Did Taylor Swift reject Super Bowl performance for fiancé Travis?
What's the story
In a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, pop superstar Taylor Swift (35) debunked rumors about her declining the Super Bowl halftime show. Host Jimmy Fallon asked her if she had turned it down due to "performance footage." To this, Swift replied with a simple "No." She then went on to explain why she hasn't yet performed at the prestigious event.
Explanation
Swift's relationship with Jay-Z
Swift revealed that her relationship with Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation picks the Halftime performer, has always been cordial. "Our teams are very close. They sometimes will call and say how does she feel about...and that's not an official offer or a conference room conversation." She added that her team always tells him the truth: "I am in love with a guy who does that sport on that actual field."
Safety concerns
'I get stressed watching Travis play'
Swift admitted that she gets stressed watching her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, play. "That is violent chess," she said. "That is gladiators without swords. That is dangerous." She added, "The whole season I am locked in on what that man is doing on the field." "Can you imagine if he's out there every single week putting his life on the line and I'm like 'I wonder what my choreo should be.'"
Clarification
Swift's new album breaks Spotify record
Swift clarified that her decision not to perform at the Super Bowl has nothing to do with Kelce. "This is nothing to do with Travis, he would love for me to do it. I'm just too locked in." Last Friday, she released her new album The Life of a Showgirl, which broke Spotify's record for the most-streamed album in a single day in 2025 on the platform.