Taylor Swift’s “betty” provides James’s perspective in the trilogy that includes “august.”
The connected songs are built around James, Betty, and the unnamed narrator of “august.” James has a summer relationship with the narrator while he is already connected to Betty. Afterward, he returns to Betty and attempts to address what happened, giving “betty” its apologetic, reflective viewpoint.
The three-song construction lets Folklore explore the same fictional situation through separate voices. “august” emphasizes longing and a romance that was never truly possessed. “cardigan” centers Betty’s memories. “betty” shifts to James as he looks back on his choices and seeks reconciliation.
The song title can cause confusion because Betty is named directly in it. However, the title identifies the person James addresses, not the singer’s narrative viewpoint. Swift’s songs use character names as part of a broader fictional story, rather than as autobiographical labels.