What Is Taylor Swift’s ‘The Albatross’ About?

Taylor Swift did it again. She had a series of shows in Melbourne last weekend, and there, she announced “The Bolter,” a bonus track for The Tortured Poets Department. She performed the first of her concerts at Sydney’s Accor Stadium today (February 23) and at opening night, she revealed news of “The Albatross,” another new Tortured Poets bonus track.

Naturally, one of the first things fans wondered about is what the song is about.

What Is Taylor Swift’s “The Albatross” About?

Based on the song’s title and elements of Swift’s life and history, fans are coming up with theories about the lyrics’ thematic elements.

The Swifties at Merriam-Webster came through with some information, tweeting two definitions of the word: “albatross | noun. a: something that causes persistent deep concern or anxiety. b: something that greatly hinders accomplishment : ENCUMBRANCE.”

Those were connections made by a lot of Swiftie tweets, with some pointing out how Swift’s fame might be the albatross she’s referring to. Some have connected the song title with the “Am I allowed to cry?” text Swift shared on Instagram to accompany the song news. One theorized, “‘am I allowed to cry?’ Hits so hard especially with the albatross being the name of the file. The albatross is probably about how fame is always the constant problem in all her relationships which stops her from having a normal life. But she can’t complain because this is the life she always wanted so she can’t cry or express any negative emotions about it even if it’s the albatross in her life. And the constant dehumanisation of her just because of her status she can’t cry she can’t feel sad or angry. To the point she doesn’t know If she is allowed to express any type of negative emotions fearing it might come out as ungrateful.”

Some others looked more into the behaviors of the albatross bird, like how it nests on remote islands and mates for life.

Check out some more reactions below.