ivy

Mood

Production Style

Background

Produced by Aaron Dessner, 'ivy' is one of evermore's most discussed tracks, widely interpreted as a queer love story set in an unspecified historical period. The lush, folk-driven production creates an atmosphere of secrecy and forbidden desire.

Meaning & Interpretation

The song tells the story of a forbidden love — someone trapped in one relationship while irresistibly drawn to another person who grows over them like ivy, beautiful and impossible to remove. The imagery of ivy is deliberately dual: it is romantic and destructive, clinging and suffocating. The song never specifies gender, and its historical atmosphere has led many listeners to interpret it as a story of queer love in a time when such love had to remain hidden.

Personal Connection

Ivy became one of the most beloved tracks among fans who valued the folklore/evermore era's willingness to tell stories outside Taylor's own experience, particularly stories of marginalized love.