While Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been making headlines with their quiet retreats to the snowy peaks of Big Sky and Park City, one of Swift’s closest confidantes just gave fans a rare and emotional look into why the superstar has been keeping such a low profile as of late.

In a Billboard interview published on Friday, Gracie Abrams — who, for the uninitiated, is the daughter of filmmaker J.J. Abrams and spent a good chunk of last year opening up for Swift during her Eras Tour — opened up about the gravity of fame, explaining how witnessing Swift navigate it firsthand has left a deep impact on her. “I feel like I learned a lot from her, obviously,” Abrams shared, “but one of the things that I’ve felt lucky to observe is how extreme it can be [for her]. It helps right-size my own s***.”

Abrams continued, offering a glimpse into the toll that constant public scrutiny can take, even for someone as seasoned as Swift. “It’s like, I really don’t have it that bad in terms of invasion of privacy, you know what I mean?” she added. The heartbreaking implication is clear: Swift’s retreat from the spotlight isn’t just about downtime or her and Kelce’s next steps — it’s about self-preservation.

Over the years, Swift has faced multiple terrifying stalking incidents — from a man breaking into her New York apartment and using her shower, to another individual showing up armed outside her Beverly Hills home. In January 2024, a man was arrested outside her Tribeca townhouse after repeated trespassing attempts.

The Eras Tour juggernaut wrapped in December, and Swift has been in what insiders describe as a “rest-and-relaxation mode” ever since. Alongside Kelce, who’s also fresh off a Super Bowl loss, the couple has been seen — barely — in Montana and Colorado. Paparazzi haven’t had much luck keeping up, but that’s by design.

“They’ve been hitting the slopes… where they blended right in,” a source previously explained. “They love the anonymity.”

And it seems this low-key chapter is part of a larger, more meaningful pause. According to sources, Swift and Kelce are not only “still very much in love,” but reportedly “amping up wedding discussions.” Swift is even renovating her Rhode Island estate in what could be a nod to a more family-focused future.

Fans may be missing Swift’s usual public sparkle, but as she wisely said herself: “When you say a relationship is public, that means I’m going to see him do what he loves, we’re showing up for each other, other people are there and we don’t care.” But right now? This time is just for them.

Before you go, click to see all of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s cutest PDA moments.