Speculations Emerge as Jack Antonoff Releases New Bleachers Tracklist: Is 'Hey Joe' a Reference to Joe Alwyn?
Jack Antonoff unveils the highly-anticipated tracklist for his upcoming Bleachers album, featuring the intriguing song 'Hey Joe' Fans speculate whether this captivating track hints at a connection to Joe Alwyn, leaving them eager to explore the heartfelt lyrics and emotions within
Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, Joe Alwyn. Getty Images (3)
Jack Antonoff is set to drop new music, and fans speculate that one of his new songs might reference Taylor Swift's former flame, Joe Alwyn. Sharing the tracklist for his upcoming album with X (formerly Twitter) on November 15th, Antonoff, 39, revealed titles such as "Call Me After Midnight," "Jesus Is Dead," "Woke Up Today," and "Hey Joe." The album is slated to release in March 2024.
After the song titles were revealed on social media, fans immediately speculated about who "Hey Joe" could be addressing. Antonoff appeared to tweet the tracklist while attending the 2023 GQ Men of the Year Awards, where he was being recognized, together with Alwyn, who is 32 years old.
"Somebody commented, 'I will laugh if Hey Joe is aimed at Taylor's ex,'" wrote one individual. Another fan described the title as "questionable," while others inquired, "Hey WHO?"
Antonoff and Alwyn have a longstanding connection with Swift, 33. Antonoff has been friends with the pop star for many years and has worked as her producing partner on her last five albums: 1989, Reputation, Folklore, Evermore, and Midnights. Alwyn, who is known for his role in Conversations With Friends, previously dated Swift for nearly six years before their split in April. He has also been acknowledged as a co-writer on several of her songs.
The GQ event on Wednesday, held at The Royal Opera House in London, was Alwyn's first appearance on the red carpet since he and Swift ended their relationship. According to an exclusive source, the couple decided to part ways partly because of Swift's high-profile celebrity status.
According to an insider, Joe, who is extremely shy, has never enjoyed the publicity that comes with being in a relationship with one of the world's most popular singers. Alwyn and Swift, who were initially connected in May 2017, were notoriously private throughout their relationship. The actor expressed in an interview with Mr Porter's The Journal in January 2019 that their choice to keep a low profile should not be unexpected.
"I doubt anyone you encounter on the streets would willingly expose their innermost thoughts to you, so why should I?" he expressed. "And for that reason, I am labeled as 'unusually private.' Well, that's fine. But in my opinion, it's not ... I believe it's perfectly ordinary."
For her part, Swift candidly discussed her choice to keep her relationship with Alwyn low-key in her 2020 Netflix documentary, Miss Americana. The acclaimed musician connected with Alwyn soon after ending her relationships with Calvin Harris and Tom Hiddleston, during a period of intense media scrutiny involving her feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. These circumstances motivated her to retreat from the public eye.
"I realized that I needed to start from scratch," she detailed in the documentary, explaining the process of rebuilding her belief system for the sake of her own mental well-being. Additionally, she found herself developing feelings for someone who led a stable, ordinary life. Together, they made the mutual decision to keep their relationship private."
After her separation from Alwyn, an insider revealed to Us in April that Swift was coping with the breakup remarkably well and approaching her future with optimism. She firmly believed that whatever was meant to happen would, and she trusted that everything unfolded for a purpose.
Moving on from Alwyn, Swift has become more open about her love life. She was rumored to be dating Matty Healy, lead singer of 1975, earlier this summer. However, she has recently been romantically linked to Travis Kelce, the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs. This relationship has garnered a lot of attention.
The couple first gained attention in September when Kelce invited Swift to watch him play against the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium. Later, Kelce showed his support by traveling to Argentina to attend Swift's Eras Tour concert. Swift confirmed their relationship by changing the lyrics of her song "Karma," which was originally speculated to be about her relationship with Alwyn, to include a shoutout to Kelce. Backstage, the couple shared a passionate kiss in front of their fans.
