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When Taylor Swift speaks, Swifties listen. After the Grammy winner released her brand-new album, The Tortured Poets Department, on April 19, fans immediately began dissecting lyrics and determining what their favorite song was.
One track, however, helped one London pub grow its business exponentially within a matter of days. According to The Black Dog owner and event manager Lily Bottomley, Taylor’s song appropriately titled “The Black Dog” has brought in more than a few new customers.
“We’re just loving it, it’s been so fun,” she told the BBC on April 22. “All of the attention has been pretty overwhelming, but we can’t be happier.” Lily also confirmed that Taylor, 34, had previously come to the pub herself and said the venue was now offering burgers and cocktails inspired by the singer.
In the track “The Black Dog,” Taylor sings about an ex who left his cell phone location settings on after their breakup. While she doesn’t name any individuals specifically, much of her 11th studio album is about exes Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy.
“And so I watch as you walk, into some bar called The Black Dog,” she sings in the first verse. “And pierce new holes in my heart, you forgot to turn it off.”
While Lily isn’t revealing who the famous ex could be, she told Sky News on April 22, “We do have a certain blond regular who frequents, let’s just say that.”
She also shared her theory as to why fans (and Taylor) may fall in love with her business. “The Black Dog is a beautiful neighborhood pub,” she told the BBC. “It’s really small and really cozy so I can imagine the neighborhood feel, the community, would appeal to her. Obviously, being as famous as she is, [it’s] maybe a nice break. We’ve had [the album] on non-stop on the pub. We’ve had singalongs from fans. It’s been amazing.”
What’s also incredible is the amount of times Taylor has made history thanks to her latest body of work. Not only did The Tortured Poets Department become Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day, but it also became the first album on the platform to amass more than 300 million streams in a single day ever.
Apple Music also shared that The Tortured Poets Department had broken its record for the biggest pop album of all time by first-day streams shortly after the LP’s release.
Next on Taylor’s agenda is resuming her sold-out Eras world tour. She is expected to reunite with opening act Paramore and perform in Paris on May 9 before traveling to Sweden, Germany and other countries.
