A backlash against Kayla Nicole began again after Taylor Swift released her 2025 album, The Life of a Showgirl. The song “Opalite” includes lyrics that fans saw as a slur to Nicole, who is the ex-girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
The specific lines that triggered the speculation were, “You were in it for real, she was in her phone / And you were just a pose”. Fans interpreted these words as a reference to the connection between Kelce and Nicole, particularly regarding Nicole’s public image and use of her phone.
The theory was further driven by an old video that gained new attention online. In the clip, Kelce is seen asking Nicole to get off her phone while the two were having dinner together. This footage seemingly confirmed the lyrics for many fans and intensified the social media commentary.
Travis Kelce begs ex Kayla Nicole to ‘get off your phone’ in resurfaced video after Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ diss https://t.co/a3e4bg1EZT pic.twitter.com/WAXGwSbJoO
— Page Six (@PageSix) October 3, 2025
Travis Kelce also appeared to fuel the rumors by mentioning on his New Heights podcast that “Opalite” was his favorite song from the album.
Kayla Nicole Says She’s ‘Terrified’ of Critical Comments Following Taylor Swift’s Song Release
Nicole has faced constant online bullying and harassment from Taylor Swift’s fans, known as “Swifties,” since the song was released. Trolls have filled her social media posts with negative comments, attacking her looks and accusing her of seeking attention.
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The harassment has been so ongoing that Nicole has talked about its emotional effects. In an October 2024 podcast, she said that even when she shares something simple, like a photo of the sky, people comment about her ex-boyfriend.
Nicole faced a lot of mean comments, but she stood strong and defended herself. After the song came out, she shared a clip from America’s Next Top Model where she said, “I don’t compare myself to other girls.”
She has also directly addressed the trolls on social media, writing, “YOU WILL NEVER MAKE ME HATE ME” and telling them to “leave me alone”.
YOU WILL NEVER MAKE ME HATE ME. Hang it upppppppp bookie. https://t.co/cGV2N9pzoB
— that girl. (@iamkaylanicole) September 30, 2024
She even joked that if trolls insist on leaving negative comments, they should do it on her sponsored posts so she can make money from the extra engagement.
This story shows how much the harassment has affected Nicole’s mental health. She admitted to feeling “terrified” of checking her social media comments and direct messages, expressing the desire not to be “triggered”.
The endless commentary has made her feel “dehumanized” and caused her to question her “overall value as a person”. It is clear that the situation has taken a significant emotional toll on her, even years after the breakup.
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Nicole has spoken out not just to fans, but also to journalists and the media. As a broadcast journalism graduate, she knows how stories can be sensationalized.
She wishes journalists would “hold ourselves to a higher standard” and “remember there’s a human on the other side of these headlines.” Nicole believes it is wrong to create headlines “at the cost of someone else’s mental health.”
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have not publicly responded to Nicole’s harassment. As a result, she is dealing with the “online chaos” mostly on her own.
