Taylor Swift clears the air on rumours

Taylor Swift has finally broken her silence on several swirling rumours - from why she declined the Super Bowl halftime show to how Ed Sheeran learned about her engagement, and even the resurfacing of old debates about her past relationships.

Appearing on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' on Monday, the global superstar offered a mix of candour and humour that reminded audiences why she remains one of pop culture's most talked-about figures.

Swift dismissed claims that her decision not to perform at the upcoming Super Bowl had anything to do with her fiance, NFL star Travis Kelce. "Jay-Z has always been very good to me," she said, clarifying that no formal offer was ever made.

"Our teams are close, but that's not an official conversation. The truth is, I'm in love with a guy who plays on that field, and it's already stressful enough watching him."

With her trademark wit, she added, "He's out there playing violent chess. That's gladiators without swords. I can't imagine planning choreography while he's getting tackled."

Swift stressed that Kelce fully supports her decisions, saying, "This has nothing to do with Travis. He'd love for me to do it. I'm just too locked in."

Her remarks come amid the promotional campaign for her latest album, 'The Life of a Showgirl', which was released on October 3 and shattered Spotify's single-day streaming record for 2025.

But that wasn't the only revelation from the night. Swift also explained why her long-time friend Ed Sheeran found out about her engagement through Instagram rather than directly.

"That's true!" she laughed. "But I have the perfect explanation - he doesn't have a phone. He's very eccentric, and I love that about him."

She recounted how contacting Sheeran requires emailing or arranging FaceTime through his team. "They have to hand him an iPad like he's a child," she quipped, drawing laughter from Fallon and the audience.

Swift and Sheeran's friendship stretches back over a decade, with collaborations on hits like 'Everything Has Changed' and 'End Game'. She affectionately called him "one of my absolute favourite people on the planet," adding that the engagement mix-up was simply an oversight.

Even as Swift continues to dominate headlines for her music and personal milestones, social media has reignited debates over her past relationships. Viral posts on X have questioned double standards in how her earlier age-gap romances - with younger partners like Harry Styles and Taylor Lautner — are perceived compared to her songs about older men.

Fans revisited Swift's relationships from her late teens and early twenties, drawing contrasts between her narrative of heartbreak and the realities of youth and fame.

"She painted herself as the victim in 'All Too Well'," one user argued, referencing the track long believed to be about Jake Gyllenhaal. Yet, as ever, Swift's storytelling continues to invite reflection - and fascination.

Whether addressing gossip, defending her choices, or laughing about forgotten phone calls, Taylor Swift remains firmly in control of her own narrative - and still the most compelling performer not performing at the Super Bowl.