NEWSKayla Nicole Fires Back at Claim She 'Tears Women Down' After Targeting Taylor Swift With Halloween Costume
Kayla Nicole clapped back at the idea that she 'tears women down' after shading her ex Travis Kelce's fiancee, Taylor Swift, with her Halloween costume.
Nov. 11 2025, Published 5:05 p.m. ET
Kayla Nicole fired back at claims she took a dig at Taylor Swift with her Toni-Braxton-inspired Halloween look, insisting she's not in the "business" of throwing shade at other women.
"As with anything, I think that people will try to project their own narratives," Nicole, 34, said during the Saturday, November 8 episode of her "Pre-Game" podcast. "I think it's very important to say this, in this moment, I am not in the business of tearing women down."
Kayla Nicole Turned Heads on Halloween
Kayla Nicole made headlines for her recreation of Toni Braxton's 2000s hit.
Nicole turns heads on Halloween with her recreation of Braxton's look for her 2000s hit "He Wasn't Man Enough." The see-through outfit paired a chrome thong bikini with a metallic silver chain mini dress, and Nicole took things a step further by mimicking some of Braxton's iconic choreography.
Fans Interpreted Kayla Nicole's Look as Shade
Fans believed Kayla Nicole's look was shade directed at Taylor Swift.
Fans immediately translated the look as shade directed at Swift, 35, who is engaged to Nicole's ex-boyfriend Travis Kelce, due to lyrics like, "Listen, girl / Who do you think I am? / Don't you know that he was my man? / But I chose to let him go / So, why do you act like I still care about him?"
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Taylor Swift Engaged to Kayla Nicole's Ex Travis Kelce
Kayla Nicole's ex Travis Kelce started dating Taylor Swift in 2023.
Nicole dated Kelce, 36, on and off from 2017 to 2022. After their split, the Kansas City Chiefs star moved on with the "Love Story" singer, whom he proposed to in August.
The "Pre-Game" podcast host slammed backlash she faced about her costume, pointing out that the track holds a special place in her heart and was inspired by a close friend.
Kayla Nicole Defended Costume
Kayla Nicole defended her decision to dress up as Toni Braxton.
"I've been listening to this since it came out," she spilled about the sassy song. "I have a very specific memory about it growing up. I had a white best friend. Her name was Taylor, her mom's name was Pam. And she was the only house I could go over to as a kid because my mom didn't play them type of games."
She continued, "I specifically remember driving home from private school in my little uniform in the back of a paddy wagon with Taylor, and her mom was playing this song. [Singing] at the top of her lungs. It was just that ah-ha moment, like wow, white people listen to Black people music as well."
