time Swift alluded to marriage on TTPD:

‘The Tortured Poets Department’

In the album’s title track, Swift made several nods to famous musicians and poets, while singing about chaotic love. She crooned, “At dinner, you take my ring off my middle finger / And put it on the one people put wedding rings on / And that’s the closest I’ve come to my heart exploding.”

‘My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys’

Using a metaphor for a child no longer wanting to play with a broken toy, Swift sang, “He saw forever, so he smashed it up, oh, oh.”

Every Song Taylor Swift Wrote About Joe Alwyn on ‘Tortured Poets Department’

‘So Long, London’

Swift sang about parting ways with British born Alwyn. “You swore that you loved me, but where were the clues? I died on the altar waitin’ for the proof,” she crooned.

‘But Daddy I Love Him’

While seemingly defending her relationship with Healy, Swift sang, “No, you can’t come to the wedding / I know he’s crazy but he’s the one I want.”

‘Fresh Out the Slammer’

Swift seemingly detailed the end of her relationship with Alwyn, singing, “At the park where we used to sit on children’s swings / Wearing imaginary rings.”

‘loml’

Swift alluded to feelings of betrayal over her relationship with Alwyn coming to a close.

“If you know it in one glimpse, it’s legendary / You and I go from one kiss to getting married,” she sang in the chorus, while in the second verse she added, “You s–t-talked me under the table / Talkin’ rings and talkin’ cradles.”

Every Song About Matty Healy on Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

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Swift considered trying to win her lover back, or being angry with the situation, singing, “Whether I’m gonna be your wife or / Gonna smash up your bike, I haven’t decided yet.”

‘How Did It End?’

Swift made a reference to the nursery rhyme “K-I-S-S-I-N-G”: “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.” She sang, “Leaving me bereft and reeling / My beloved ghost and me / Sitting in a tree / D-Y-I-N-G.”

‘So High School’

In one of Swift’s tracks about Kelce, she made a reference to a viral video of the NFL player being asked to play “Marry, Kiss, Kill,” with her, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry in 2016. (At the time, Kelce choose to “kiss” Swift, “kill” Grande and “marry” Perry.)

“Are you gonna marry, kiss, or kill me (Kill me) / It’s just a game, but really (Really) / I’m bettin’ on all three for us two (All three),” she crooned.

Swift and Kelce started dating in summer 2023 after the Kansas City Chiefs tight end revealed he wanted to give the singer his number via a friendship bracelet at her Eras Tour. Though he was unsuccessful at the time, the pair eventually connected. Swift ultimately began attending Kelce’s football games and cheered on the athlete all the way to Super Bowl LVIII.

Swift announced her 11th studio album in February 2024 after she took home her 13th Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. While the majority of TTPD is about past loves including Matty Healy and Joe Alwyn, “The Alchemy” and “So High School” are inspired by Kelce.

Kelce, who proposed in August 2025, was also privy to a sneak peek of Swift’s then0upcoming 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, which dropped in October 2025. Swift and Kelce’s love story was seemingly featured in multiple tracks, including “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite,” “Wood,” “Wish List,” “Honey” and more.

Less than one year after LOAS dropped, Swift and Kelce planned to get married at Madison Square Garden in July 2026.

Keep scrolling to see what songs Swift has written about Kelce:

‘The Alchemy’

Using clever wordplay, Swift uses football references in her lyrics to give a shout-out to her boyfriend, who is a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. “So when I touchdown, call the amateurs and cut them from the team / Ditch the clowns, get the crown / Baby I’m the one to beat,” she sings,  “Because the sign on your heart said it’s still reserved for me / Honestly, who are we to fight The Alchemy?”

The pop star also appears to reference her moment on the field with Kelce after he won Super Bowl LVIII in February. “Shirts off and your friends lift you up over their heads / Beer sticking to the floor / Cheers chanting ‘cause they said there was no chance trying to be the greatest in the league, where’s the trophy?”

‘So High School’

In the second batch of surprise songs dropped hours later, Swift seemingly references Kelce (a lover of comedies and video games) again on the track “So High School,” where she compares falling for the athlete to being 16 again.

“I’m watching American Pie with you on a Saturday night / Your friends are around so be quiet / I’m trying to stifle my sighs,” she croons on the upbeat track. ‘Cause I feel so high school every time I look at you / But look at you.”

Additionally, the lyric video for “So High School” is entirely in Swift’s thematic black and white color scheme, save for one line, where she sings, “Cheeks pink in the twinkling lights.” Eagle-eyed Swifties noticed that the letters TK and TS were highlighted in pink, leading fans to speculate that these are Swift and Kelce’s initials.

“So High School” also features the lyric, “You knew what you wanted and, boy, you got her,” which fans think references the start of Swift’s romance with Kelce, wherein he sought her out at a concert using a friendship bracelet.

Swift appears to reference a viral video of Kelce being asked to play “Kiss, Marry, Kill” with her, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry back in 2016. “Are you gonna marry, kiss, or kill me (Kill me) / It’s just a game, but really (Really) / I’m bettin’ on all three for us two (All three),” she sings. (For the record, he opted to “kiss” Swift at the time, “kill” Grande and “marry” Swift’s once-rival Perry.)

Swift continues with the teenage metaphors (and football references) in the bridge, singing, “Truth, dare, spin bottles / You know how to ball, I’m no Aristotle /  Brand new, full throttle / Teach me while your boys play Grand Theft Auto.” She refers to his dad, Ed, when she sings: “I feel like laughing in the middle of practice / To that impression you did of your dad again / I’m hearing voices like a madman.”

‘The Fate of Ophelia’

While the opening track of The Life of a Showgirl references the Shakespearean heroine of the same name, the song is also seemingly inspired by Swift’s romance with Kelce. The song explores how Swift escaped from having a similar outcome to the Hamlet character.

“Late one night / You dug me out of my grave and / Saved my heart from the fate of
/ Ophelia,” Swift sings on the chorus. “Keep it 100 on the land, thе sea, the sky / Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes / Don’t care where the hell you’ve been ’cause now, you’re mine.”

‘Elizabeth Taylor’

While Elizabeth Taylor was famously married several times, Swift sings on the track about finally finding The One but shares her anxieties about suffering a heartbreak again.

“And if you ever leave me high and dry / I’d cry my eyes violet, Elizabeth Taylor / Tell me for real, do you think it’s forever? / Been No. 1, but I never had two / And I can’t have fun if I can’t have,” she belts. “Be my NY when Hollywood hates me / You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby / Been No. 1, but I never had two / And I can’t have fun if I can’t have you.”

‘Opalite’

Kelce has shared that “Opalite” is his favorite song from The Life of Showgirl. The title is a reference to the football player’s October birthstone.

“You were dancing through the lightning strikes / Sleepless in the onyx night / But now the sky is opalite,” Swift sings on the chorus. “Never met no one likе you before / You had to make your own sunshinе / But now the sky is opalite.”

“Opalite” also talks about Kelce’s struggles in a previous relationship, which fans have theorized was a nod to his ex Kayla Nicole.

“You couldn’t understand it / Why you felt alone / You were in it for real / She was in her phone / You were just a pose,” Swift sings in the second verse. “And don’t we try to love love / And give it all we got / You finally left the table / And what a simple thought / You’re starving ’til you’re not.”

After the album’s release, Swift explained her inspiration behind the song and its connection to Kelce.

“Opal can be man-made just like diamonds, and so, Travis’ birthstone is an opal. I’ve always fixated on that, [and] I’ve always loved that stone,” she revealed on the U.K.’s Capital FM. “I thought it was kind of a cool metaphor that, like, it’s a man-made opal and happiness can also be man-made too. That’s what the song is about, the juxtaposition of those two.”

‘Eldest Daughter’

On the fifth track of The Life of a Showgirl, Swift seemingly gave credit to Kelce for changing her mindset about how to navigate her personal and private life.

“When I said I don’t believe in marriage / That was a lie,” she sings, later adding, “I’m never gonna let you down / I’m never gonna leave you out / So many traitors, smooth operators / But I’m never gonna break that vow.”

‘Wish List’

Fans have theorized that the track, which is stylized with dollar signs instead of the letter “s,” is about Swift’s dream to settle down and start a family.

“I just want you, huh / Have a couple kids, got the whole block lookin’ like you / We tell the world to leave us the f*** alone, and they do,” Swift sings in the chorus. “Got me dreamin’ ’bout a driveway with a basketball hoop / Boss up, settle down, got a wish.”

‘Wood’

“Wood” is hands down Swift’s raunchiest track on The Life of a Showgirl. Alongside the double entendres and reference to a “redwood tree,” there is a nod to Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast.

“And baby, I’ll admit I’ve been a little superstitious / The curse on me was broken by your magic wand,” she sings in the pre-chorus. “Seems to be that you and me, we make our own luck / New heights of manhood / I ain’t gotta knock on wood.”

‘Honey’

Swift talks about how she hasn’t liked the use of pet names in the past from others but doesn’t mind her current partner doing so since they’re in it for the long haul.

“You can call me honey / If you want because I’m the one you want,” she repeatedly sings on the tune.

Kelce previously called Swift “sweetie” during her debut “New Heights” appearance in August 2025.

Taylor Swift became a bonafide sports fan after she started dating NFL star Travis Kelce in summer 2023.

“Football is awesome, it turns out,” Swift quipped to TIME in her December 2023 Person of the Year profile. “I’ve been missing out my whole life.”

Rooting for Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, even seemingly inspired Swift as she wrote The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology.

“These blokes warm the benches / We’ve been on a winning streak,” she sings on “The Alchemy,” which was released in April 2023. “He jokes that ‘It’s heroin, but this time with an E’ / ‘Cause the sign on your heart / Said it’s still reserved for me.”

Every Time Taylor Swift Attended an NFL Game to Cheer for Travis Kelce

Swift went to 13 (coincidentally, her lucky number) of Kelce’s NFL games during the 2023-2024 season, including Super Bowl LVIII in February 2024. After the Chiefs won the championship, Swift greeted him on the field with a kiss and proclaimed that she had “never” seen anything like the game outcome. Kelce, meanwhile, has frequently asserted that he’s just grateful for her tireless support — even flying for 13 hours across oceans to make it in time. Kelce proposed to Swift in August 2025, months after she stepped out to many of his 2024-2025 games. Their wedding was held the next year at Madison Square Garden, a famed sports and music venue.

While fans gushed over Swift’s first musical allusion to Kelce on TTPD, it isn’t the only time she’s mentioned sports in verse. Us Weekly revisits the pop star’s sportiest lyrics below:

‘Fifteen’ (Fearless)

“Well, in your life you’ll do things / Greater than dating the boy on the football team / I didn’t know it at fifteen.”

While Swift told her best friend Abigail Anderson that she would be better off without the high school football star at the time, the Grammy winner’s romance with Kelce later proved she could have both.

‘You Belong With Me’ (Fearless)

“She’s cheer captain / and I’m on the bleachers.”

This “You Belong With Me” lyric, as well as its football-coded music video, says it all.

‘Mean’ (Speak Now)

“And I can see you years from now in a bar / Talking over a football game / With that same big, loud opinion / But nobody’s listening.”

In “Mean,” Swift’s critics are blasting her career while watching a game on TV.

Taylor Swift's Chicest Game Day Styles at Travis Kelce's Chiefs Games

‘Long Live’ (Speak Now)

“I said remember this feeling / I passed the pictures around / Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines / Wishing for right now.”

“We are the kings and the queens / You traded your baseball cap for a crown / When they gave us our trophies / And we held them up for our town.”

“Long Live” has taken on a new life as Swift started dating Kelce, who did win the big championship trophy and held it up at the postgame celebration on the field.

‘Stay Stay Stay’ (Red)

“This morning I said we should talk about it / ‘Cause I read you should never leave a fight unresolved / That’s when you came in wearing a football helmet / And said, ‘OK, let’s talk.’”

While “Stay Stay Stay” is not about sports per se, Swift’s then-boyfriend did wear athletic equipment during a fight.

‘Blank Space’ (1989)

“’Cause you know I love the players / And you love the game.”

The lyric took on a new meaning when Swift pointed at Kelce, a pro football player, when he came to see her Eras Tour concert abroad.

‘End Game’ (Reputation)

“I wanna be your endgame / I wanna be your first string / I wanna be your A-Team.”

It certainly didn’t hurt that “End Game” was the very first surprise song that Kelce heard when he went to Swift’s show in Argentina.

‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’ (Reputation)

“Jump into the pool from the balcony / Everyone swimmin’ in a champagne sea.”

Swimming is a sport too, let Us remind you.

‘Miss Americana And The Heartbreak Prince’ (Lover)

“Now I’m feeling hopeless, ripped up my prom dress / Running through rose thorns, I saw the scoreboard / And ran for my life.”

Scoreboards are an integral part of sporting events to keep track of points.

‘London Boy’ (Lover)

“You can find me in the pub, we are watching rugby with his school friends.”

“London Boy,” notably penned about Swift’s life across the pond with now-ex Joe Alwyn, reminisced about what it was like for her to become a rugby fan.

‘Afterglow’ (Lover)

“Fighting with a true love is boxing with no gloves / Chemistry ’til it blows up, ’til there’s no us.”

While Swift’s sports of choice in her lyrics are primarily football and baseball, boxing gets its due in the Lover ballad.

Athletes Who Have Defended Taylor Swift Attending NFL Games


‘Willow’ (Folklore)

“Like you were a trophy or a champion ring / And there was one prize I’d cheat to win.”

Many athletes, like Kelce, get trophies or championship rings when they win a big game. (Here’s hoping they just don’t lose them like Travis’ brother, Jason Kelce, at an April 2023 taping of his “New Heights” podcast.)

‘Cowboy Like Me’ (Evermore)

“And the tennis court was covered up / With some tent-like thing / And you asked me to dance / But I said, ‘Dancing is a dangerous game.’”

The Evermore track has two sports metaphors for the price of one.

‘Only the Young’ 

“You did all that you could do / The game was rigged, the ref got tricked.”

The single from Swift’s Netflix documentary, Miss Americana, name-drops a referee.

‘The Alchemy’ (The Tortured Poets Department)

“So when I touch down / Call the amateurs and cut ’em from the team / Ditch the clowns, get the crown.”

“Shirts off and your friends lift you up over their heads / Beer stickin’ to the floor, cheers chanted ’cause they said. There was no chance trying to be the greatest in the league. Where’s the trophy? He just comes runnin’ over to me.”

Swift has watched Travis score multiple impressive touchdowns (and countless other passes) when she attended his football games. Plus, Swift notably chugged a beer while watching Travis in February 2024’s Super Bowl. Us also notes that Swift watched Jason rip off his shirt during one of Travis’ playoff games weeks earlier.

‘So High School’ (The Tortured Poets Department)

“You know how to ball / I know Aristotle.”

Later in the song, Swift also mentions “laughing in the middle of practice.” (Early in her romance with Travis, she would secretly visit him at the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium during team practices.)

‘The Fate of Ophelia’ (The Life of a Showgirl)

“Keep it one hundred on the land, thе sea, the sky / Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes / Don’t care where the hell you’ve been ’cause now, you’re mine.”

Just as Swift sings about pledging allegiance to a team in the first song from 2025’s Showgirl, she catches a football in the official music video.

Bonus: ‘Karma’ (Midnights at The Eras Tour)

“Karma is the guy on the Chiefs / Coming straight home to me.”

While “Karma” technically did not feature any athletic allusions when Midnights came out in 2022, Swift shook the world during her Eras Tour performance in Argentina. Instead of singing, “Karma is the guy on the screen / coming straight home to me,” Swift traded the word “screen” for “Chiefs.” And, in case you forgot, Travis was in the audience and was spotted blushing at the shout-out.