Is “The Alchemy” all about Travis and Jason Kelce? Yes, there even seems to be a shout-out to his brother.
On Friday, April 19, Taylor Swift delighted fans with a double album release. And one The Tortured Poets Department track in particular sounds like it’s all about Travis.
Mama Kelce sure seems to like it. And how could she not?
That said, some fans think that they hear a reference to one of Taylor’s most infamous exes.
‘The Alchemy’ is Track 15 on ‘The Tortured Poets Department’
Taylor Swift makes multiple somewhat obvious references to football in the lyrics of “The Alchemy.”
Travis Kelce is a football player for a team called the Kansas City Chiefs. He also won the Super Bowl in February, just two months and some change before Taylor released her album.
The lyrics specifically mention winning streaks, trophies, and touchdowns. That’s not especially ambiguous: it’s football. And who plays football other than Travis (and his brother)?
Even as far back as February, some Twitter users were speculating that “The Alchemy” — at the time, merely a track title — was about Travis.
Why? Essentially, because after finding false “gold” in past relationships, perhaps Taylor has found something authentic with Travis. Plus, she once called Travis’ podcast “metal as hell.”
That was just a fan theory and came months before anyone outside of her inner circle and a few people on the technical side of the music industry had heard the “The Alchemy.”
Is ‘The Alchemy’ really about Travis Kelce? (With a mention of Jason Kelce)
All of the discussion about a “touch down” and “the team” and “greatest in the league” point in a football direction. Even without Taylor seeming to refer to herself as a “trophy.”
There is even a “shirts off” line, which seems to be a reference to Jason Kelce.
However, some Swifties are dismissing the obvious explanation … and zeroing in upon a different detail. This could point to a different man with whom Taylor spent time in 2023.
In the spring of 2023, Taylor Swift had a “dirtbag summer” with Matty Healy. He had been a longtime friend, but the two spent weeks as something more.
One of the lines of “The Alchemy” mentions heroin.
That’s not really Travis’ brand — or Taylor’s. But some Swifties are pointing out that it sounds much more in keeping with an ill-behaved musician like Matty Healy.
But was Taylor really singing about actual heroin?
“These blokes warm the benches, we’ve been on a winning streak,” Taylor sings. “He jokes that ‘It’s heroin, but this time with an E.’”
That sounds like a pun, a play on words, with the word heroine. Which does not mean that the song needs to directly refer to someone who has used one of the most addictive substances on the planet.
It’s possible that Taylor’s line is a jab at someone else, indicating how refreshing Travis is. But that might be a stretch. It doesn’t have to be about anyone else. Again, Taylor’s heavy-handed football references could not have been clearer.
One final element of Taylor’s album’s links to Travis is that Donna Kelce, proud mother of Travis and Jason, seems to be very supportive.
At 2 in the morning, when Taylor announced that her anticipated album release was actually a double album, Donna “liked” the post.
Taylor’s singing about Travis, and maybe even Jason. It’s no wonder that Mama Kelce is cheering on the album.