The 1975 frontman Matty Healy sparked controversy during his band’s headline performance at Glastonbury Festival on June 27, 2025, when he made comments that fans widely interpreted as targeting his ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift.
During the performance at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, Healy addressed the crowd while holding a pint of Guinness, declaring himself “probably the best songwriter of my generation.” He then made what many considered a pointed reference to Swift’s album “The Tortured Poets Department,” stating he was “the best, what do we say — a poet, ladies and gentlemen, is what I am.”
The 36-year-old musician continued his remarks by describing himself as a “generational wordsmith” and told the audience that his lyrics constituted poetry he bled for them. The band then performed their song “Chocolate,” which was accompanied by gibberish subtitles displayed on screen, creating an ironic contrast to Healy’s claims about his lyrical prowess.
Swift and Healy dated briefly in 2023 following her breakup with Joe Alwyn. Their relationship, which lasted approximately one month from May to June 2023, was highly publicized and controversial due to Healy’s history of problematic behavior. The pairing ended abruptly in June 2023, with sources citing incompatibility and scheduling issues.
The controversy surrounding their relationship stemmed partly from Healy’s appearance on “The Adam Friedland Show,” where hosts made offensive comments about rapper Ice Spice. This led to significant backlash from Swift’s fanbase and calls for her to address Healy’s conduct. Swift did not publicly respond but subsequently announced a collaboration with Ice Spice on a remix of her song “Karma.”
When Swift released “The Tortured Poets Department” in April 2024, fans and media outlets speculated that several tracks referenced her relationship with Healy. Songs believed to be about the British musician include “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” “Guilty as Sin,” “Down Bad,” “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can),” and the album’s title track.
Adding another layer to the Glastonbury performance, eagle-eyed fans noticed Healy wearing a Peter Pan pin on his leather jacket throughout the set. This detail gained significance because Swift’s song “Peter” from “The Tortured Poets Department” compares its subject to the character Peter Pan, with lyrics that fans believe reference Healy and their relationship history.
The song “Peter” contains references to waiting for someone to grow up and return, with Swift singing about meeting someone when they were 25 years old — the same age Healy was when he and Swift were first romantically linked in 2014. The track also mentions the “Lost Boys,” which connects to both the Peter Pan story and a song by The 1975.
Following the Glastonbury performance, Healy reportedly clarified to the audience that he was “only joking about being a poet.” However, the comments had already gone viral on social media, with fans debating whether his remarks constituted a deliberate dig at his former girlfriend.
Swift’s response to the controversy was notably subtle. The day after Healy’s performance, she was photographed in New York City with her current boyfriend, NFL player Travis Kelce, whom she began dating in July 2023, shortly after her split from Healy. The couple was seen holding hands while heading to dinner, with their public appearance generating significant media coverage that shifted attention away from Healy’s Glastonbury comments.
This is not the first time Healy has made comments that fans interpreted as references to Swift. In October 2024, during an appearance on the “Doomscroll” podcast, he dismissed Taylor as a “casual romantic liaison” and suggested he would not write songs about her because it would not be “interesting.”
When asked about Swift’s alleged “diss track” about him shortly after “The Tortured Poets Department” was released, Healy responded that he had not listened to much of the album but was sure it was good. However, sources later told Us Weekly that Healy was “completely blindsided” by the album’s lyrical content after eventually hearing it.
Both artists have since moved on romantically. Swift continues her relationship with Kelce, with sources indicating she plans to attend as many of his NFL games as possible during the upcoming season. Healy became engaged to model and musician Gabbriette Bechtel in June 2024, having started dating her in September 2023.
The Glastonbury performance marked The 1975’s first show since concluding their “Still… at Their Very Best” tour in March 2025. The band’s set included other popular tracks such as “Somebody Else,” “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not with You),” and “About You.”
