Thank you for gathering here today. I know we’re all buzzing over the speculation that Taylor Swift is dating The 1975 lead singer, Matty Healy, but I’d like to present another theory: What if Matty is actually dating Phoebe Bridgers?
As we all know, Matty has been spotted watching Taylor’s gigs in Nashville, Tennesse on Friday and Saturday nights. A bunch of fans took sneaky pics and videos of him boogying to Taylor’s music alongside Phoebe, who is opening for Taylor on the Eras Tour.
On Saturday, he even joined Phoebe onstage during her opening set. As they play sweet, sweet music together, she even ducks across the stage to give Matty a quick little smooch.
Phoebe Bridgers and Matty Healy kissed during her set at Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ second show in Nashville. pic.twitter.com/Isuw3nTYmq
— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) May 7, 2023
Yes, I know this seems like a very platonic little kiss but please allow me to submit it into evidence.
The thing is, Matty and Phoebe have been friends and musical collaborators for a few years now.
In a joint interview with Dazed, they revealed that they’d been fans of each other’s work for yonks before they properly connected on Instagram. Then, their friendship truly kicked off when they started sending each other memes. Ah, yes, how true friendship begins.
“We appreciate that we’re both super busy and we’re not flaky – we’re just not good with our phones,” Matty told the publication.“So we communicate kind of through memes and then we will call each other and have conversations about aspirations or stuff like that because me and Phoebe we always want to work together. In my 30s, I have made like a handful of close friends and Phoebe is one of them.”
In 2020, Bridgers began working with The 1975 on their album Notes On A Conditional Form. In 2022, Healy was spotted on stage playing along with Bridgers during her four-night residency at London’s Brixton Academy.
🎥 | Phoebe performing ‘I know the end’ today with Matty Healy on stage
via @/ulfilasalphabet pic.twitter.com/ABXjnYtRf8
— PHOEBE BRIDGERS UPDATES (@ThePhoebeRoom) July 26, 2022
In September 2022, Bridgers had a cameo in The 1975’s music video for the song “I’m In Love With You”.
So, it’s clear to say that these two are very well-established collaborators and pals.
But over the years, fans have speculated about whether their friendship has ever turned romantic.
In December last year, Bridgers uploaded a now-deleted IG post of herself kissing Healy while her rumoured boyfriend at the time, comedian Bo Burnham, stood behind them with his hands on their shoulders like a priest blessing their smooch.
(I’m here if you guys need a fourth, just saying.)
which was more culturally significant…the renaissance or matty healy kissing phoebe bridgers with bo burnham on standby? pic.twitter.com/FrbAwKYO5t
— evie (@tootimevie) December 13, 2022
At the time, Bridgers found herself in the headlines after reportedly breaking off her engagement with the internet’s collective boyfriend, Paul Mescal, and apparently striking up a relationship with Burnham.
Since then, Bridgers and Burnham have been spotted together a bunch of times in early 2023 but have never publicly confirmed their relationship.
Back to the question at hand.
With such a long-standing friendship, I can’t help but think; what if all the hullabaloo surrounding Taylor and Matty’s potential romance was a misdirection?
What if he’d flown all the way from Manilla to Nashville to support Phoebe this whole time?
What if their friendship and creative musical collaboration really did turn romantic?
What if I need a break from the internet?
While I’d love to present some concrete evidence, I honestly have no idea what to believe anymore.
If you’d asked me yesterday, I’d be betting my firstborn child that Matty and Phoebe were the real item. After all, Taylor and Matty seem like two polar opposites. But since Taylor and Matty have been papped sharing a limo together, I’d like to reclaim the rights to my firstborn.
And of course, there’s still even a chance that this whole thing is a ploy to get us to listen to Taylor’s re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) which has just been announced to come out on July 7. The album has been confirmed to feature six brand-new songs along with the OG favourites so maybe Matty is on one of those and they’ve been collaborators this whole time?
Who bloody knows? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
