Jake Owen addresses Taylor Swift's 2010 hit song Sparks Fly is about him

Jake Owen is responding to the claims that the song Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift is about him.

As fans explore the notion in the wake of the release of Speak Now (Taylor's Version), the country artist doesn't seem to mind that many people believe he is the subject of one of Swift's 2010 hit songs. The theory has been mentioned to Owen, who is now 41, for years, but it has never affected him.

"It’s a great song and the speculation has always been funny to me," admits Owen, speaking to People magazine Wednesday at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where he was participating in the American Century Championship.

"I’m sure Taylor probably laughs at it all too, but I’m happy to even have my name in the discussion around it."

The singer-songwriter went on to claim that he has "known Taylor since she was 16" and has always been an admirer of her work. His own most recent album, Loose Cannon, was released late last month.

"She’s an amazing girl and an amazing artist," Owen says, adding, "It’s been incredible to see how she’s grown as a musician and what a global phenomenon she’s become."

Fans have put together a theory regarding the song's inspiration based on earlier statements and "easter eggs" that Midnights singer Swift, 33, frequently hides for her fans to find.