Gavin BondThough Calvin Harris has often hinted at his breakup from Taylor Swift, he's finally addressing it head-on in a new interview with GQ.
Winning Patron Tequila's Solo Artist of the Year in the GQ Men of the Year issue, the international DJ revealed that the split made more headlines than their actual relationship ever did, which made things even harder.
"It's very difficult when something I consider so personal plays out very publicly," he told the publication (via The Sun). "The aftermath of the relationship was way more heavily publicized than the relationship itself."
In fact, despite what may have been reported, Harris said the couple never wanted the extra attention.
"When we were together, we were very careful for it not to be a media circus," he said. "She respected my feelings in that sense."
In fact, Harris regrets ever using social media to discuss their issues—especially after calling her out for allegedly leaking information about being one of the writers on "This Is What You Came For."
"It was completely the wrong instinct. I was protecting what I see as my one talent in the world being belittled," Harris told GQ. "It felt like things were piling on top of me, and that was when I snapped. I'm not good at being a celebrity, but when it ended, all hell broke loose. Now I see that Twitter thing as a result of me succumbing to pressure. It took me a minute to realize that none of that matters. I'm a positive guy."
Harris also hinted at their split while accepting his award from GQ in London on Tuesday night, thanking his manager Mark Gillespie for helping him through the tabloid rumors.
"I feel at 32 I'm nearing the end. Just kidding," he began his speech, for which he was introduced by Ellie Goulding. "This week ten years ago was when I left Marks and Spencer Simply food in Clapham South where I carried out such tasks as date-rotating sandwiches and telling old ladies where we moved the salmon."
He then dedicated the award to Gillespie, adding, "We started out at the same time. We discovered a lot of new exciting experiences together, whether it be touring together or dealing with endless amount of bulls--t that's written about people in 2016. So thank you."
Meanwhile, it seems T.Swift and Harris have swapped spots in the romance world. Rumors have been swirling that the DJ has found love with Eiza González, while the singer and boyfriend Tom Hiddleston have reportedly called it quits.