Taylor Swift's first music video for her new Reputation era is riddled with hidden messages her fans will spend an inordinate amount of dissecting. (Seriously, a Swifty's commitment to detective work is inspiring.) But what does it ultimately say? Taylor Swift is mad. And hell hath no fury like a Taylor Swift scorned.
Maybe.
The Joseph Kahn-directed video, that premiered at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, is a trip through all the negative things thrown in Swift's direction. She positions herself as the pretty bird in a cage, the robber of streaming services, and the leader of some group of well-heeled men. It's not apologetic by any means, but it does go against the whole wish to be excluded from the narrative thing. (Is she really making fun of Kim Kardashian West's Paris robbery?) Anyway, what is it we've (the people) made Taylor Swift do, besides reclaim snake imagery and expertly use Peaches' "Operate" in a song sample? Unclear. She's resurrecting herself from this self-prescribed death as something of a vengeful victim, but many are quick to point out that's been the case for a minute. Regardless, her video release made the world do something, and that something was take a breather from the VMAs before the season finale of Game of Thrones premiered.
See the video, below.
