Harry Styles Doesn’t Deny That “Perfect” Is About Taylor Swift

Two can play at this game. For weeks, there’s been speculation that One Direction’s latest single, “Perfect,” is about Taylor Swift. The "Bad Blood" singer, who is infamous for using her relationships as fuel for her music, famously dated Harry Styles and has basically admitted that she wrote "Out of the Woods" about their brief, shining moment in time together. With “Perfect,” it seems Styles, who co-wrote the song, took a cue from his ex and used their breakup as inspiration. But Styles has been coy about whether Swift was his songwriting muse. When One Direction talked with James Corden at London’s Apple Music Event, the inspiration for “Perfect” was at the top of the questions list.

“I’m reading the lyrics and I happen upon a line and in the song it says, ‘And if you’re looking for someone to write your breakup songs about, baby I’m perfect,” The Late Late Show host said. “Now listen, I don’t want to have any bad blood about this. If you don’t want to talk about this, we can shake it off…who’s the song about?” Styles evaded the question as only he can — with a laugh and a smile.

Good attempt to dodge the issue, Harry. The classic “I’m answering by not answering” M.O. is slick, but it doesn’t work here. There are several lyrics in “Perfect” that could be (and probably are about Swift). Here’s exhibit A: “And if you like cameras flashing every time we go out / And if you're looking for someone / To write your breakup songs about / Baby, I'm perfect / Baby, we're perfect”

Even casual listeners of Swift know that she uses relationships as musical motivation. One of the reasons she resonates so much with the heartbroken is that she, too, has been shattered by love. With these lyrics, it’s clear Styles was thinking of Swift when he was writing. That’s not all, though. Exhibit B: “And if you like midnight driving with the windows down / And if you like going places we can’t even pronounce / If you like to do whatever you’ve been dreaming about” Sounds innocent enough, right? Many women love riding with the windows down, soaking in the night air. Swift seems to enjoy it as well. When Swift released 1989, one of her closest friends, Selena Gomez, posted a photo collage on Instagram. The caption read, “From hotel room album listening parties, kitchen dance floor album listening parties to driving on the pch, windows down album listening parties. — The best part is we were the only ones there. Each time. So happy, honored and proud to know you and your diaries. @taylorswift #1989 BUY IT!!! — now I’ll listen live from drowning in my bed sheets.”

One Direction’s lyrics mesh well with Gomez’ description of her friend's favorite pastimes. Despite the evidence, Styles is still playing it cool (that's SO Harry), avoiding any confession that wrote these lyrics with Swift on the brain.

“Obviously, you write a lot of stuff from personal experience, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be so literal,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “People can interpret a lot of different things in different ways. And I’m not going to tell someone it’s not about what they think it’s about, because I think the whole point is — it’s about whatever it means to you.” OPENER IMAGE: Photo: Matt Baron/BEI/Rex USA.