Experience Taylor Swift’s Midnights in a whole new way.
At this point, we have all had about a month with Taylor Swift’s tenth album Midnights. We have been able to choose our favorite songs and our not-so-favorite songs. If you are starting to get some Midnights fatigue, listen to the songs in these specific places and situations for a new and amazing experience with the album.
First up on the album is “Lavender Haze.” If you want to get the full experience of this song, I suggest a full-on shower performance, with choreography and everything. Really lean into the performance of this song, and totally belt it out. This song is all about ignoring all of the expectations of society and living in your own haze. What better place to escape society than with a full shower performance?
Next up we have “Maroon,” which in my opinion, is one of the best love songs ever written. I mean just the fact that it’s called “Maroon” shows how much deeper this love is than any love she’s ever had before (think about “Red”). If you are lucky enough to have a significant other, that is who you need to listen to this song with. Lay with them and think about how deep and amazing your love is. If you don’t have a significant other, then I suggest you lay in your bed and listen to this song while envisioning the deep love of “Maroon” that you’re going to have one day.
Third on the list, we have “Anti-Hero,” which I think is a song we all relate to in one way or another. For this song, lean into being the problem, and stare at yourself in the mirror while listening to this song. Take the three minutes and twenty seconds of this song and wallow in self-pity, because we all need to do that sometimes. But after the song is done, I want you to think of three nice things to say about yourself, one about the way you look and two about the person that you are, look into the mirror, and say those three things out loud to yourself, because we all need to remember to love ourselves.
“Snow On The Beach” is up next. This song really is weird but fucking beautiful. For this one, go grab a picnic blanket or a towel, sit outside, and put this song on. Look at all the people around you and think about how cool and great they all are. Really take the time to look at the beauty of the world around you, and how weird it is, but how beautiful it is too. We all really are just like snow on the beach.
Okay, it is time for track five. “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” This song is simply so amazing and I love it with all of my heart. If you really want to feel this song, I suggest going to your hometown, getting in your car, driving to some place that was meaningful to you in your past, sitting in the car, and blasting this song. You might have always been on your own, and you might still be on your own, but that is okay, because you are so strong and you have made it this far. You might be on your own, but you can face this and anything that comes your way.
I cannot lie, when I first listened to “Midnight Rain” I was so taken aback, and a little bit scared, but this song has really grown on me. For this song, gather your closest friends, and have a full- fledged dance party to this song. You are making your own name, and you are the moment. Celebrate that with this song.
“Question…?” is another great song to sing with a group of your friends because it is just such a fun song to sing and dance to. But, if you have ever experienced a situationship like the one in this song, picture that person, and sing your heart out like you are singing to them, and get out all of the built-up emotions that you have. Put on a whole performance.
I have an unpopular opinion: I absolutely love “Vigilante Shit.” I think it is such a powerful song and I absolutely love it. For this song, you are going to put on your hottest outfit, you are going to go out, and you are going to rule the world. The whole night, play this song in your head. You will feel like the most powerful person in any room you walk into, and that confidence will make you even hotter.
Of course, when listening to “Bejeweled” you will need the space to do the iconic strut with this song. The perfect place to play this is at a big party that you are at with all of your best friends. You need to go to the center of the room and live this song out. Remember that you are a diamond, you have to shine, and you can make any room shimmer that you walk into.
Another apparently unpopular opinion I have is that I absolutely love “Labyrinth.” I think it is one of the most beautiful songs on this album. This song is the perfect song to play in a contemplative bath, where you just sit and think about your thoughts and your life. For this song, you need to just sit and let it wash over you. Let the song wash over you, let the music wash over you, let the words wash over you, and feel whatever feelings you have. Love is a scary thing to feel, but just sit and listen to this song, and maybe it will feel just a little bit less scary.
In my opinion “Karma” is a perfect karaoke song. It has all of the fun, energy, and iconic lyrics of a karaoke song. Grab a friend or a few, and put on a whole performance with them. Pretend you are Taylor Swift herself and you are singing to all of the people who have ever wronged you in the past. Pretend they are there in the audience, and have to watch how much you are thriving right now.
“Sweet Nothing.” Oh my gosh, this song is simply the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. I love it so much. The music is incredible, and the lyrics are even better. For this song, just sit with whoever your sweet nothing is. It can be a friend, a significant other, a parent, a pet, or anyone. Anyone who makes you feel so safe and just loves you unconditionally. Sit with that person, do not talk, just listen to this song, and be with them.
The final song. “Mastermind.” I know I have said that I absolutely love so many songs on this album, but I think this one might be my absolute favorite. It is so relatable, but also so fun to listen to. For this one, grab your closest friends again, get in a car, roll the windows down, and just drive and listen to this song. Scream that chorus at the top of your lungs, because you are a mastermind and because in one way or another, we all are.
Of course, you can listen to Midnights however and wherever you want to, and you might even hate some of my suggestions, and that is okay. What I think is so amazing about music is how much emotion can come from it, and how much that emotion can be different for different people. If you don’t resonate with every single one of my suggestions, I challenge you to make your own list of the places where you think this album was meant to be listened to, and go listen to the songs there. Enjoy this music in the best way that you possibly can.