Taylor Swift has never shied away from weaving personal details into her music, but her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, takes that artistry to new levels. The third track, “Opalite,” has quickly become a fan favorite, and it’s now confirmed to be about her fiancé, NFL star Travis Kelce.
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Kelce’s birthday falls on October 5, making his birthstone the opal. Swifties noticed this connection months ago, especially after Swift wore opal earrings while cheering him on at the AFC Championship Game in 2024. Their hunch was validated when Swift confirmed the song’s inspiration during an interview with Capital FM.
“Travis’ birthstone is an opal, so I’ve always fixated on that, I’ve always loved that stone,” Swift explained. “I thought it was kind of a cool metaphor. [Opalite is] a man-made opal, and happiness can also be man-made, too. So, that’s kind of what the song is about, the juxtaposition of those two.”
Unlike natural opal, opalite is a man-made glass material often sold in jewelry and crystal shops for its ethereal glow. Its translucent, milky base shimmers with soft blues that shift into warm tones under the right light, giving it an almost otherworldly quality.
Beyond its beauty, it’s often associated with emotional healing, calmness, and communication, qualities that tie neatly into Swift’s theme of finding peace and fulfillment in love after years of heartbreak.
Swift’s own relationship history adds depth to the metaphor. After her six-year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn ended in 2023, she briefly dated The 1975’s Matty Healy before finding something more lasting with Kelce. For Swift, “Opalite” doesn’t just symbolize her partner’s birthstone, but also her ability to create happiness and stability in her own life.
Kelce himself has embraced the tribute. On his podcast New Heights, he revealed that “Opalite” might be his favorite track from the record: “Every time it comes on, I always catch myself.” He added that while the album leans more toward pop than some of Swift’s recent work, it remains “so poetic in her melodies and her references.”
This isn’t the first time Swift has spoken fondly of opals. In a 2017 interview with Us Weekly, she recalled how her mother used to take her to T.J. Maxx after school to look at opal jewelry, which she described as a comforting ritual during times of bullying. “We never bought them, just looked,” Swift said, calling the stone her favorite.
