Denise Welch, mother of The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, appeared to take a not-so-subtle swipe at Taylor Swift during a recent appearance on "Watch What Happens Live" – a moment that didn't go unnoticed by viewers or fans of the pop star.

Asked by host Andy Cohen what she thought about Swift's 2024 album "The Tortured Poets Department,"Welch responded with a grin, "Obviously, on pain of death can I talk about that episode, but not being her mother-in-law is a role that I am glad that I lost." The audience let out a collective gasp before Welch added quickly, "Not that I have anything against her at all! It was just – it was tricky."

The album had fueled speculation for its apparently thinly veiled lyrics about ex-relationships and widely believed to contain many songs penned about Swift's brief, 2023 affair with Healy. Although Welch didn't outright confirm anything, her remarks were all but enough to spark new online debate.

Welch, 67, also suggested how daunting it can be to talk about Swift in public without receiving pushback. "You're not allowed to say anything, and then she goes and writes a whole album about it," she said, expressing a sentiment that many an ex of Swift has likely harbored but few speak aloud.

Still, Welch made it clear her son had no hard feelings. "He's taking it all in completely good grace," she said of Healy, who got engaged to model and musician Gabbriette Bechtel earlier this year. Welch called her son's fiancée "gorgeous" and "amazing," adding, "So, we've moved on."

A Brief, Public History

Swift and Healy had a high-profile, albeit brief, relationship. The two were seen together in May 2023, after years of friendship and previous sightings as early as 2014. And while their romance didn't last, it left an impact — especially after Swift released her album "The Tortured Poets Department" in 2024, which many speculate contains references to Healy.

Despite not naming names, Swift's lyrical choices stirred plenty of speculation among fans. Welch's comments this week seemed to confirm that at least some people in Healy's circle felt targeted.

Originally published on Music Times

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Taylor Swift, Matty Healy