Okay, Swifties…
It’s been 4 days since Taylor announced Midnights, how are we feeling? I know I am ECSTATIC! If you are not up to date, here’s the rundown: On August 28th 2022, Taylor Swift won the VMA’s Video of the Year, Best Long-Form Video, and Best Direction awards for her heartbreaking “All too Well: The Short Film” starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien. If you have not seen it yet, go watch it right now!
Now this isn’t Taylor’s first time at the VMAs, as Blondie has a whopping 14 awards from this year and years past combined. As Taylor graciously accepted her award and presented her acceptance speech, I watched in awe. As she came to a close, she said, “I had sort of made up my mind that if you were going to be this generous and give us this, I thought it might be a fun moment to tell you… that my brand-new album comes out Oct. 21. And I will tell you more at midnight…” The crowd erupted into cheers, and I sat in my little dorm room in absolute shock and glee.
The last time Taylor surprised us with a new album was in the midst of COVID-19, where we were blessed with Folklore in June of 2020. I don’t know about you, but I was sure we were getting another re-recorded album before any new music, but Miss Swift said, “Nope!”
And sure enough, at midnight, Taylor posted an announcement on her Instagram reading:
“We lie awake in love and in fear, in turmoil and in tears. We stare at walls and drink until they speak back. We twist in our self-made cages and pray that we aren’t – right this minute – about to make some fateful life-altering mistake. This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams. The floors we pace and the demons we face. For all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching – hoping that just maybe, when the clock strikes twelve … we’ll meet ourselves. Midnights, the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life, will be out October 21. Meet me at midnight.”
-Taylor Swift via Instagram
I just couldn’t believe it- a new Taylor album with 13 tracks just in time for cozy fall nights with a candle burning, my legs wrapped in a soft blanket, and my tears filling my cup of tea. I am ready to be absolutely wrecked (hopefully).
Now, I have a few predictions as to what this new album will sound like and I am so intrigued to see this new era of Taylor shine. First, I think Midnights could be another tear-jerker like Folklore and her sister album Evermore. Swift gave us two indie/folk/soft rock albums within six months of each other and I think we may be getting another.
Taylor described Midnights as a “journey of terror and sweet dreams” which makes me think we’ll get a few tracks that resemble the haunting, “Mad Woman” and maybe a few detailing the yearning of “Mirrorball”; both from Folklore. I anticipate a few piano ballads, some acoustic guitar, and whispering soft melodies. My second prediction is that we could get an experimental tracklist filled with raw emotion and sparkling imagery, a chill bedroom pop vibe. Or we could go bold and say that Midnights will be a pure pop album like Lover. If the pandemic never would’ve happened, Midnights would’ve been released after Lover chronologically because Folklore and Evermore were not planned. Imagine a world with no Folklore or Evermore…I couldn’t. So does that mean Lover and Midnights are sister albums? Or Reputation and Lover? Who knows! All I know is that I am beyond excited to listen.
Take a look at her stunning dresses from the VMAs: the bejeweled carpet dress uncannily resembles the glittery outfit from the “Look What You Made Me Do” music video, and her dreamy blue afterparty dress scattered with stars pays homage to the deep blue theme we see in the Midnights cover photo. These sparkly statements makes me think that this era will be a little more glitz and glam than the previous. Just look at her range.
As you can see, I am eagerly anticipating this album and a single to come in the following weeks. And let me tell you, I will be wrapped up in my Red Cardigan listening in awe with my best friends on October 21st, at midnight.
What do you think this album will bring?
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