Most of Taylor Swift's evermore songs are about characters she created, with "long story short" being the only fully fact-based song about her life and relationship with Joe Alwyn. But fans
were quick to look for allusions to Swift and her friends in the album's lyrics, and several theorized that "dorothea" is about Swift's longtime friend Selena Gomez.
One fan pointed out in a detailed Twitter thread that Gomez's favorite childhood movie is The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy is the main character, maybe the name inspiration for Dorothea), she once played a character named Dot, Gomez is famous and has a makeup line ("you'rе a queen sellin' dreams, sellin' makeup and magazines," though notably several celebrities like Rihanna and Lady Gaga also fit that lyric), and her mother put her into child beauty pageants ("Your mom and her pageant schemes"), among other things. You can read the thread here.
4. “A tiny screen’s the only place i see you now” Due to the pandemic and busy schedules, the pair hasn’t been seen together in the same place since 2018. They recently reunited on Facetime on Selena’s cooking show. (- @selankagomez pointed this one) pic.twitter.com/8G3kB0A5O6
— léa ?? evermore (@kbyerevival) December 11, 2020
But while there's a chance bits of Gomez inspired the character Dorothea since evermore is a blend of fact and fiction, the song isn't explicitly about Gomez. Swift laid out the truth about her track "dorothea" just minutes after the album came out in a note, making it clear that Dorothea is fictional.
As Swift wrote, she created "17 tales, some of which are mirrored or intersecting with one another," adding that "dorothea" is about "Dorothea, the girl who left her small town to chase down Hollywood dreams—and what happens when she comes back or the holidays and rediscovers an old flame.’" (Swift even gave Dorothea a small town to be from: Tupelo, MS. Gomez is from Grand Prairie, TX.) In a Youtube comment, Swift added that in evermore, "thematically, we still explored mythology, stories, and secrets."
I have no idea what will come next. I have no idea about a lot of things these days and so I’ve clung to the one thing that keeps me connected to you all. That thing always has and always will be music. And may it continue, evermore. evermore is out now: https://t.co/QYMUTL0IAjpic.twitter.com/tlSmahDkBi
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) December 11, 2020
Another fan theorized that "dorothea" is connected to another evermore song, the same way folklore's "august," "betty," and "cardigan" were linked, telling a story about different fictional characters. The fan wrote, "Dorothea is linked to 'Tis the damn season and it’s about a couple that broke up because she go away chasing her dreams (like she said in fifteen) So she became famous and he only see her in tv, magazines, etc. It is totally not about Selena."
Dorothea is linked to 'Tis the damn season and it’s about a couple that broke up because she go away chasing her dreams (like she said in fifteen) So she became famous and he only see her in tv, magazines, etc. It is totally not about Selena #evermorealbumhttps://t.co/2ePCdKUZgs
— folklore aoty (@taylena_harry) December 11, 2020
? YT | Taylor Swift on ‘dorothea’ in the #willowMusicVideo premiere chat
“There’s not a direct continuation of the betty/james/august storyline, but in my mind Dorothea went to the same school as Betty James and Inez. You’ll meet her soon ?” pic.twitter.com/2FiX7rmqTf
— Taylor Swift News (@TSwiftNZ) December 11, 2020
Take a look at the song's lyrics, via Genius, and draw your own conclusions about whether there's traces of Gomez in the track. You can listen to the song below too:
Verse 1
Hey, Dorothea, do you ever stop and think about me?
When we were younger down in the park
Honey, making a lark of the misery
You got shiny friends since you left town
A tiny screen's the only place I see you now
And I got nothing but well-wishes for yaPre-Chorus
Ooh, this place is the same as it ever was
Ooh, but you don't like it that wayChorus
It's never too late to come back to my side
The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo
And if you're ever tired of bеing known for who you know
You know, you'll always know me, Dorothea (Uh-uh)
Dorothea (Ah-ah)Post-Chorus
Ooh, you'rе a queen sellin' dreams, sellin' makeup and magazines
Ooh, from you I'd buy anythingVerse 2
Hey, Dorothea, do you ever stop and think about me?
When it was calmer, skipping the prom just to piss off your mom and her pageant schemes
And damn, Dorothea, they all wanna be ya
But are you still the same soul I met under the bleachers? Well...
Pre-Chorus
Ooh, I guess I'll never know
Ooh, and you'll go on with the showChorus
But it's never too late to come back to my side
The stars in your eyes shined brighter in Tupelo
And if you're ever tired of being known for who you know
You know, you'll always know me, Dorothea (Uh-uh)
Dorothea (Ah-ah)Outro
Ooh, ooh
Ooh-woo-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh, ooh
Ooh-woo-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Dorothea (Ah-ah-ah)
Ah-ah
Ooh