Taylor Swift doesn’t tend to blatantly say who or what her songs are about. However, her fans often pick up clues and try to figure out who the singer is addressing in her songs. While it’s pretty wildly accepted that Taylor Swift’s “Innocent” actually addresses Kanye West, there is a little bit of debate among the Swifties.
The song includes specific lyrics like “32 and still growin’ up now” and “You’ll have new Septembers,” which points fans in the direction of Kanye West. West was 32 when he infamously interrupted Taylor Swift during her VMAs acceptance speech to say that Beyonce deserved the award. The VMAs take place every year in September, hence the second line.
Creators like @WorkPlayVibe believe that they have found parallels between “Innocent” and John Mayer’s “83.” On top of that, Mayer was also 32 when he dates a 19-year-old Taylor Swift.
Some fans pointed out in the comments that the song could be about both men and what a young Taylor Swift learned from her relationships with them.
While the singer herself has never confirmed or denied either theory, fans think that she uses vocal samplings from “Innocent” on the bridge of her song “Look What You Made Me Do,” which may confirm the Kanye West theory. Especially since Swift left almost undeniable clues that “LWYMMD” was about West and his then-wife Kim Kardashian.
It is safe to say that Swift has a long history with both parties, but at the end of the day, it’s really up to the interpretation of the fans. And of course, the hints that Swift is famous for.