Why did Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn break up?

New York, New York - The news of Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn's split after six years of dating shocked fans everywhere, even leading some to declare that love is dead. So, what went wrong?

Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, reportedly split last month after six years together, sending Swifties into meltdown mode.
Taylor Swift and her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, reportedly split last month after six years together, sending Swifties into meltdown mode.  © Collage: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire & Jamie McCarthy / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The 33-year-old singer is rumored to have begun dating Alwyn in 2016.

Though the pair were notoriously private throughout their relationship, they often gave subtle nods to the romance and even co-wrote several of Swift's recent songs.

While many fans are still baffled by the seemingly sudden break-up, sources close to the couple have provided some new insight into what might have gone wrong.

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Per Entertainment Tonight, the couple called things off in March, which is around the time the Anti-Hero singer kicked off The Eras Tour in the US.

A source told the outlet that Swift is "very focused on touring and her career right now" and that the pair are simply in "totally different places in their lives."

Though the former couple seems to be on amicable terms, the latest reports have indicated that it was Swift who initiated the break-up.

Taylor Swift reportedly initiated split from Joe Alwyn

Taylor Swift is rumored to have called things off with Joe Alwyn around the time she kicked off The Eras Tour.
Taylor Swift is rumored to have called things off with Joe Alwyn around the time she kicked off The Eras Tour.  © KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

If the state of Ticketmaster after The Eras Tour presale was any indication, Swift is undoubtedly at a career peak in popularity.

Per PEOPLE, this astronomical level of fame may have contributed to issues in her relationship with Alwyn.

"Joe has struggled with Taylor's level of fame and the attention from the public," a source close to the couple told the outlet.

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The source also adds that the "differences in their personalities" grew more apparent over time.

"They had plenty in common and fell in love in a safe bubble while she was retreating from the world during Reputation. Then the pandemic hit, and they were locked down together and able to continue growing their relationship in this insulated way," the source said. "But he didn't really 'know' her yet outside of that bubble."

Swift is certainly back in her superstar era - perhaps more so than ever before - so the growing pains given the previous contexts of their relationship are certainly understandable.

Still, the split was "not dramatic," as the pair simply "grew apart."

How is Taylor Swift reacting to the break-up?

Taylor Swift is doing quite well post-split, to say the least, as she keeps busy on The Eras Tour.
Taylor Swift is doing quite well post-split, to say the least, as she keeps busy on The Eras Tour.  © IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

If her glamorous New York City night on Monday was any indication, Swift is doing perfectly fine post-split.

Though she hasn't commented on the relationship's end (and likely never will), some Swifties have noted the subtle nods she has already given to the break-up during The Eras Tour.

Earlier this month, Swift swapped out invisible string, a song about being tethered to a soulmate that is assumed to be about Alwyn, with the 1, a song reflecting on a failed relationship.

Naturally, fans are eagerly awaiting the singer's moves for her next shows in Tampa, as some speculate that her surprise song choices just might pay homage to the shock split.

Concertgoers will find out what changes Swift has in store when her Florida shows kick off on Thursday.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire & Jamie McCarthy / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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