Travis Kelce Gives Glowing Review of Taylor Swift's "The Tortured Poets Department" - Vanity Fair

Written by Kase Wickman

As in any relationship, there is an exchange: Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift's boyfriend, gets an early look at her just revealed fresh album, The Tortured Poets Department. Swift also attends his games - a straightforward exchange, right?

Kelce corroborated this during a press conference on Monday, as he had the opportunity to listen to some tracks from Swift's much-awaited eleventh studio album well before its planned release on April 19. Swift declared this release date at the 2024 Grammys on Sunday evening while receiving her first award for Best Pop Vocal Album. During the same event, she won her fourth Album of the Year award, leading her to surpass legends such as Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, and Frank Sinatra in terms of winning this award.

Although Kelce was initially participating in the press conference to discuss his participation in the upcoming Super Bowl game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas, questions about his girlfriend's latest endeavor were inevitable.

"I have indeed heard portions of the album, and it's remarkable," Kelce shared with the journalists about Swift's new album. He excitedly added, "I am eagerly waiting for the world to be stunned when her album finally arrives."

Kelce remained secretive about his preferred track on the album, stating, "I can't disclose anything. That's her job."

Swift will be resuming her Eras Tour this Wednesday in Tokyo, where she'll be performing for four nights. She revealed the 17 track titles of her album through an Instagram post made on Monday.

The album, which Swift unveiled while giving her Grammys acceptance speech, has prompted speculation as fans attempt to determine its inspiration. It appears the timeline includes both Swift's split with British actor Joe Alwyn, her previous boyfriend of approximately six years, and the onset of her relationship with Kelce.

Tracks such as “So Long, London,” “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” and “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” suggest the album will touch on themes of heartache and loss. Adding to the intrigue, the album's release date is exactly a year from when several of Swift's friends unfollowed Alwyn on social media. No detail goes unnoticed in the world of Taylor Swift fans. They have also noted that the album's title matches that of a short-lived group chat that Alwyn had with Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott named Tortured Man Club.

During her time with Alwyn, Swift was relatively discreet. Nevertheless, in her conversation with Time in December 2023, when she was awarded the Person of the Year, Swift affirmed that she did not intend to hide her relationship with Kelce.

"If you call a relationship public, that means I am going to support him in his endeavors, and we are going to be there for each other, regardless of who else is present," she explained. "The alternative would be making an extreme effort to ensure no one knows about our relationship. We are just proud of each other,” she further added.

Requests for comments from representatives for Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift were not returned.