Why Fans Think Taylor Swift's New Song 'It's Time To Go' Is About Karlie Kloss
TTYL, Kaylor?!
Getty Images Rumors of a feud between Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss have been circulating for years, but bonus tracks from Swift's Evermore album could be the confirmation we've all been waiting for.
One of the things her fans love most about her is just what a self-professed girl's girl Taylor Swift is. Not only is she a talented artist, a smart businesswoman, and a pop-culture sensation, but Swift is also a passionate and devoted friend.
That is, of course, if you believe the sources, unless you decide to cross her. Take her friendship with supermodel Karlie Kloss and the alleged feud between them.
The pair were once inseparable, appearing on Vogue covers together and strutting down the Victoria Secret runway, but eagle-eyed fans have been watching the friendship unravel since 2016. And now, with the release of two bonus tracks on Taylor's latest album, any hope of a reconciliation has been dashed.
What happened in the Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss feud?
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Taylor Swift is no stranger to public feuds and subtle shade. We've seen it with Katy Perry, Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, Scooter Braun, and not to mention all the ex-boyfriends who've had hit songs dedicated to them.
But what could a former bestie have done to damage their relationship so badly?
Here's a complete timeline of Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss's friendship from glowing Vogue covers to shady song lyrics.
Karlie and Taylor used to be very close.
Taylor Swift and supermodel Karlie Kloss met at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show back in 2013 and became instant besties.
Over the next couple of years, they were almost inseparable, attending award shows together, going on road trips, appearing in music videos, and post plenty of BFF pics on social media.
Previously, Swift shared that her Tribeca home has a special room in it just for Kloss, complete with her favorite snack foods. But rumors circulated that Kloss invited friends over to the place without Swift's permission, and Swift decided that they were done.
Of course, both women's reps have denied that it was this kind of petty spat that ended their friendship, but they haven't said what it was exactly, and thus, the rumors are continuing to merrily spin and spin.
Other sources weighed in, saying that this was all down to Swift, who developed a reputation in certain circles for overreacting. Taylor Swift fans, please don't come for me.
Cracks in their friendship started to appear in 2016.
While speculation that the pair weren't spending much time together were already circulating, real signs of trouble appeared during the inFAMOUS (pun intended) 2016 feud between Kanye West and Taylor.
Karlie was spotted at Kanye's Yeezy fashion show where he played "Famous", his song that ignited the feud with Taylor Swift. Kloss also told press that Kim Kardashian was "a lovely person" which irked some Swifties.
Kloss attempted to dispel rumors that her friendship with Taylor was over by clarifying her statements and saying she always has Taylor's back.
Things seemed on and off between the BFFs.
When Taylor released her "Look What You Made Me Do" music video, she wore a t-shirt with the names of her famous besties including Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, and Blake Lively. Karlie's name was nowhere to be seen.
In 2018, Kloss uploaded an Instagram with the caption "Swish Swish" before quickly changing it. Fans suspected this was a reference to Katy Perry's song that is allegedly about Swift.
Things were looking up for Karlie and Taylor later in the year when Kloss supported the singer at a show in Nashville and said the pair were still friends in a Vogue interview.
Swift didn't attend either of Kloss's wedding ceremonies.
Their friendship was again called into question in late 2018 when Kloss married Joshua Kushner.
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Kloss and Kushner had two wedding ceremonies, in October 2018 and June 2019, and invited Swift to both of them. However, according to Kloss' team, Swift wasn't able to go to either wedding, because of prior commitments. Mmkay, Taylor.
Taylor started feuding with Scooter Braun.
When the sale of Swift's music— including the masters from her first six albums— went to music mogul Scooter Braun, she took to Tumblr to speak out against him.
She referred to the manager— who handles the likes of Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber — as a manipulative bully who didn't give her the chance to buy back her music from Big Machine.
Braun's wife Yael clapped back hard at Swift, sharing an Instagram message to the singer that partially read: "You were given the opportunity to own your masters, you passed... Your dad is a shareholder and was notified and Borchetta personally told you before this came out.”
What does this feud have to do with Karlie? Braun actually manages Kloss, which prompted many Taylor Swift fans to call into question Kloss's close ties with Swift's newest nemesis.
To make matter worse, in November 2019 fans spotted that Kloss liked and then shortly after unliked a tweet that called out Swift about her feud with Braun.
Kloss didn't attend Swift's 30th birthday bash.
In December 2019, Swift held an elaborate party for her 30th birthday, which, naturally, involved all of her famous friends. Well, except for Kloss, that is.
It wasn't like Kloss didn't have anywhere else to be. She was attending her own holiday party at the same time, but that still didn't stop the continued speculation that something was still not right in Swift/Kloss land.
The pair have stayed entirely hush on their friendship— or lack of— since then but that only caused fans to wonder what was going on between the former besties.
Taylor recently released bonus Evermore tracks allegedly about Kloss.
In January 2021, rumors about the feud arose again with the release of two new Taylor Swift songs that fans think are about Karlie Kloss.
The first bonus track, "Right Where You Left Me," opens with the line "Friends break up, friends get married" — possibly referencing Kloss. The lyrics echo Swift's 2019 Elle essay where she discusses the breakdown of friendships. Many fans also speculated this essay referred to her and Kloss's dwindling friendship.
But another song, "It's Time To Go," really has Kaylor fans buzzing. The lyrics are as follows:
“When the words of a sister, comes back in whispers, that prove she was not in fact what she seemed, not a twin from your dreams, she’s a crook who was caught.”
Back in their 2015 Vogue interview, Taylor said that before they even met, people would constantly tell her she reminded them of Kloss, implying she was like a long-lost-sister to her. People are now convinced the song lyric refers to Kloss continuing to support Scooter Braun behind the scenes of his feud with Taylor.
Of course, neither party has publicly confirmed the split, and Kloss was seen liking friend's posts about Taylor's Folklore album as recently as July 2020. Who knows, maybe these two can hash it out and we'll finally see a Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss reunion.
Alice Kelly is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, entertainment, pop culture, and trending topics.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer, podcaster and former Senior Editor of Pop Culture at Newsweek.
Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on August 2019 and was updated with the latest information.