Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album on October 3, 2025, and Swifties immediately commenced their normal detective work in breaking down all the songs’ lyrics. From her collab with Sabrina Carpenter to other tracks like “Father Figure,” there’s one hit from The Life of A Showgirl that fans are buzzing about: “Cancelled.” Its lyrics point to a story about a friend who was apparently “cancelled” through a scandal, leading fans to assume the song is about Blake Lively and her legal dispute with Justin Baldoni.
Here, Hollywood Life breaks down the lyrics of “Cancelled” and the song’s meaning.
Are Taylor Swift & Blake Lively Still Friends?
The last time that Taylor and Blake were spotted out together was in 2024. Earlier this year, People reported that the actress and the pop singer weren’t speaking and that their friendship “halted.”
Taylor is the godmother of Blake and Ryan Reynolds‘ daughters.
Is ‘Cancelled’ About Blake Lively? Lyrics Explained
Taylor has not confirmed whether she wrote “Cancelled” about Blake, but Swifties think the lyrics point to the Gossip Girl alum.
In the pre-chorus of the track, Taylor asks if a friend “girl bossed” too much, seemingly nodding to a woman who was accused of acting too bossy.
“Did you girlboss too close to the sun? / Did they catch you having far too much fun?” Taylor sings in the pre-chorus. “Come with me, when they see us, they’ll run / Something wicked this way comes.”
In the chorus of the track, Taylor sings, “Good thing I like my friends cancelled / I like ’em cloaked in Gucci and in scandal / Like my whiskey sour / And poison thorny flowers / Welcome to my underworld / Where it gets quite dark / At least you know exactly who your friends are / They’re the ones with matching scars.”
In the past, Taylor has sung about being cancelled herself. Case in point: her hit single “Look What You Made Me Do.”
Is Taylor Swift Part of Blake Lively’s Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni?
In May 2025, Justin’s legal team subpoenaed Taylor Swift in his lengthy court battle against Blake over their It Ends With Us feud. Despite crafting the song “My Tears Ricochet” for the film, Taylor was not directly involved in the production, her rep said.
“Taylor Swift never set foot on the set of this movie, she was not involved in any casting or creative decisions, she did not score the film, she never saw an edit or made any notes on the film, she did not even see It Ends With Us until weeks after its public release, and was traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history,” the rep said, per People.
Justin’s legal team dropped their subpoena against Taylor shortly thereafter.
