Taylor takes back her throne

Shelby Papst, Review Editor

So fake. Playing the victim. Such a snake. She’s gone. She wiped her social media.

What did we make her lose? Her mind? Her reputation? Obviously not her thirst for payback.

On Aug. 27, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her new music video ‘Look What You Made Me Do.’

The video shows Swift in numerous settings, singing that she’s done with all the drama focused around her.

From the snakes symbolizing the common jab that “Taylor Swift is a snake” to the fire in her eyes as she claims she’s back from the dead.

Anyone who watches the video can tell it’s like nothing Swift has ever written before. It’s not a pop-sounding upbeat song with messages about teenage love and partying. And that’s the point.

There is a clear message throughout the entirety of the video; the Taylor Swift everyone previously knew is gone. Swift is ticked and she wants the world to know.

I’ve never been a fan of Swift’s music, nor herself as a person. She always struck me as a very attention-seeking individual who got her fame from exploiting her exes.

However, when I watched ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ I couldn’t press replay fast enough.

Whether you are a fan of Swift or not, no one can deny that she executed her comeback phenomenally.

Unlike the typical revenge video, Swift purposely targeted herself and the past versions of who she “used” to be in the video as well.

The most impactful scene of the video had to be during the bridge when Swift is standing atop a platform with every persona from her past videos screaming and trying to climb up to her only to be blasted away.

Swift is saying she’s no longer the girl she used to be and that she’s killed those sides of her.

The execution of her thoughts put into the video was genius. Swift didn’t just make a video to drag everyone against her, she also announced her revival in a way that shows she won’t be pushed around by anyone anymore.

Fans alike are meeting the new video with mixed thoughts. While Swift’s intention was aimed towards looking superior, all the video has recently done is promote memes and jokes about Swift’s new “edgy” persona which she has yet to comment on.

In the end, despite the message not coming off how Swift might want it, ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ has so doubt caused a social media uproar.

The attention on Swift has been more focused that ever. Funny considering just a month before, people couldn’t find a trace of the pop singer anywhere.

My favorite aspect of Swift’s video were her lyrics. The tone is feisty, brutal, cold, and powerful. Lyrics like “I got a list of names and yours is in red underline” and “all I think about is karma” sum up the revenge Swift wants to dish out.

Although I liked the lyrics of Swift’s video, the song itself was pretty sub-par. There was no catchy melody and sounded like one continuous beat for the entire song. Not to mention the build up to the chorus was strong only for the chorus to be flat.

Of all the songs in Swift’s career, this one is hardly worth a mention if not for the spectacular video.

Again, I have never been a fan of Taylor Swift from country to pop, but I can’t think of a comeback that has stunned me as much as this one has.

I have to give ‘Look what You Made Me Do’ a high rating because of how perfectly it was executed.

While the music itself isn’t something I’d find myself listening to in my free time, the video is enough to enrapture me for hours.

Taylor Swift has had enough of what the media world has always seen her as and has made it clear, this Swift is going to fight.

Don’t like it? Do you want the old Taylor back? Too bad. Because she’s dead.

 

ART BY Jake Brien