Why Taylor Swift Fans Think ‘Ready For It?’ Is About Harry Styles

Taylor Swift just dropped a new single, and that means fans are going into detective mode. They’re already analyzing every lyric to determine who “…Ready For It?” is about, and many believe singer Harry Styles could be the subject.

Swift released “…Ready For It?” Sunday after snippets were heard earlier this weekend in promotional videos for both ABC’s fall lineup and football season. The track will open her record “Reputation,” out Nov. 10.

Much like last month’s “Look What You Made Me Do,” Swift is using more of an electronic sound. However, this single isn’t quite as angry as the first, which seemed to be about the singer’s celebrity feuds with Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and more. “…Ready For It?” instead covers familiar territory for the 27-year-old — it’s a love song.

As with any Taylor Swift track, fans are already decoding who it could be about. While the singer is currently rumored to be dating actor Joe Alwyn, some fans think they hear references to Swift’s relationship with Styles.

The song’s opening lyrics seem to provide the most evidence: “Look, he was a killer/ First time that I saw him/ Wonder how many girls he had loved and left haunted/ But if he’s a ghost then I can be a phantom/ Holding him for ransom/ Some, some boys are trying too hard/ He gonna try it all though/ Younger than my exes but he act like such a man, so/ I see nothing better, I keep him forever/ Like a vendetta…”

With a four-year age difference between Styles and Swift, the “younger than my exes” line makes it seem like Styles could be the subject. It’s worth noting, however, that Styles is actually a few months older than another one of Swift’s exes, Conor Kennedy.

Also, Swift doesn’t say youngest of her exes. At 26, Alwyn is younger than her most recent exes, Calvin Harris and Tom Hiddleston, both of whom are in their 30s.

Then there’s the line, “But if he’s a ghost then I can be a phantom,” which many fans think is a reference to one of Styles’ songs. On his debut solo album, released earlier this year, Styles has a song called “Two Ghosts” that’s widely rumored to be about his relationship with the blonde superstar.

Observant listeners are also excited about the writing team behind the song. Swift wrote “…Ready For It?” with Max Martin, Shellback and Ali Payami. The same team is responsible for the track “Style” on Swift’s “1989” album, a song many assume is about Styles.

It’s unlikely that Swift will ever confirm who the song is actually about, but Haylor shippers shouldn’t get too excited. It sounds like the singer is pretty happy in her low-profile relationship with Alwyn.

According to People, the British actor and Swift are enjoying their private romance. He “is very happy about spending time at home with Taylor,” a source said. “They seem to be on the same page. Joe is getting to know Taylor’s parents and everyone likes him. He is very supportive of her work.”