Which three Folklore songs tell the fictional teenage love triangle involving Betty, James, and an unnamed girl?

“Cardigan,” “August,” and “Betty” tell Folklore’s fictional teenage love triangle involving Betty, James, and an unnamed girl.

Swift described these three songs as a connected story told from different perspectives and at different points in the characters’ lives. “Cardigan” presents Betty’s perspective, “Betty” follows James as he tries to address his mistake, and “August” centers on the unnamed girl who has a summer romance with James.

The tracks are not a literal account of publicly identified people. They are part of Folklore’s shift toward fictional narratives, character arcs, and imagined settings. That approach encouraged listeners to connect details across the album while still leaving room for interpretation.

The trio is sometimes called Folklore’s teenage love triangle. Other songs on the album also contain recurring imagery and themes, but they do not belong to this specific three-song narrative. The distinction helps separate the triangle from the album’s broader collection of fictional and autobiographical elements.