People Who Have Had Miscarriages Are Relating To Taylor Swift’s Song About Loss

One of Taylor Swift’s new songs about grief after loss is resonating with a particular group of people. On “Bigger Than The Whole Sky,” one of the bonus tracks on her Midnights album, Swift sings about someone grieving a premature loss or someone being gone too soon. Though it’s not entirely clear what the song is about, some fans believe it’s touching on pregnancy loss — with people who have experienced miscarriages gravitating toward the heartbreaking lyrics.

The first verse focuses on becoming “sick with sadness,” while the chorus points to someone or a version of someone who Swift has never met:

“Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye / You were bigger than the whole sky / You were more than just a short time / And I’ve got a lot to pine about / I’ve got a lot to live without / I’m never gonna meet / What could’ve been, would’ve been / What should’ve been you / What could’ve been, would’ve been you."

The second verse also alludes to feelings of guilt, as Swift sings, “Did some force take you because I didn’t pray?” Some listeners have taken to Twitter and YouTube to share how “Bigger Than The Whole Sky” makes them feel. “I miscarried in August; this song captures everything I felt, and still continue to feel sometimes,” YouTube user Ruby Ayers wrote. Bustle reached out to Swift’s rep for comment about these listeners’ reactions but did not hear back at the time of publication.

According to the Mayo Clinic, 10 to 20% of known pregnancies end in a miscarriage, but the number is likely higher, making it an unfortunately common occurrence. The experience can feel isolating, and the emotions expressed in Swift’s song have been validating to listeners, as expressed in these tweets:

Regardless of whether the song is about pregnancy loss or just loss in general, fans are finding solace in Swift’s words. This “is a type of song people should fight about,” Twitter user @my_old_scarf noted of the song’s universal appeal. “It’s about grief, and however you can relate to it is valid. whether it’s a miscarriage, death of a loved one, the ending of a relationship that you know would've lasted your whole life, etc.”

Some fans are also defending the song’s ambiguity — and respectfully asking others not to question what exactly Swift is describing. “Swifties, let’s agree that ‘Soon You’ll Get Better’ and ‘Bigger Than The Whole Sky’ are the two songs we don’t ask questions about, or speculate about, and we appreciate in our own ways,” @ZannasTayTweets said, adding: “The fact ‘Bigger Than The Whole Sky’ is one of the top trending songs from Midnights shows we all have secret pain. Be kind; to other Swifties, to other people, and to yourself.”

“Taylor Swift once said she wanted people to have a song for every moment of their life. If people who have had a miscarriage can relate to and find comfort in ‘Bigger Than The Whole Sky,’ I think that’s really beautiful and powerful,” @sarcasticerveg wrote. “Please listen to this song.”

Even if the song is not about experiencing a miscarriage, the feelings associated with loss that resonate with listeners are powerful.