It’s been over a decade, and yet, the internet still won't let it go. If you were on Tumblr or Twitter in December 2014, you remember where you were when the grainy, pixelated footage dropped. It was the "Zapruder film" of the pop music world. Two of the biggest stars on the planet—Taylor Swift and supermodel Karlie Kloss—were caught in a dark balcony at a 1975 concert, and for a split second, it looked like they were making out.
That single moment, now immortalized as "Kissgate," changed the trajectory of Swift’s fandom forever. It birthed a thousand conspiracy theories and, honestly, probably put a massive strain on what was then the most public "bestie" pairing in Hollywood.
But what actually happened when the lights went down at Terminal 5?
The Night Everything Changed: December 4, 2014
Taylor was at the peak of her 1989 era. She was living in New York, she had her "squad," and Karlie Kloss was basically her shadow. They had just finished the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in London and flew back to NYC. That Thursday night, they headed to see The 1975.
The venue was Terminal 5. It was loud, crowded, and filled with fans who had their iPhones ready. A fan named Kathy captured a video from across the venue. In the clip, Taylor and Karlie are leaning over a railing. They’re close—like, really close. At one point, Karlie wraps her arm around Taylor’s neck, and Taylor appears to lean in.
The internet exploded. Within hours, the phrase taylor swift karlie kloss kiss was trending globally.
The PR Firestorm
Taylor’s team didn't just ignore it; they moved with a speed that felt like a tactical military strike. Her spokesperson at the time, Tree Paine (who had just started working for Taylor that year), told Gossip Cop that the rumors were "hilarious" and "absolutely not true."
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Two days later, Taylor herself took to Twitter with a rare bit of public snark: "As my 25th birthday present from the media, I'd like for you to stop accusing all my friends of dating me. #dontbeTHATguy"
Why People Still Think They Kissed
Despite the denials, a massive subset of the fandom—often called "Gaylors"—points to the footage as smoking-gun evidence. If you watch the video in slow motion (and trust me, people have spent thousands of hours doing exactly that), you see a level of intimacy that feels deeper than "just friends."
There’s a moment where Karlie seems to cup Taylor’s face. There’s another where Taylor reaches for Karlie’s hand.
The arguments for the kiss:
- The Body Language: It wasn't just a lean-in to hear. It was a full-body embrace in a dark corner.
- The Deleted Posts: Fans noticed Taylor "liked" several posts on Tumblr that night referencing the two of them together, only to "unlike" them once the news broke.
- The Rep’s Reaction: Some fans felt the denial was too aggressive, suggesting they were trying to bury a truth rather than clear up a misunderstanding.
The Counter-Argument: It Was Just Loud
Honestly? If you’ve ever been to Terminal 5, you know it’s basically a concrete box with some of the worst acoustics in Manhattan. You cannot hear the person standing next to you unless your mouth is literally against their ear.
The "official" story is that they were simply whispering to each other to be heard over Matty Healy’s vocals. From a distance, in a blurry, low-light photo, two blonde heads touching looks like a kiss. Perspective is a funny thing. If you want to see a kiss, you’ll see one. If you want to see two friends shouting about a setlist, you’ll see that too.
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The Fallout and the "Great War"
Whether they kissed or not, the event seemed to mark the beginning of the end for the public-facing version of their friendship. Before Kissgate, they were everywhere. They were on the cover of Vogue. Karlie had her own room in Taylor’s Tribeca apartment, stocked with her favorite Whole Foods snacks.
After that night, the public sightings started to thin out.
By the time the Reputation era rolled around in 2017, the "squad" was dead. Karlie was seen hanging out with Kendall Jenner (the sister of Taylor’s then-arch-nemesis Kim Kardashian). Then came the Scooter Braun drama. When Scooter bought Taylor’s masters in 2019, Karlie—who was managed by Scooter—stayed silent. Or worse, she was seen vacationing with him.
For Taylor, that felt like the ultimate betrayal. She’s famously big on loyalty.
Where Do They Stand in 2026?
It’s been over a decade since that concert. Karlie is a mother now, married to Joshua Kushner. Taylor is… well, she’s Taylor Swift, currently the biggest artist on the planet and seemingly happy with Travis Kelce.
But the echoes of that taylor swift karlie kloss kiss still linger in the music.
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Fans dissect songs like "Maroon," "Gold Rush," and "The Great War," looking for references to a "crooked love" or a friendship that went up in flames. Even at the Eras Tour in 2023, Karlie was spotted in the stands at SoFi Stadium. She wasn't in the VIP tent with Taylor’s family; she was in the "regular" seats, buying her own ticket like everyone else.
It was a loud, clear message: They aren't "Best Best Friends" anymore.
What you should take away from this
The "kiss" at the 1975 concert is one of those pop culture mysteries that will likely never be solved with a "yes" or "no." It exists in the grey area of celebrity culture.
If you’re looking for the truth, keep these things in mind:
- Context Matters: Concerts are loud. Physical proximity is necessary for communication.
- The Digital Trail: Taylor’s reaction was immediate and defensive, which usually happens when a celebrity feels their "brand" or privacy is being threatened.
- The Music: Taylor tells her truth through lyrics. If you want to know how she felt about Karlie, listen to the songs about New York, "big suns," and "garden gates."
You don't need a 4K video to see that whatever they had—friendship or something more—was incredibly intense and ended painfully. Sometimes the "almost" moments are the ones that leave the deepest scars.
If you’re diving back into the 1989 era, pay attention to the liner notes. Taylor often hides the real stories in plain sight, far away from the blurry camera lenses of Terminal 5.
Next Steps for the Superfan: Check out the 1989 (Taylor's Version) vault tracks. Songs like "Say Don't Go" and "Is It Over Now?" offer a lot of insight into the headspace Taylor was in during the exact months when her friendship with Karlie was at its most volatile. Observe the lyrics about "blue dresses" and "searching for your face in the crowd"—the clues are always there if you know where to look.