Who Is Taylor Swift's 'Better Than Revenge' About? Inside The Rumored Inspiration For The Song

If you're one of Taylor Swift's exes, you're fair game to become fodder for her future songs. For instance, Joe Jonas, Jake Gyllenhaal, Harry Styles, John Mayer, and Joe Alwyn have all had their day in Swift's court of music. However, not every ex-inspired track is solely about a man who wronged her. While Swift's 2010 album "Speak Now" included many songs exclusively about her ex-boyfriends, one track seemingly spotlights a different target — a woman who dated her ex right after her. "Better Than Revenge" is heavily rumored to be about Jonas, who Swift began dating in July 2008. Their relationship ended in October 2008, when Jonas reportedly dumped her via an about 25-second phone call. Jonas later claimed in a Myspace post that she hung up on him: "I did not end the conversation. Someone else did" (via People).

Instead of focusing solely on Jonas and his possibly cowardly ways in "Better Than Revenge," Swift appears to have aimed much of the song's ire at actor Camilla Belle, who Jonas began dating in late 2008. The timeline of Swift and Jonas's breakup versus the start of his relationship with Belle has always been murky. Belle appeared in the Jonas Brothers' music video for "Lovebug," which was released in October 2008, but likely filmed during Jonas and Swift's relationship. 

In "Better Than Revenge," Swift seemingly expresses resentment toward her ex's new woman and accuses her of stealing her man. "She took him faster than you can say 'Sabotage,'" the lyrics read. Other clues in the song that point to Belle include references to this woman attending "prep school" and wearing "vintage dresses" (Belle went to an all-girls private school and wore old-fashioned dresses in "Lovebug").

Taylor Swift did more than just accuse another woman of taking Joe Jonas from her in "Better Than Revenge." She also made some belittling remarks about said woman. In the chorus, Swift sang: "She's an actress, woah / She's better known for the things that she does / On the mattress, woah." Those lyrics quickly became controversial as they seemingly slut-shamed Camilla Belle. 

Addressing the backlash, Swift explained her teenage mindset when writing "Speak Now"  — specifically "Better Than Revenge" — to The Guardian in 2014. "I was 18 when I wrote that. That's the age you are when you think someone can actually take your boyfriend. Then you grow up and realise no one take[s] someone from you if they don't want to leave," she told the outlet. Furthermore, in 2023 when Swift released "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)," the mattress lyric was replaced in the updated version of "Better Than Revenge." Instead, Swift sang: "He was a moth to the flame / She was holding the matches, woah." 

It's unclear where Swift and Belle stand today, but the "Law & Order: Organized Crime" actor did seemingly take offense to Swift's original lyrics, which became evident after a subtle social media interaction. During Katy Perry's years-long feud with Swift, the "Firework" singer appeared to call Swift out in 2015 on X, formerly Twitter, for profiting by tearing other women down in her songs. "Couldn't have said it better ... " Belle wrote in response.