Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift's Relationship Timeline: A Look Back

When Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris started dating in 2015, fans waited to see what beautiful music they'd make together. Over the course of their one-year relationship, the singer-songwriter and Scottish DJ only collaborated once as co-writers on the song "This Is What You Came For," recorded by Rihanna. 

Harris was Swift's longest public relationship after a string of high-profile flings (Joe Jonas, Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Mayer, and Taylor Lautner). Swift briefly dated English actor Tom Hiddleston immediately following her split from Harris before embarking on a six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn in 2017. However, in April 2023, it was announced that Swift and Alwyn called it quits.

After his breakup with Swift, Harris reconnected with his ex-girlfriend, model Aarika Wolf, in 2018, until their breakup in 2022. He then moved on to TV and radio presenter Vick Hope, whom he has been engaged to since 2022. 

Here's a look back at Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift's relationship.

February 24, 2015: Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift first meet

Harris and Swift met backstage at the Elle Style Awards in February 2015 after being introduced by their mutual friend, Ellie Goulding. And lucky for the internet, a fan just so happened to snap a photo of the exact moment it happened and posted on Instagram. The pic showed Goulding and Swift approaching Harris, who was chatting with Sam Smith. 

"Calvin is a really great mate, and he's so fantastic, and Taylor is such a cool person who I love," Goulding told The Sun (via The Mirror) about playing matchmaker. "I thought, 'They're both really awesome and both really tall, they'll be brilliant together."

Goulding was right. The two immediately hit it off, and the next day, they met up at the Brit Awards and hung out at an afterparty. They reportedly saw each other again the day after that. 

April 29, 2015: Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift go Instagram official with her cats

While most celebrity couples make their relationship Instagram official with PDA-filled photos, Swift and Harris did things a little differently. Instead, the musical duo revealed they were officially dating, with the "Summer" producer sharing a since-deleted picture of Swift's beloved cats — Olivia Benson and Meredith Grey — to his grid, according to E! Online. 

May 17, 2015: Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift make their first public appearance as a couple

In the months after their first meeting, it was obvious that Swift and Harris were a couple. They didn’t make it official to the public until they attended the 2015 Billboard Music Awards together in May (although the official month of their first date was March). Swift took home the award for Top Female Artist (among many others), while Harris won for Top Dance/Electronic Artist. Another winner that night? Smith, who was there when the couple first met.

March 2016: Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift celebrate one-year anniversary on vacation

In March 2016, Swift and Harris celebrated their one-year anniversary with a romantic getaway. The two posted a series of adorable snaps — complete with gorgeous scenery, swimsuits, and their initials in the sand — from their tropical vacation on their respective Instagram accounts, per E!

One month later, Swift described her relationship with Harris as "magical." 

"I'm in a magical relationship right now," she told Vogue. "And, of course, I want it to be ours, and low-key, this is the one thing that's been mine about my personal life."

June 2016: Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift break up

After 15 months of dating, Harris and Swift split in June 2016, with a very messy breakup that, unfortunately, played out in the public eye. Initially, both opted to stay quiet, but Harris eventually went off on Swift on Twitter after the media reported that she wrote the DJ's smash single, "This Is What You Came For."

"I figure if you're happy in your new relationship you should focus on that instead of trying to tear your ex bf down for something to do," he wrote in a series of since-deleted tweets. "I know you're off tour and you need someone new to try and bury like Katy [Perry] ETC but I'm not that guy, sorry. I won't allow it." 

He added, "Please focus on the positive aspects of YOUR life because you've earned a great one." 

Reflecting on his social media rant a year later, Calvin said he regretted his behavior. 

"It was completely the wrong instinct," Harris told British GQ, per People. "I was protecting what I see as my one talent in the world being belittled. It felt like things were piling on top of me, and that was when I snapped."

He continued, "It's very difficult when something I consider so personal plays out very publicly. The aftermath of the relationship was way more heavily publicized than the relationship itself. When we were together, we were very careful for it not to be a media circus. She respected my feelings in that sense."

"I'm not good at being a celebrity. But when it ended, all hell broke loose," Harris added. "Now I see that Twitter thing as a result of me succumbing to pressure. It took me a minute to realize that none of that matters. I'm a positive guy."

As for why he and Swift broke up, Harris offered a simple explanation: "For both of us, it was the wrong situation. It clearly wasn't right, so it ended."

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