Entertainment Music Is Taylor Swift's 'The Alchemy' About Travis Kelce? See the Lyrical Football References "These blokes warm the benches/ We've been on a winning streak," Swift sings on the song By Melody Chiu Melody Chiu Melody Chiu is an Executive Editor at PEOPLE overseeing music, events and emerging content. She has been with the brand since 2009, editing, writing and reporting across all entertainment verticals. She has written cover stories on Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Melissa McCarthy, Blake Shelton, Jordan Turpin and Sandra Oh. The Los Angeles native graduated from the University of Southern California and has appeared on Extra!, The Talk, Access Hollywood and Good Morning America. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 19, 2024 12:20AM EDT Close Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Art imitating life, or life imitating art? On Taylor Swift's new album The Tortured Poets Department, the pop superstar, 34, sings about an undeniable love on the penultimate track "The Alchemy" — and some of the lyrics on the ballad are raising eyebrows. Throughout the song, Swift — who's currently in a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — includes football and sports references. "So when I touch down/ Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team/ Ditch the clowns, get the crown/ Baby I'm the one to beat," she sings. Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. JC Olivera/Getty; Taylor Hill/Getty Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Had 'Thrilling' Super Bowl After the 'Best Few Months' Together (Source Exclusive) However, it's unclear who Swift is singing about, as she goes on to reference a lover from her past. "'Cause the sign on your heart said it's still reserved for me/ Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy." Later in the song, the Grammy winner makes another sports reference. "These blokes warm the benches/ We've been on a winning streak," Swift sings, noticeably including a commonly used word in the U.K. Some fans speculated the following line could be referencing her ex Matty Healy, who has been open previously about his struggles with heroin use. "He jokes that it's heroin but this time with an 'e,'" she sings. Taylor Swift Announces 'Brand New Album' The Tortured Poets Department with 13th Grammy Win Then on the bridge, Swift sings, "Where the trophy? He just comes, running over me." Taylor Swift. Beth Garrabrant Since announcing her newest album at the Grammys in February, Swift — who split from actor Joe Alwyn last year following six years together and went on to briefly date Healy — has been teasing that heartbreak would be a major theme. The superstar has been dating Kelce since the athlete revealed on his podcast that he tried (and failed) to meet Swift last year after attending her Eras Tour concert. “We started hanging out right after that. So we actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other," Swift told Time in a December cover story. Read PEOPLE"s review of The Tortured Poets Department and dive deeper into the album's deeply personal lyrics, call-outs and more.