Taylor Swift's New Era: Midnights
…a reflective, extremely relatable collection of songs.
by ELIZA CARDILLO ★ NOVEMBER 9, 2022
Most college-age girls, whether they like it or not, have grown up with Taylor Swift. Unlike ours, however, her many phases were displayed for the world to see. For example, we saw reinvention in “1989” and revenge through “Reputation.” “Midnights,” however, is not particularly reconstructive or vengeful—it’s more deliberative, in regard to her career and all that has come with it. The carefully crafted 13-track album, along with her 7 other released tracks on her 3AM Edition, has an obvious uniformity; though it simultaneously contains whispers and shouts of her other musical displays.
Credit: Pitchfork
Taylor, and her loyal co-writer Jack Antonoff, opted to start the tracklist with two color-washed tunes. In an upbeat, echoing tone, “Lavender Haze” revisits her odes to longtime partner Joe Alwyn in her album Reputation. At the same time, it mimics the love-struck nature of her “Lover” era. “Maroon,” on the other hand, is perhaps a more pigmented take on her late 2012 track “red.” It discusses a juvenile past love with a profound “shadow.”
Along with the music video display, Swift’s “Anti-Hero” captures her relatable and humorous inner dialogue. The chorus repeats “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me,” over a heavy-base beat, switching her narrative from what many used to call a victim complex. We can all relate to this, right? It’s catchy and zestful, but the pithy lyricism successfully encapsulates so many common feminine experiences, i.e. “Sometimes I feel like everybody is a sexy baby…and I'm a monster on the hill.” A similar, youthful tone is evident in her song “Karma,” which many speculate is aimed at Kanye West (perfect timing, Taylor) and/or Scooter Braun, the owner of her previous record label. We can dance with Taylor as she reminds us that,“Karma’s a relaxing thought.” Another upbeat, mood-boosting song is “Bejeweled”, which was paired with a music video during release week. Some speculate it showcases her feelings during the time of her whirlwind relationship with Calvin Harris. Regardless, it’s a perfect addition to your “getting ready” playlist; as Swift says in the tune, “A diamond’s gotta shine.”
On a more contemplative note, Taylor presents tracks such as “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” which introduces the ever-so-relatable struggle of unreciprocated friendships and love. She breaks the truth to all of us in our young womanhood that ultimately, all you have is yourself. “Snow On the Beach” is the title of her long-awaited collaboration with Lana Del Rey, which presents the early stages of falling in love in a slow, mystical, folklore-esq tone. Swift captures the uncertainty of this stage through lyrics like “I can’t speak, afraid to jinx it,”
Credit: Pinterest
It’s fitting that the final track on Swift’s “Midnights” is titled “Mastermind.” The woman has proved to be one time and time again. The numbers don’t lie—Midnights is the first album that’s registered over a million units in just a week in approximately five years. Taylor Swift’s newest album so perfectly captures what our readers have in common: the doubts and wisdom that come with our young womanhood. She celebrates our pensive late nights, our smudged lipstick, and sobering up on a brisk walk home. So maybe we should too.
Cover Photo Credit: Rolling Stone