In “Afterglow,” Taylor sings about self-sabotaging a relationship, overreacting about a misunderstanding. Taking blame for the fight, she asks for forgiveness from her partner in order to save the relationship.

The title of this song was teased in Swift’s music video for her single “Lover”. In the video, a hand plays the words “After” and “Glow,” on a scrabble board.

Notably, the board is titled “King of Hearts,” a nod to “King of My Heart,” which is a song on Swift’s album reputation, hinting that the two songs are about the same person, namely her steady boyfriend of over three years, actor Joe Alwyn.