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Betty-a can't guess this one.
By Olivia Jakiel — Written on Jul 24, 2020
Taylor Swift just released her eighth studio album, folklore, at midnight on Friday, July 24.
And unless you’ve been living in an underground bunker (which, to be honest, doesn’t sound like such a bad idea in 2020), you know that Swifties have been hard at work trying to dissect and analyze the possible meanings of the 30-year-old “Look What You Made Me Do” singer’s latest song lyrics.
One song that stands out in particular is the track “Betty,” and T-Swift fans have spent the greater part of the day speculating about who “Betty” is about.
Who is Taylor Swift’s song “Betty” about?
Buckle in for a wild conspiracy theory ride, y’all.
Many fans are theorizing that “Betty” is about a romantic relationship with former Victoria’s Secret model and Taylor Swift squad member Karlie Kloss. For years, rumors that Kloss and Swift were more than friends ran rampant through Taylor's fanbase; however, those rumors were never confirmed by either Taylor or Karlie.
The song is about a teenager named James who is in love with a girl named Betty, and in it, James recounts their relationship in which they did something to hurt Betty.
Some of the lyrics in “Betty” include: “The worst thing that I ever did/ Is what I did to you,” “In the garden would you trust me/ If I told you it was just a summer thing?/” and “Standing in your cardigan/ Kissing in my car again/ Stopped at a streetlight/ You know I miss you.”
Apparently, Taylor Swift is named after singer James Taylor, which explains the “James” reference in the line, “She said, ‘James, get in, let’s drive'/ Those days turned into nights/ Slept next to her/ But I dreamt of you all summer long.”
Karlie’s middle name is Elizabeth, which can be shortened to Betty, thus explaining why fans think Betty is a pseudonym for Karlie Kloss.
Fans have long speculated that Karlie and Taylor had some type of fallout after they basically disappeared from each other’s social media. Eagle-eyed Swifties also noticed that Taylor wasn’t at Karlie’s wedding to Joshua Kushner, sparking rumors that the pair had ended their relationship for good — whether that be their close friendship or something romantic.
What happened to Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss?
Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss, who fans used to refer to as "Kaylor," used to be besties, but they allegedly had a falling out of some sort in 2018.
One theory is that Kloss invited friends over to Taylor’s Tribeca home — which reportedly had a “special room” for Kloss “complete with all her favorite snacks” — without Taylor’s permission, and Taylor iced her out after they got into a spat about it.
Another theory suggests that Taylor ended their friendship over Kloss’ professional relationship with Scooter Braun.
Braun, who is Justin Bieber's manager, owns the majority of Taylor’s music catalog, apart from her last two releases (Swift owns everything she puts out after Reputation) and Taylor has publicly slammed him for being a bully.
However, Kloss previously shut down rumors that the pair are no longer friends and insists that she and Taylor still talk on a regular basis.
Did Taylor Swift reveal the name of Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s third child in “Betty”?
Here’s another interesting theory about the lyrics in “Betty.”
Some fans believe that Taylor may have revealed the name of longtime friends Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s third child, who Lively secretly gave birth to in October of last year.
The lines, “You heard the rumors from Inez/ You can’t believe a word she says,” and, “James, get in, let’s drive,” have fans thinking that Betty could be the name of Blake and Ryan’s youngest daughter.
Blake and Ryan’s daughters, as if you didn’t guess already, are named James and Inez.
Olivia Jakiel is an editor and writer who covers celebrity and entertainment news. Follow her on Instagram and keep up with her zingers on Twitter.