Taylor Swift’s “Midnight Rain” Has Two Possible Meanings (and a Potential Third)

Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album, "Midnights," is finally here and fans around the globe have made it their mission to hyper-analyze each and every track. From “Question…?” to “Vigilante S--t” to “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” the Grammy Award-winning artist’s lyrics are layered with hidden meaning — and Swifties are determined to get to the bottom of them.

Whether she’s throwing alleged shade at Scooter Braun and Kanye West or hinting at a possible engagement to partner Joe Alwyn, it’s no secret T.Swift loves inadvertently referencing key figures from her life through her music. However, when it comes to "Midnights’" sixth track "Midnight Rain," the jury is out on who Swift is singing about.

Here are a few different fan theories about who Taylor Swift’s song "Midnight Rain" is referencing.

Featuring a pitched-down version of her own voice on the track, “Midnight Rain” is about leaving behind the comfort of a healthy relationship to avoid settling. The powerful opening sets the tone for the lyrics to follow: “He wanted it comfortable, I wanted that pain / He wanted a bride, I was making my own name / Chasing that fame, he stayed the same / All of me changed like midnight.”

Swift goes on to sing about a past partner who was a little too perfect. So much so, she ended the relationship to focus on her own career instead: “I broke his heart 'cause he was nice / He was sunshine, I was midnight rain.”

When it comes to the hidden meaning behind “Midnight Rain,” there are two main theories. The first theory is that the album's sixth track is dedicated to Swift’s ex-boyfriend Tom Hiddleston, who is currently expecting a child with fiancé Zawe Ashton. After dating for three months in 2016, the couple amicably parted ways. However, listeners believe “Midnight Rain” is a direct reference to their whirlwind relationship.

Other Swifties are convinced the song is about Taylor Lautner, whom she dated for three months early in her career, and their reasoning is... interesting. According to one Twitter user, the lyrics “He was sunshine, I was midnight rain” were a nod to Lautner’s character Jacob Black in Twilight, which seems like a bit of a reach. However, others argue that Swift’s career was on the come-up when she ended things with Lautner in 2009, giving this theory slightly more substance.

After scouring the internet for fan reactions to “Midnight Rain,” we came across an alternative third theory. Fans have long believed that Swift and her estranged best friend Karlie Kloss were secretly in love, and they have the receipts to prove it. From “Betty” to “Getaway Car,” Swifties believe the songstress has referenced the model in more ways than one throughout her time-honored career. And apparently, this time is no different.

The beauty of Swift’s songwriting is that it's open to interpretation. While the artist will never directly come out and say who her lyrics are in reference to, it doesn’t matter — the Swifties will do the sleuthing!

Listen to Swift’s 10th studio album "Midnights," out now.