Taylor Swift Fans In Tears After Friend Behind ‘Ruin The Friendship’ Is Revealed, And It’s Not Blake Lively

Taylor Swift’s newly released track Ruin the Friendship has sparked an emotional reaction from fans, many of whom were left in tears after realizing its true meaning. 

While fans initially speculated that the song was about her friendship with actress Blake Lively, the lyrics actually pointed to something much more heartbreaking.

Ruin the Friendship was about a high school friend who passed away when Swift was just starting her career.

Fans thought the track was about Blake Lively, but the truth was different and a lot more intimate

Taylor Swift performing on stage wearing a pink lace dress, holding a microphone under bright concert lights.

Image credits: John Shearer / Getty Images

When Ruin the Friendship appeared on the track list of The Life of a Showgirl, many fans immediately speculated that the song would be about Blake Lively, one of Swift’s close celebrity friends. 

According to Page Six, Justin Baldoni claimed in his countersuit against Blake Lively that she used her friendship with Swift to get her way with their controversial movie, It Ends With Us. 

Taylor Swift fans emotional as friend behind Ruin The Friendship is revealed, not Blake Lively, in black and white studio photo.

Image credits: Taylor Swift / YouTube

The award-winning singer was ultimately subpoenaed by Baldoni’s legal team, and while the investigation was ultimately dropped, the whole fiasco reportedly ruined Swift and Lively’s friendship.

A look at the actual lyrics of Ruin the Friendship, however, immediately made it evident that the song was about a totally different story, one that was far more personal and tragic.

Taylor Swift fans emotional as friend behind Ruin The Friendship track is revealed, sparking reactions and discussions.

Image credits: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott / taylorswift / Instagram

Swift opened up about regrets from her teenage years, confessing she wished she had kissed a friend before losing him forever. 

She sang, “When I left school, I lost track of you / Abigail called me with the bad news / Goodbye… / And we’ll never know why.” 

Lyrics from Taylor Swift's Ruin The Friendship on a green background, highlighting fan reactions and song's impact.

Image credits: Spotify

The verse captured the moment when she learned of her friend’s passing through longtime friend Abigail Anderson.

The emotional core of the song came when Swift described flying home for the funeral, saying she whispered her regrets at his grave. 

Taylor Swift fans react as the friend behind Ruin The Friendship is revealed in an old photo with Jeff Lang.

Image credits: alrightnahh18

“It was not an invitation / But I flew home anyway / With so much left to say / It was not convenient, no / But I whispered it at the grave / ‘Should’ve kissed you anyway.” 

Instead of the celebrity feud-fueled song many expected, Ruin the Friendship ultimately turned out to be a heartfelt tribute to a long-lost friend.

Taylor Swift performing on stage, holding a microphone, as fans react to the reveal of a friendship mystery.

Image credits: BMI / YouTube

Fans, however, are now speculating that CANCELLED!, another track on The Life of a Showgirl, might be about Lively, according to the New York Post.

Unlike the intimate tone of Ruin the Friendship, CANCELLED! features lyrics that are a bit more on the nose. 

Tweet questioning if the person behind 'Ruin the Friendship' is him, with engagement icons visible.

Image credits: discodiick

“It’s a good thing I like my friends cancelled / I liked them cloaked in Gucci and in scandal,” Swift sang in the song’s chorus.

Blake Lively was named the face of Gucci’s fragrance, Gucci Premiere, in 2012. The actress has also been involved in a scandal with Justin Baldoni following the film It Ends With Us.

Swift’s history with the late Jeff Lang has been referenced in the past

Screenshot of a tweet discussing Taylor Swift fans reacting to the friend behind Ruin The Friendship, not Blake Lively.

Image credits: caitlinjallan

Though she never named the friend directly in Ruin the Friendship, fans quickly connected the lyrics to Jeff Lang, a close high school friend who passed away at 21. Swift has spoken about him before.

Back in 2010, while accepting the BMI Country Songwriter of the Year award, the then 20-year-old Taylor Swift shared a deeply vulnerable story, according to ELLE. 

Taylor Swift fans emotional as friend behind Ruin The Friendship revealed, causing surprise and tears among followers.

Image credits: blakelively / Instagram

“Yesterday, I sang at the funeral of one of my best friends. And he was 21, and I used to play my songs for him first. So I would like to thank Jeff Lang,” Swift said during the awards, visibly emotional.

Lang’s passing occurred on November 2, 2010, just days after Swift had released her album Speak Now. 

Lyrics from Taylor Swift's song Cancelled shown on a green background referencing friendship and scandal.

Image credits: Spotify

Previously, fans have speculated that Forever Winter, a vault track from her album Red, was also inspired by her friendship with Lang. 

Forever Winter detailed her worry for a friend struggling with mental health and substance a**se.

Taylor Swift fans emotional after friend behind Ruin The Friendship revealed in a candid moment between two women.

Image credits: taylorswift / Instagram

The message behind Ruin the Friendship resonated with fans

Taylor Swift fans in tears as friend behind Ruin The Friendship is revealed, sparking emotional reactions.

Image credits: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott / taylorswift / Instagram

What made Ruin the Friendship so powerful wasn’t just Swift’s grief, but the lesson she drew from it. 

At the end of the track, she gave some advice shaped by her regret: “My advice is always ruin the friendship / Better that than regret it / For all time / Should’ve kissed you anyway.”

Taylor Swift posing in vintage costume holding album, surrounded by framed photos in elegant room, capturing fans' reaction.

Image credits: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott / taylorswift / Instagram

For Swift, the song was a way of telling her fans not to leave things unsaid, and not to hold back feelings that could become lifelong regrets. 

The line, “Better that than to ask it / All your life,” resonated with netizens, many of whom related to the song’s theme and message.

tiktokers foaming at the mouth thinking ruin the friendship is about blake when all this time it was about a high school crush who passed away #TSTheLifeofaShowgirlpic.twitter.com/lKl95YNiHy

— ana (@shivlestat) October 3, 2025

“This song hit me hard. It brought back our friend, whom we lost so recently… I legit started crying. Taylor, you’re unreal,” one commenter wrote. 

“I thought Ruin the Friendship was about her didn’t do the kissing at the right time and regret that she didn’t ruin the friendship. But the 3rd verse hit me like a sledgehammer and now I see the full story,” wrote another.

“It’s amazing that the media jumped on this train about it being shady and a diss track when it turned out to be something sad and loving, and I think it sums up the media’s perception of Taylor all pretty nicely,” another commenter stated.

Netizens shared their thoughts on Taylor Swift’s Ruin the Friendship on social media

Tweet from a Taylor Swift fan expressing shock over the devastating plot twist in Ruin The Friendship.

Image credits: HuffleBoy

Tweet from Taylor Swift fan expressing sorrow over the friend behind ruin the friendship controversy, not Blake Lively.

Image credits: nansversion

Tweet by Taylor Swift fan Michele speculating about the friend behind Ruin The Friendship, sparking fan reactions.

Image credits: PurdySwift13

Twitter post from a Taylor Swift fan expressing emotional reaction to a song, highlighting Taylor Swift fans in tears.

Image credits: charliesbrina

Tweet from dj scarlet discussing Taylor Swift fans reacting to the friend behind Ruin The Friendship not being Blake Lively.

Image credits: scarletcharli3

Twitter user reacting with sad emojis, expressing emotion over Taylor Swift fans in tears after friend reveal.

Image credits: diangelosandjim

Tweet from Allison may questioning the timing of events related to Taylor Swift fans in tears after friend reveal.

Image credits: Allisonmay49888

Tweet discussing fan reactions to the meaning behind Taylor Swift's song Ruin The Friendship and its revealed inspiration.

Image credits: Aridotcrystal

Screenshot of a tweet showing a fan's emotional reaction about Taylor Swift and the friend behind Ruin The Friendship.

Image credits: shirokitsunegf

Screenshot of a tweet expressing sadness, related to Taylor Swift fans reacting to the friend behind Ruin The Friendship reveal.

Image credits: eggscrams

Tweet from a fan discussing new revelations about Taylor Swift’s history surprising many in 2025.

Image credits: SthormyStar

Screenshot of a Twitter reply discussing the meaning behind a Taylor Swift song related to friendship and relationships.

Image credits: shiroktsunechan

Twitter user discussing a surprising friend reveal related to Taylor Swift fans and the phrase ruin the friendship.

Image credits: juyeonswift

Tweet from user ivs expressing regret and lingering feelings, related to Taylor Swift fans in tears after friend revelation.

Image credits: flanneIcure

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!