Did Ezra Koenig and Tavi Gevinson Date? A Look at Their Relationship Timeline

Amid the brewing feud between Andrew Schulz and Kendrick Lamar over lyrics in December 2024, allegations of abuse resurfaced from Andrew’s ex-girlfriend, Sara Phillips.

Sara claimed he “manipulated” and “controlled” her during their relationship, which allegedly began when she was 16 and Andrew was 28. Although Andrew is now married, these allegations have reignited discussions online, particularly on Reddit.

On the platform, users have begun drawing parallels to a similar story involving Ezra Koenig from the band Vampire Weekend and Tavi Gevinson.

Ezra and Tavi reportedly dated despite a 12-year age gap, with rumors of abuse also surfacing in connection to their relationship.

This not only served as a reminder of Ezra’s dating history but also left some shocked and curious about the specifics of their relationship timeline.

So, how old were they, and what happened? We’ve got all the details.

There hasn’t been an explicit confirmation from either Ezra or Tavi that they dated, but Reddit users believe there’s plenty of evidence to suggest they were romantically involved. According to Redditor @singledxout, Ezra and Tavi reportedly dated when she was just 18 and fresh out of high school, while he was 30. With Tavi being 28 in 2024, that would mean she would have started dating Ezra in 2014 when she was 18.

Another user, @dubious-taste-666, also supported the claims about Ezra and Tavi allegedly dating and the accusations of abuse. In response to @singledxout’s comment expressing disappointment over the allegations against Ezra, @dubious-taste-666 wrote, "Saaaaame. I saw their show about 6 years ago and got so turned off by his stage persona (105% a--hole), but learning he’s an abuser sucks. F--k that guy."

User @singledxout also claims that Ezra dumped Tavi when she was 19, making their alleged relationship brief but potentially damaging if the claims are true.

Tavi is a writer and actress, and the founder of Rookie, an online magazine "for and by teenagers," which has since folded. She shared her experiences on a variety of platforms, including The Cut. In a 2021 article that centers on Britney Spears, Tavi reflected on an abusive relationship she was in, one many believe to be with Ezra.

In the article, she discusses the notion that sexualizing teenagers is anti-feminist and writes about men who seem to believe this concept. "One of them already had a good handle on this argument when I was 18," she wrote.

Despite her age, this man believed her credentials somehow protected her from harm. She reflected on how, despite her status and power, "people around [her] also worried they would be doubting [her] autonomy if they suggested [she] was in an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship." She goes on to admit that even she "struggled to see the power dynamics."

Tavi then goes on to describe the emotional manipulation she faced in her abusive relationship: "When my abuser said he thought that it was I who ‘had all the power’ while he was a hapless, insecure, wealthy, much-older-than-me man who didn’t know what he was doing, I at first believed him."

She admitted that initially, she thought she was "too exceptional to be taken advantage of." However, over time, the reality of the abuse became clear to her. "I was eventually disposed of when I made the mistake of becoming too much of a real person and when my body shut down and could no longer engage in sex."

Though Tavi hasn't explicitly named Ezra in her articles, there are photos that appear to show the two together, leading many to believe that he is the man she refers to in her writings. Fans and readers have connected the dots between the details in her stories and the timeline of her alleged relationship, convincing them that Ezra is the perpetrator behind the abuse allegations.