Taylor Swift has stirred up online debate after the release of her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl — with fans convinced one of her new songs takes a swipe at Kayla Nicole, ex-girlfriend of NFL star Travis Kelce.
The speculation centers around the album’s third track, Opalite, which features the lines: “You don’t understand why you feel alone / You were sincere in love, but she was just lost in her phone / You were only an image she painted for herself.”
Swifties and NFL fans alike believe these lyrics allude to Kelce’s past relationship with Nicole. Years ago, a resurfaced clip showed Kelce asking his then-girlfriend to “put the phone down” during dinner fueling the theory that Swift drew inspiration from that moment.
Shortly after the album dropped, Kayla Nicole, the 33-year-old model and sports journalist, appeared to post a subtle response. On her Instagram Story, she shared a clip from America’s Next Top Model featuring Eva Marcille saying: “I don’t compare myself to other girls. I’m Eva. I can’t compare myself to anyone.”
Fans interpreted this as Nicole’s way of reclaiming confidence amid the renewed spotlight.
In a recent episode of her podcast The Pre-Game, Nicole opened up about the toll of social media scrutiny, admitting that she struggles with anxiety and avoids reading comments or private messages to protect her mental health. “It’s exhausting when strangers turn your past into entertainment,” she confessed.
Nicole and Kelce began dating in 2017 and had an on-and-off relationship before finally parting ways in 2022. Rumors at the time claimed Kelce was “stingy” in their relationship allegations Nicole later dismissed as “baseless and ridiculous.”
Following their split, Kelce started dating Taylor Swift in summer 2023. The power couple went public later that year and officially got engaged in August 2025.
Sources: People,Page Six,Billboard,E! News
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