Donna Kelce has listened to all of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department — and she plans to find out which songs are inspired by her son, Travis Kelce.
“I know there’s a few that some people think are about Travis but we’ll just see,” Donna, 71, exclusively told Us Weekly while attending the QVC Women’s Summit in Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 24. “You know, I’ll have to ask her when I see her. “
QVC hosted the first-of-its-kind Summit to kick off the brand’s new platform, Age of Possibility. Empowering women over 50 from all walks of life attended in celebration of who they are during this chapter of life. In addition to Mama Kelce, Q50 members in attendance included dozens of high-profile stars like Christina Applegate, Patti LaBelle, Rita Wilson, Naomi Watts, Martha Stewart and Queen Latifah.
While speaking with Us at the event, Donna noted that she wasted no time listening to Swift’s record — which consists of 31 songs total — on the “day it was released.” While she admitted she doesn’t “really” have a favorite track, her review of the album as a whole is clear, telling Us, “It’s her best one!”
Swift, 34, released The Tortured Poets Department on Friday. April 19. While much of the breakup-inspired album seemingly revolves around her splits from exes Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy, many fans were delighted to discover more than one song seemingly touched on her romance with Travis, 34.
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The most obvious track dedicated to the NFL star lives on the back half of the record, which dropped two hours after the initial 16 songs. Titled “So High School,” the song compares Swift’s feelings for her boyfriend to being sixteen again.
“Truth, dare, spin bottles / You know how to ball, I know Aristotle / Brand new, full throttle / Touch me when your bros play Grand Theft Auto,” Swift sings in the second verse, referencing the twosome’s dichotomy of athlete and pop star.
“So High School” is also riddled with Kelce-isms and shoutouts to the pair’s romance, including the use of Travis’ favorite phrase “full throttle” — words he used to describe going “all in” on a relationship during a March episode of Kristin Cavallari’s “Let’s Be Honest” podcast — his “crinkling eyes” and Travis’ first attempt to get her attention.
“You knew what you wanted, and boy, you got her,” she says in the chorus, in reference to Travis attending her Eras Tour with his phone number on a bracelet in hopes of meeting the singer.
“The Albatross,” another bonus track, appears to touch on the warning Travis received when he began dating Swift in summer 2023. “Cautions issued, he stood / Shooting the messengers / They tried to warn him about her,” Swift croons on the track of the early days of showing up to his Kansas City Chiefs games during the 2023-2024 NFL season.
“The Alchemy,” meanwhile, uses sports metaphors like making “touchdowns” and cutting loser exes “from the team” when giving a subtle nod to the football player.
In addition to getting closer with Travis, Swift has also bonded with Donna since attending her first Chiefs game in September 2023. After spending much of the NFL season cheering side by side, they were reunited at the team’s AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens, where they celebrated — along with Donna’s other son Jason Kelce, his wife Kylie Kelce and Travis’ dad, Ed Kelce — by high-fiving and hugging.
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After Travis took home his second consecutive Super Bowl win in February, Donna and Swift walked hand in hand to congratulate him. “I”m going to do what Donna does,” Swift could be heard telling her security guard as they walked on the field post-game.
The Tortured Poets Department is out now.
With reporting by Rachel Smith.
