Peace at Last: A Timeline of Taylor Swift and Katy Perry's Feud, From Beginning to End

Getty | Jeff Vespa / Axelle / Bauer-Griffin

Of all of Taylor Swift's friendships, feuds, and flames, perhaps the most infamous is with Katy Perry. While Taylor and Katy's friendship dates back to 2008 and all the drama started around 2012-2013, the feud actually wasn't on our radar until Taylor mentioned it in her Rolling Stone interview back in August 2014. After countless interviews, shady tweets, and songs, the longtime feud has officially come to an end. Katy extended an olive branch (literally) to Taylor in May 2018 ahead of her Reputation stadium tour, and the two pop stars officially made up in Swift's "You Need to Calm Down" music video. So, how did we get here? Let's take it back to the very beginning as we inspect every aspect of their relationship, from square one.

Sept. 7, 2008: Humble Beginnings
Getty | Kevin Mazur

Sept. 7, 2008: Humble Beginnings

The first official photos of Katy and Taylor were at the MTV VMAs in 2008. They include a lot of gold and a very different Miley Cyrus.

Feb. 7, 2009: Together at the Grammys
Getty | Larry Busacca

Feb. 7, 2009: Together at the Grammys

Taylor and Katy paired up again at one of music's biggest events.

May 4, 2009: Katy Tweets at Taylor

May 4, 2009: Katy Tweets at Taylor

Katy told Taylor she deserves all the awards and that she's an angel.

May 19, 2009: Taylor Mentions Katy

May 19, 2009: Taylor Mentions Katy

Two weeks later, this tweet happened. Taylor didn't tag Katy, and Katy didn't respond.

July 5, 2009: Taylor Mentions Katy, Again

July 5, 2009: Taylor Mentions Katy, Again

More praise, and this time Katy answered!

July 6, 2009: The Very Next Day

July 6, 2009: The Very Next Day

In her response to Taylor, Katy threw out the possibility of a collaboration.

Aug. 28, 2009: Another LOL Moment From Taylor

Aug. 28, 2009: Another LOL Moment From Taylor

Katy didn't respond.

Oct. 25, 2009: Taylor's Birthday Wish

Oct. 25, 2009: Taylor's Birthday Wish

Taylor praised Katy again in another tweet.

Dec. 13, 2009: Katy Returns the Favor

Dec. 13, 2009: Katy Returns the Favor

Katy wished Taylor a happy birthday in all caps.

November 2009-February 2010: Taylor Dates John Mayer
Getty | Dimitrios Kambouris

November 2009-February 2010: Taylor Dates John Mayer

And, as you probably know, John inspired Taylor's song "Dear John."

Jan. 15, 2010: Silly Shenanigans

Jan. 15, 2010: Silly Shenanigans

Then, this happened. We present it without comment.

Jan. 30, 2010: The Grammy Awards (Again)
Getty | Kevin Mazur

Jan. 30, 2010: The Grammy Awards (Again)

Another year, another pose at the Grammys.

click to play video

April 15, 2010: A Surprise Duet

Katy joined Taylor on stage as an impromptu guest during her stop at the Staples Center in LA. They sang "Hot N Cold."

April 16, 2010: And a Tweet to Boot

April 16, 2010: And a Tweet to Boot

Taylor also tweeted about the appearance.

Nov. 15, 2011: More Love From Taylor

Nov. 15, 2011: More Love From Taylor

Taylor tweeted Katy again with nothing but high praise.

Nov. 20, 2011: Taylor and Katy Hug It Out
Getty | Christopher Polk/AMA2011

Nov. 20, 2011: Taylor and Katy Hug It Out

The two looked especially friendly at the 2011 American Music Awards, where they shared smiles and sweet embraces.

Nov. 29, 2011: Katy Fights Back

Nov. 29, 2011: Katy Fights Back

The day before this tweet, Taylor shared a picture with her cat Meredith. Katy responded with a picture of her cat, Kitty Purry, and this sassy toss back.

Sometime in 2012 to Early 2016: Katy and John Mayer Start Dating
Getty | Kevin Mazur

Sometime in 2012 to Early 2016: Katy and John Mayer Start Dating

Sometime after John's split from Taylor, Katy swooped in. She and John have broken up and reconciled a few times, and as current rumor stands, they got back together in early 2015. They also reportedly had a Disneyland date together in May.

In 2016, though, Katy seems to have moved on from John to date Orlando Bloom. The two most recently popped up together in Cannes, but they've been going strong all, year long.

Feb. 10, 2013: A Little Bit of Grammys Awkwardness
Getty | Christopher Polk

Feb. 10, 2013: A Little Bit of Grammys Awkwardness

Not only is this the first year we didn't see them hugging it out, but this is also the only picture of the two. Could this be the start of the rift? Could John Mayer have set everything into motion?

March 13, 2013: The Dancers in Question
Instagram | onlyleah

March 13, 2013: The Dancers in Question

Taylor's Red Tour kicked off on this day. Lockhart Brownlie, Leah Adler, and Scott Myrick, pictured above, toured with Katy on her California Dreams tour in 2011. At the end of 2012, they auditioned for and booked Taylor's tour.

March 23, 2013: Katy Gets Cryptic

March 23, 2013: Katy Gets Cryptic

So, Katy gave Scott Myrick, one of the three dancers in question, a Barbie doll cake in 2012 to celebrate his birthday. When he tweeted a side by side with a similar cake to commemorate Taylor's Red tour, Katy retweeted, saying, "Mothers [sic] always watching." Was Katy referring to herself? Did she have her sights set on Taylor? No way of knowing for sure.

May 22, 2013: Killing Her With Kindness

May 22, 2013: Killing Her With Kindness

In May, two months into her tour, Taylor tweeted this, presumably because Katy tweeted, "I knew you were truffle when you walked in #dinnertime." But since Taylor didn't actually reply to that tweet specifically, we can't know for sure.

Throughout 2013: All the Dancer Drama
Instagram | onlyleah

Throughout 2013: All the Dancer Drama

This is where things really heat up: six months into Taylor's tour, the three aforementioned dancers were asked to join Katy again for her upcoming Prismatic World Tour. They all agreed and were essentially hired out from under Taylor. In an interview with The Examiner, which hit the web in December 2013, Lockhart spoke about it like it was no big deal: "It was a great experience and [Taylor]'s a great person to work with, but then Katy contacted us. Obviously we were with Katy for two and a half years, she's like family to us, so we were, like, 'Absolutely.' We weren't really dancing in Taylor's tour anyway so I had got a little bored and I really wanted to do a promo tour.'' So, they left.

August 2014: The Shot Heard 'Round the World
Theo Wenner | Rolling Stone

August 2014: The Shot Heard 'Round the World

This all brings us to that infamous Rolling Stone interview with Taylor Swift. Taylor talked about her new song "Bad Blood" and where the inspiration came from:

"For years, I was never sure if we were friends or not. She would come up to me at award shows and say something and walk away, and I would think, 'Are we friends, or did she just give me the harshest insult of my life?' [Then last year] she did something so horrible. I was like, 'Oh, we're just straight-up enemies.' And it wasn't even about a guy! It had to do with business. She basically tried to sabotage an entire arena tour. She tried to hire a bunch of people out from under me. And I'm surprisingly non-confrontational — you would not believe how much I hate conflict. So now I have to avoid her. It's awkward, and I don't like it."

Considering everything there is out there about the tour drama, this would have to be about Katy. Plus, as the quotes alludes to, we've seen them at plenty of award shows, too. Taylor talked a bit about a personal element in the piece as well. The article reads, "(Pressed, Swift admits there might have been a personal element to the conflict. 'But I don't think there would be any personal problem if she weren't competitive,' she says.)" While it still seems to be about business, there's a hint of a moment in there where you could see how it might be about John Mayer, too.

Sept. 9, 2014: Katy Perry's Enigmatic Clap Back

Sept. 9, 2014: Katy Perry's Enigmatic Clap Back

Shortly after Taylor's interview hit the web, Katy subtweeted about a "Regina George" in sheep's clothing. There's no context, nothing it could be linked to. Except, of course, Taylor and her Rolling Stone quotes, right?

Jan. 30, 2015: Katy's Interview Rebuttal
Billboard

Jan. 30, 2015: Katy's Interview Rebuttal

While it's not quite the diatribe Taylor went on in Rolling Stone, Katy still addressed the whole thing in an interview with Billboard Magazine, just ahead of her halftime performance at the Super Bowl. "If somebody is trying to defame my character," her quote says, "you're going to hear about it."

Feb. 1, 2015: Katy's Super Bowl Performance
Getty | Rob Carr

Feb. 1, 2015: Katy's Super Bowl Performance

When Katy took the stage at the Super Bowl, we were prepared for a Taylor takedown, especially after the Billboard interview. Surprisingly, though, there wasn't much. That being said, some thought the swimsuits on Katy's backup dancers looked awfully familiar.

May 23, 2015: Taylor Nips It in the Bud
Getty | Jeff Vespa / Axelle / Bauer-Griffin

May 23, 2015: Taylor Nips It in the Bud

In an interview with The Telegraph, Taylor said she's basically done talking about "Bad Blood" in so many words: "I'm not giving them anything to write about . . . I'm never going to talk about her in my interview. It's not going to happen."

May 17, 2015: "Bad Blood" Makes a Searing Premiere

May 17, 2015: "Bad Blood" Makes a Searing Premiere

Aside from the fact that Taylor recruited tons of women in Hollywood to be on her "team," there are so many possible Katy Perry digs in the video on top of that. We just had to write them all down.

June 3, 2015: Traitors? Spies? Neutral Participants?
Instagram | elliegoulding

June 3, 2015: Traitors? Spies? Neutral Participants?

At the beginning of June, Ellie Goulding shared and deleted a photo from a night out with Lorde and Katy. Lorde has been known to be a close friend of Taylor's, and Ellie was even in the "Bad Blood" video. So why were they hanging with Taylor's "straight-up enemy"? We can only speculate.

June 2015: Rumors, Rumors, Rumors
Getty | Jeffrey Mayer

June 2015: Rumors, Rumors, Rumors

In June, we thought the wheels were finally in motion on Katy's supposed revenge. Katy allegedly registered a song called "1984," which would be throwing obvious shade at Taylor's hit album 1989. Unfortunately, though, her managers denied the rumor, saying, "Katy Perry was not involved in writing, singing, recording or registering this song."

July 22, 2015: The VMAs Tweets

July 22, 2015: The VMAs Tweets

Taylor had a Twitter exchange with Nicki Minaj about the MTV VMAs in July 2015, and Katy eventually chimed in. Nicki called out issues within the music industry after the "Anaconda" music video didn't make the nominations for best video. Taylor took Nicki's comments personally, tweeting to the rapper, "I've done nothing but love and support you. It's unlike you to pit women against each other." Nicki quickly replied to clarify her comments, telling Taylor it wasn't about her. The next day, Katy Perry weighed in on the conversation, making a pretty clear reference to Taylor's tweet when she said, "Finding it ironic to parade the pit against other women argument about as one unmeasurably capitalizes on the takedown of a woman..."

February 21, 2016: The Potential Olive Branch
Getty | Jamie McCarthy

February 21, 2016: The Potential Olive Branch

Just ahead of the 2016 Grammys, Katy Perry decided to throw a preparty that was meant only for creators. "You have to be a creator," she said. "It's artists, producers and songwriters." Katy also confirmed that Taylor was invited, and that it was just up to her schedule whether she could make it. Taylor reportedly opted not to go.

June 22, 2016: Katy's Suspicious Fragrance Launch
Getty | Alberto E. Rodriguez

June 22, 2016: Katy's Suspicious Fragrance Launch

After quite a long quiet period, Katy released a brand new fragrance. It's called "Mad Love," and seems like a pretty clear reference to "Bad Blood," the song that started it all. As Taylor's lyrics go, "'Cause baby now we got bad blood / You know it used to be mad love." It's worth mentioning the name of the previous Katy Perry fragrance "Mad Potion," which could suggest a desired brand continuity on Katy's side. And yet, "Mad Love" falls so perfectly in line with everything else, it's hard to see it as just coincidence.

July 13, 2016: Katy Gets Shady on Twitter

Based on the "Regina George" tweet, the VMAs Twitter mess, and so on, it's clear Katy likes to get her feelings out on Twitter. In this case, once again, she doesn't mention Taylor by name, but it's all about context. Earlier in the day, Taylor reportedly claimed a writing credit on the new Calvin Harris song, "This Is What You Came For." This inspired Calvin to rant about Taylor on Twitter; he even mentioned Katy by name. Her Hillary Clinton GIF dropped shortly after that.

July 13, 2016: Katy Gets Even Shadier

Shortly after posting the Hillary Clinton GIF, Katy took it a step further and retweeted this old tweet from May 2015. The timing is not random, though, as she first posted the words as news of the "Bad Blood" music video flooded the media. Looks like Katy felt it was appropriate to give the tweet a second life.

September 10, 2016: Katy Extends Another Olive Branch — Well, Sort Of

Katy sent Twitter into a frenzy when she revealed she would work with Taylor, but only under one condition. During a Q&A session, one fan asked, "Will you collab with Taylor Swift?" to which she responded, "If she says sorry, sure!" Naturally, fans were taken aback by her reply.

April 13, 2017: The Feud Is Back On
Getty | Christopher Polk

April 13, 2017: The Feud Is Back On

The "Chained to the Rhythm" singer seemingly shaded Taylor in her Vogue interview. While Katy, along with other female celebrities like Beyoncé and Lena Dunham, vocally supported Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign, Taylor was notably absent from the political fray. Lena, a close friend of Taylor's, actually defended her pal's silence at the time by saying "everyone has to do it their way," but it's safe to say Katy didn't agree with that sentiment. "I don't think you have to shout it from the rooftops," she said. "But I think you have to stand for something, and if you're not standing for anything."

May 9, 2017: Katy Teams Up With Taylor's Ex

Calvin Harris posted a video promoting his upcoming album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol 1., via Twitter. In addition to featuring collaborations with Frank Ocean, John Legend, and Ariana Grande, Taylor's ex also joined forces with Katy. Their song has yet to be released.

click to play video

May 18, 2017: Katy Drops "Swish Swish"

Katy dropped the third single off her newest album, Witness, and it appeared to be another shot fired at Taylor. Not only does the title kind of sound like "Swift Swift," but the album art even shows Katy holding a receipt that says, "Karma Coffee & Tea."

click to play video

May 20, 2017: Katy Sets the Record Straight

After much speculation, Katy dropped by The Tonight Show and explained the true meaning behind the lyrics after Jimmy asked if the song featuring Nicki Minaj song is "about anyone we know." "I think it's a great anthem for people to use whenever someone's trying to hold you down or bully you," she explained "It's a liberation from all the negative that doesn't serve you."

click to play video

May 22, 2017: Could This Be the End of Their Feud?

The singer appeared ready to end her feud with Taylor when she dropped by The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special. Katy talked candidly with host James Corden about her ongoing beef with the pop star, saying, "There's a situation. She started it, and it's time for her to finish it."

She also admitted that she's ready to wipe her hands clean of the drama and move on. "What I want to say is that I'm ready for that BS to be done," she said. "Now, there is the law of cause and effect. You do something, there's going to be a reaction, and trust me, daddy, there's going to be a reaction. It's all about karma, right? I think personally that women together — not divided, and none of this petty bullsh*t — women together will heal the world."

May 31, 2017: Over It?
Getty | Jason Merritt

May 31, 2017: Over It?

While Taylor has yet to reach out, a source told Us Weekly, "She honestly wants no part of this, that's why she avoids talking about it. She doesn't want to engage."

June 8, 2017: Assassination of Character
Getty | Kevin Mazur/One Love Manchester

June 8, 2017: Assassination of Character

In an interview with NME, Katy tried to explain why she brought up the feud at all with James Corden. "Well, [Late Late Show host] James Corden makes me and the whole world feel very safe," she said. "No one has asked me about my side of the story, and there are three sides of every story: one, two, and the truth." She went on: "I mean, I'm not Buddha — things irritate me. I wish that I could turn the other cheek every single time, but I'm also not a pushover, you know? Especially when someone tries to assassinate my character with little girls [her fans]. That's so messed up!"

June 8, 2017: Taylor Returns — in a Way
Getty | Anthony Harvey

June 8, 2017: Taylor Returns — in a Way

Taylor's team announced that she would be returning her extensive music back catalog to streaming services, including Spotify, at midnight on June 9, the same time as Katy's Witness was set to drop. The news was shared via Instagram on Thursday as a "thank you" to fans for helping her 2014 album 1989 sell over 10 million copies.

Taylor famously removed her music from all streaming services — in a move that many considered the opposite of a "thank you" to fans — shortly before 1989 was released. In 2015, she wrote a letter to Apple Music explaining why she wouldn't be streaming 1989 on its new platform, and shortly after, the company made changes to its policy and Taylor "happily" changed her mind. Up until now, Apple Music has been the only place to listen to her music, and the timing of her move was pretty peculiar, considering it was just hours before Katy's new album was released.

June 10, 2017: Katy Forms an Alliance

Shortly after Taylor's Spotify return, Katy formed an alliance with none other than internet sensation Joanne the Scammer. Joanne, whose real name is Branden Miller, shared a photo of the two hanging out on Instagram and captioned it, "Me and my rich white friend thinking of ways we can sabotage our frenemy Taylor.. Iconic." We can only imagine what Katy and Joanne, a self-professed "messy b*tch who lives for drama," talked about.

June 10, 2017: Katy Officially Forgives Taylor
Getty | Jeff Kravitz/AMA2011

June 10, 2017: Katy Officially Forgives Taylor

In an interview with Thrive Global's Arianna Huffington, the "Swish Swish" singer said she's finally ready to put their feud to rest. "I am ready to let it go," she said. "I forgive her and I'm sorry for anything I ever did, and I hope the same from her. I think it's actually like, I think it's time. There are bigger fish to fry, and there are real problems in the world. You know what I'm saying?"

"I love her, and I want the best for her," Katy continued. "And I think she's a fantastic songwriter, and I think that if we, both her and I, can be representatives of strong women that come together despite their differences, I think the whole world is going to go like, 'Yeah, well we can do this.' I don't know. Maybe I don't agree with everything she does and she doesn't agree with everything I do, but I just really, truly want to come together in a place of love and forgiveness and understanding and compassion."

After expressing her forgiveness, Katy reportedly threw her hands up in the air and began singing "Let It Go" from Disney's Frozen. "There's a lot of other things out there in the world that people need to be focused on. God bless her on her journey. God bless her. Honestly."

March 18, 2018: Katy Isn't Ready to Bury the Hatchet, After All

During American Idol, Katy threw some shade when a contestant revealed that he looks up to Taylor. After gushing about how much he loves the "Delicate" singer, Katy quipped that she loves Taylor as well . . . as a songwriter.

May 8, 2018: Extending an Olive Branch
Instagram | taylorswift

May 8, 2018: Extending an Olive Branch

After years of feuding, it seems like the two superstars have called a truce. Ahead of opening night for Taylor's Reputation stadium tour in Glendale, AZ, the singer shared a video on her Instagram Story of an olive branch Katy sent to her dressing room. "So I just got to my dressing room and found this actual olive branch," she said in the clip. "This means so much to me." In addition to the gift, Katy also sent her "old friend" a hand-written note detailing how she wanted to clear the air.

June 11, 2019: Peace Cookies

More than a year after extending a literal olive branch, it appears Katy and Taylor have bonded over baking. Katy tagged Taylor in a plate of cookies, surrounded by the phrase "Peace at last" written in icing. Taylor replied with a series of heart emojis. Bad blood? Not anymore.

June 17, 2019: No More Beef

Katy and Taylor put their "beef" aside during the singer's "You Need to Calm Down" music video, where they dressed up as a hamburger and french fries, respectively, and hugged it out.