Matty Healy appeared to reference his ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift during The 1975’s headline performance at Glastonbury Festival on June 27, 2025, sparking widespread speculation among fans about potential shade directed at the pop star.
During the band’s set at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, Healy addressed the crowd while holding a pint of Guinness. He told the audience that he was probably the best songwriter of his generation before declaring himself “The best, what do we say… A poet, ladies and gentlemen, is what I am.” The 36-year-old musician also referred to himself as a “generational wordsmith” while introducing the band’s next song.
Fans immediately connected Healy’s “poet” reference to Swift’s 2024 album “The Tortured Poets Department,” which is widely believed to contain several songs about their brief relationship in 2023. Multiple tracks on the album, including “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” “Guilty as Sin,” “Down Bad,” and the title track itself, are thought to reference Healy based on lyrical clues and fan speculation.
The apparent reference extended beyond Healy’s verbal comments. Eagle-eyed fans noticed he wore a small Peter Pan pin on his leather jacket during the performance, which many interpreted as a nod to Swift’s song “Peter” from the same album. The track compares its subject to the Peter Pan character and references being 25 years old when they first met, matching Healy’s age in 2014 when he and Swift were first romantically linked.
Adding to the perceived sarcasm, The 1975 played their song “Chocolate” immediately after Healy’s poet declaration, with gibberish subtitles appearing on screen behind the band. One audience member was heard mentioning Swift’s album title when Healy called himself a poet, according to video footage that circulated on social media.
Healy and Swift dated for approximately one month from May to June 2023, following her split from Joe Alwyn. Their relationship was highly publicized, with Healy attending multiple Eras Tour concerts and the pair being photographed together frequently in New York City, including at Electric Lady recording studio.
When “The Tortured Poets Department” was released in April 2024, Healy initially appeared dismissive of the attention. When asked about potential diss tracks about him, Healy indicated he had not listened to much of the album but assumed it was good.
However, sources later told Us Weekly that Healy was “completely blindsided” by the album’s lyrical content after eventually listening to it. The same source suggested Healy enjoyed the attention the album brought him while finding the situation humorous, claiming the relationship was never serious.
In October 2024, Healy appeared to reference the situation again during a podcast appearance, describing potential songs about “casual romantic liaisons” as uninteresting subject matter for his music. He indicated that while some artists become focused on addressing their public relationships through their art, he was not interested in that approach.
The Glastonbury comments generated mixed reactions on social media platforms. Some fans accused Healy of being intoxicated during the performance, with one attendee noting he appeared “very drunk” and would likely regret his comments. Others found the situation entertaining, particularly the contrast between his poet declaration and the subsequent performance of “Chocolate.”
Swift appeared to respond to the Glastonbury incident without directly addressing it. On June 28, she was photographed on a date night with boyfriend Travis Kelce in New York City, with the couple holding hands while arriving at dinner. The widely covered outing shifted media attention away from Healy’s comments.
Swift and Kelce began dating in July 2023, shortly after her relationship with Healy ended. Sources close to Swift have indicated she views Kelce as “The One” and plans to attend as many of his NFL games as possible during the upcoming season. The couple has been together for nearly two years and frequently appears together publicly.
Meanwhile, Healy became engaged to model Gabbriette Bechtel in June 2024, confirming their relationship status approximately one year after his split from Swift. The Glastonbury performance was The 1975’s only scheduled show for 2025, making it a particularly high-profile appearance for the band.
Swift has not publicly commented on Healy outside of her music since their 2023 breakup. Her response strategy of maintaining silence while living publicly with Kelce appears to align with the philosophy that living well serves as the best form of response to public provocations.
