Taylor Swift’s love life has long been in the spotlight, but reports this month that she’s dating 1975’s Matty Healy, which is particularly raising eyebrows, as is her surprise announcement that she’ll be collaborating with the rapper Ice Spice on the deluxe version of her. Midnights album.
The two stories are linked. Here is a breakdown:
Is Swift really dating Healy?
While it’s unclear if Swift, whose split from longtime love interest Joe Alwyn became public knowledge last month, has teamed up with Healy, the two are at least spending time together. They have been seen together several times this month, once when they are said to have kissed, and other times at his “The Eras Tour” stops, where he even performed. Yahoo Entertainment has reached out to Swift’s rep for comment.
Why are the Swifties divided on Healy?
Their main problem is the appearance of Healy on The Adam Friedland Show in January, during which Healy and the two hosts, Friedland and Nick Mullen, laughed as they speculated on Ice Spice’s ethnicity, which is actually both Nigerian and Dominican. Speak Los Angeles Times, Friedland and Mullen referred to Ice Spice — who has at least been friends with Swift for years — as both an “Inuit spice girl” and a “chubby Chinese woman.” The co-hosts also poked fun at the Chinese and Hawaiian accents, a bit that Healy seemed to appreciate. The problematic podcast episode was later removed from Apple and Spotify. That wasn’t the only controversy Healy sparked during the interview. He also joked about masturbating to a video of a woman “being roughed up” on Ghetto Gaggers, a porn website that features mostly black women.
Months later, Healy apologized somewhat, admitting on stage during a performance that he “can go too far sometimes in front of too many people”. The singer added in April, “I don’t want Ice Spice to think I’m ad ***. I love you, Ice Spice. I’m so sorry.”
So regardless of Swift and Healy’s exact relationship, some fans are upset and tweeting with the hashtag #SpeakUpNow, promoting a letter circulating the internet calling on Swift to address the situation.
News of an upcoming collaboration with Ice Spice didn’t help, and it prompted comments that it was a PR move.
What did Ice Spice say about all this?
So far, the artist seems excited about the remix of Swift’s “Karma” song. Ahead of its May 26 release, Ice Spice posted on Instagram, “thxx @taylorswift for being the coolest person on earth ilu.”
It’s yet to be determined how this all pans out, so check back for updates.
