After spending a few days immersed in Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl—possibly more like a few dozen—Jason Kelce discovered that his brother, Travis Kelce, and his soon-to-be sister-in-law cleverly used him to drop hints about the album.
In the episode of their “New Heights” podcast aired on Wednesday, October 8, Jason, 37, and Travis, 36, revisited their August episode featuring Swift, during which she unveiled her 12th studio album.
“I had no idea I was an element in the Easter egg strategy; I was completely in the dark during the recording of that episode,” Jason reassured their audience on Wednesday.
He soon realized the first reference to the album was right in the episode’s opening remarks.
“In the introduction, I referenced, ‘That was a lie,’ which also happens to be a key lyric in the track ‘Eldest Daughter,’” he noted. “So yes, I was clearly set up.”
Swift reiterates the phrase, “That was a lie,” multiple times in the song.
“When you found me I mentioned being busy / That was a lie,” Swift sings in the opening lines, following with, “Before long, I learned cautious discretion / When your first crush crushes something kind / When I said I didn’t believe in marriage / That was a lie.”
Travis chuckled at his brother’s epiphany.
“We executed the setup beautifully,” he quipped, referring to himself and his fiancée. “The thrill of Easter eggs is always keeping the audience guessing whether it was intentional.”
Jason also pointed out a subtle reference Swift made from “The Fate of Ophelia,” where she playfully remarked, ‘You don’t always keep it 100, Jason?’ This caught me off guard, as I do my best to keep it real!” Jason shared. “I’ve got Easter eggs all over my face now.”
In the verse of the first track of the album, Swift affirms, “Keep it 100 / On the land, the sea, the sky / Pledge allegiance to your hands / Your team, your vibes.”
“Keep it 100” also aligns with Travis and Swift’s philosophy—a nod to Travis’ jersey number, 87, along with Swift’s favorite number, 13, totalling 100!
Travis, on the other hand, downplayed any claims of being the source of the Easter eggs. When Jason jokingly referred to him as the “creative muse” for the album, Travis instead relished in being by Swift’s side throughout the entire journey, witnessing her creative process from beginning to end.
“I feel fortunate to be the man offering support to Taylor while she releases one of the most amazing albums I’ve ever heard, something the world has been waiting for,” Travis expressed. “I couldn’t be happier for her; the planning this has taken is impressive.”
He further commented, “Witnessing everything from the inception of this project during her tour in Europe to its ultimate realization has been incredible. Seeing her piece everything together—from the meticulous planning to the actual music—has been a thrilling experience.”
