Finally! Taylor Swift fans — and Charlie Puth followers — can rest easy knowing that the "We Don't Talk Anymore" singer has, at long last, reacted to the mention of his name on The Tortured Poets Department.
"You smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate / We declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist," Swift sings on the titular track, which many have theorized to be about her ex, Matty Healy. (According to fans, nearly all of TTPD seems to be about the 1975 frontman, who briefly dated Swift last May.)
While Puth has been unusually silent about the name-drop after the album's April 19 release, he finally broke his silence when Swift shared her joy in hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with a historic 2.6 million albums sold.
"My mind is blown. I'm completely floored by the love you've shown this album.
2.6 million ARE YOU ACTUALLY SERIOUS??" the "Fortnight" singer wrote via Instagram on Sunday, April 28. "Thank you for listening, streaming, and welcoming Tortured Poets into your life. Feeling completely overwhelmed. I was already so fired up to get back to the tour but you doing THIS?? May 9th can't come soon enough."
Puth, for his part, shared Swift's post via his Instagram Story that same day.
In case fans needed any more evidence that "The Tortured Poets Department" (the song) is seemingly about Healy — one of The 1975's biggest hits is "Chocolate" — the musician himself previously praised Puth via social media, years before he and Swift supposedly "declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist."
In May 2018, per a screenshot that resurfaced in the wake of TTPD's release, Healy tweeted: "That Charlie Puth and Boyz II Men track is harrrrrd," he wrote at the time, seemingly referring to the artists' "If You Leave Me Now" collaboration.
"Thank u matty!" Puth — who covered The 1975's "Somebody Else" on his BBC Radio 1 appearance in 2016 — tweeted in response.
In addition to Puth's mention on TTPD, Swift also name-dropped artists like Patti Smith, The Starting Line, The Blue Nile and more.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Michelle is an experienced entertainment writer and editor with a focus on celebrity and pop music news. Prior to writing ... Read more
