TV Romance
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’: 13 Taylor Swift Song Predictions for Season 3
The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s third season is almost here, and it’s sure to include a song or two (or much more) from pop star favorite Taylor Swift, who has lent her tunes to the Prime Video hit since its debut.
As we gear up for the final chapter in Belly’s (Lola Tung) story, she finds herself torn between Fisher brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno). While the trailer, which features Swift’s “Daylight” and “Red,” teases Belly’s college experience and engagement to Jeremiah, book lovers know that Conrad shouldn’t be counted out as we approach her endgame.
If you haven’t read Jenny Han‘s book We’ll Always Have Summer, be forewarned that we’re about to delve into some spoilers below as we make a prediction about which songs will make an appearance in The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s final season. And while we would love some callbacks to iconically used songs, like Season 1’s “The Way I Loved You (Taylor’s Version),” we’re exploring tunes that have yet to make an appearance in the actual show.
Scroll down to see our predictions, and let us know which Taylor Swift song you hope to hear in The Summer I Turned Pretty before it ends for good.
The Summer I Turned Pretty, Season 3 Premiere, Wednesday, July 16, Prime Video
"Begin Again"
If we know one thing by now about Taylor Swift songs in The Summer I Turned Pretty, it’s that a mere chorus can be used, or a fuller portion of the tune will play against a pivotal scene. While not every lyric that is tied to Swift’s Red single, “Begin Again,” fits with the narrative of Belly’s story, there is a period towards the end of the third book where she spends time enjoying college outside of a relationship, and eventually she grows back in love with Conrad while receiving letters from him as she studies abroad. The lyrics for this tune talk about having a negative view of love for several months until “on a Wednesday in a cafe,” she “watched it begin again.” It feels as if this song could represent Belly and Conrad’s reconnection after heartbreak, but only time will tell. – Meaghan Darwish
"Fresh Out the Slammer"
Fresh out the slammer, I know who Belly’s first call will be to: Conrad, of course. “Fresh Out the Slammer” is the perfect song for any love triangle situation, especially when the narrator is really in love with the person they’re not in a relationship with. When Jeremiah inevitably screws up and breaks Belly’s heart, it’ll only be fitting for her to eventually turn to Conrad. – Alyssa Norwin
"Speak Now"
When Conrad (hopefully) says the words, “Don’t marry him. Don’t be with him. Be with me,” direct from We’ll Always Have Summer, the spirit of 2010 Taylor Swift will be flowing through him at such extreme levels that a 13 may magically appear on his hand. In the Season 3 trailer, we’ve seen talks of nuptials and Belly in a white dress, but readers of Jenny Han’s books know that she never made it down the aisle. Of course, there is no guarantee the show will follow the books exactly, but Conrad’s desperate love confession begging her not to marry the wrong person, his own brother, is something fans have been eagerly waiting to see play out for years. There is no song more on theme for an interrupted wedding than “Speak Now.” Yes, there may be horrified looks from everyone in the room, namely Jeremiah. But Conrad’s eyes, as they’ve always been, will only be on his girl. Belly, don’t say yes, run away now! – Isabel Begun
"Out of the Woods"
From one car-centric rumor to another, “Out of the Woods” is the perfect Steven (Sean Kaufman) and Taylor (Rain Spencer) song. At this point, everyone has heard the fan theory that the Season 3 trailer alludes to Steven getting into a car accident, leaving Taylor crying in a hospital. Since there is a Taylor Swift song for every kind of heartbreak, “Out of the Woods” may become our Staylor anthem. After all, Ms. Swift didn’t write, “Remember when you hit the brakes too soon? Twenty stitches in a hospital room, When you started crying, baby I did too” for nothing. – Rebecca Perlmutter
"Happiness"
Whether you’re Team Jeremiah or you’re Team Conrad, it’s time to face the music — every love triangle comes to an end. For the romantic reckoning ahead, we’re hoping Belly’s rage is set to “Happiness” from Taylor Swift’s most underrated album, Evermore. Belly has been burned before by both Fisher boys, but based on We’ll Always Have Summer, her most significant heartbreak has yet to come. If we had to guess, “No one teaches you what to do when a good man hurts you” is going to hit very close to home this season, making “Happiness” the perfect song for all of the complicated feelings ahead. – Rebecca Perlmutter
"Champagne Problems"
A Taylor Swift song about a rejected marriage proposal?! Sounds like the perfect opportunity for The Summer I Turned Pretty. Belly initially says yes to Jeremiah’s proposal in We’ll Always Have Summer, but the wedding ultimately doesn’t happen. When (okay, if) Belly doesn’t go through with marrying Jeremiah and walks away from him, I’m going to need Belly grabbing a bottle of champagne on her way out as the following lyrics play: “Because I dropped your hand while dancing / Left you out there standing / Crestfallen on the landing / Champagne problems.” – Avery Thompson
"Right Where You Left Me"
This Evermore deluxe track captures the pain of being stuck in time, emotionally frozen by a breakup after the other person has seemingly moved on. Its raw and vulnerable energy would be a perfect selection for Belly or Conrad as they reflect on where their relationship fell apart. Taylor’s imagery of being stuck alone in a restaurant long after the other person perfectly mirrors Belly’s conflict with Conrad. Whether used to depict a solo moment of heartbreak or a flashback to a turning point in their relationship, this deep cut will hit like a gut punch. – Jaynelynn Sullivan
"The Prophecy"
From The Tortured Poets Department, this song is perfect for the moments when Belly questions whether the love she imagined for herself will come true or if she’s destined to keep making the wrong decisions. With heavy themes of longing, this track from The Anthology could fit a turning point in Season 3 where everything feels out of Belly’s control and has the emotional power to support a moment where the weight of fate versus choice becomes essential to Belly’s arc this season. – Jaynelynn Sullivan
"Mary's Song"
“Mary’s Song” is about a wedding and reminiscing on their relationship as children. That is exactly what the third season of The Summer I Turned Pretty is about. There hasn’t been a song from Taylor Swift’s debut album yet, and this would be the perfect one to represent it. The lyrics “Well, I was 16 when suddenly I wasn’t that little girl you used to see, But your eyes still shined like pretty lights” perfectly describe when Conrad saw Belly for the first time after she “turned pretty.” Belly has loved Conrad since they were children, so the lyrics “She said, I was seven and you were nine, I looked at you like the stars that shine” would be perfect to play since she always thought Conrad could do no wrong in her eyes. – Brittany Sims
"The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived"
“I would’ve died for your sins, instead I just died inside, you deserve prison, but you won’t get time…” Just picture this bridge playing as Belly slaps Jeremiah across the face and storms away with tears streaming down her face after finding out that he completely betrayed her on spring break. Enough said. – Alyssa Norwin
"So Long, London"
I’m a self-professed Conrad girlie, but I’m not going to deny the magnitude of Belly’s love for Jeremiah. If the final season follows the book, major heartbreak is ahead. It’s going to hurt when Belly and Jeremiah’s relationship ends. She’ll be saying goodbye to a very pivotal moment in her life, one that she held onto with a “white knuckle dying grip” until she couldn’t anymore. “So Long, London” is one of TSwift’s most devastating tracks about the death of a relationship, and it’s worthy of being incorporated into TSITP Season 3. If I hear that intro in any episode, I will instantly burst into tears. – Avery Thompson
"Crazier"
“Crazier” from The Hannah Montana Movie would be the biggest shocker on the playlist. But the song fits them very well, especially for the third season. “I watched from a distance as you made life your own” would fit when Conrad watched over Belly from a distance as she went to college and he became a doctor. He wrote her letter after letter, even when she didn’t respond. Even when it wasn’t summer, he watched over her. They also made each other crazier going back and forth about their feelings for each other and when he couldn’t make up his mind if her wanted to be with Belly. – Brittany Sims
"Back to December"
This song was used in a Season 2 trailer but wasn’t ultimately used in the show. Season 3 feels like it could be the perfect time to pull out the Speak Now track for a feature. The song describes missing a former love you didn’t value enough at the time, which could be applied to various perspectives from the series. While we’d initially apply it to Belly thinking about Conrad while she’s with Jeremiah, it could also be applied to Conrad as he gears up to tell Belly the truth about his feelings before she marries Jeremiah. “So this is me swallowin’ my pride, Standin’ in front of you sayin’ I’m sorry for that night,” could allude to the prom night where Belly and Conrad parted ways, or even the night they spent in the motel in Season 2’s finale. Or the December mention could apply to the forthcoming holiday hangout that Belly and Conrad will have at Cousins Beach, as teased in the trailer. Only time will tell, but we wouldn’t hate to hear the song. – Meaghan Darwish
