Taylor Swift graced us in time for Halloween with a song, and its respective music video, that makes reference to ghosts and monsters: Anti-Hero. And I, among countless more people, am so incredibly thankful for it!
Easter Eggs
As an artist, she is known for hiding many easter eggs in her videos and her hardcore fans and followers are able to spot and explain what they’re all about. I love much of Taylor Swift’s work and she seems like a genuinely delightful person (unless pushed too hard), but I cannot decipher her hidden messages as thoroughly as others could. What kind of freaks goes Hunting for Easter Eggs in Media, anyway? (*raises hand*) Still, a few things about this video particularly stood out for me and I can’t help but wonder what was the intention behind them.
• Ghosts' sunglasses & hats
The ghosts, they wear different sunglasses. Does that allude to seeing through different lenses? Perhaps not seeing things as clearly and accurately and, instead, skewed or colored in some way? Like “seeing through rose-colored glasses”. And the hats (or headbands and headdresses) remind me of the saying “if the cap fits, wear it”. But who knows? Maybe it’s just a funny way to set them apart from each other and add more flavor to the scenes. (I doubt it.)
• Purple glittery goo
It comes out from the egg yolk when cut and from her chest when stroked with an arrow. Oh, and the puke. I don’t know what you would associate it with, but it comes across to me as a cosmic substance. Possibly pointing to the fact that we’re more than just flesh and blood and are a part of something greater.
• Looking at the sun
The sun as a symbol can have several meanings and I'm not sure what it means for her personally. However, I found it interesting that every time she says ♪ I’ll stare directly at the sun ♪, she looks at her alter or at something “round” (deleted scene).
Deleted Scene
Apparently, the reception of Taylor Swift’s representation of body-image issues was a bit too controversial. So a word that came off as “too much” to some was removed from view. I don’t question their decision to remove the scene, they’d know best what’s best for their work, but I didn’t mind it at all. Me, speaking as a former fat person that endured constant humiliation and harassment over her weight, to the point of developing eating disorders (bulimia & anorexia) as a teen, I saw nothing wrong with that word being on screen. It seemed obvious to me that it was a subjective depiction of what it’s like for someone struggling, regardless of their weight. And not just now that I’m relatively thin and over it. Christina Aguilera, in her music video for the song “Beautiful”, did something similar back in the day and it actually helped me. But I guess sometimes you gotta spell things out to people and the body-positive movement has yet to truly help with body-image wounds in many.
Look & Feel
That aside, though, I could also appreciate the look and feel of it. The muted colors, the numerous patterns, the retro style, and the location in the suburbs. It really takes you elsewhere. And speaking of being elsewhere, it definitely got me with the rooftop meeting under the starry sky!
Message
There are 3 Taylors. An immediate interpretation of this would be that they are her fragmented selves, but there could be more to it and I’m inclined to believe so. The lyrics take the angle of a remorseful and confessional person in regard to their (factual or assumed) covert narcissism. And in some way, they reconcile that. While there’s shame and guilt shown in it, it conveys more about admitting faults than about punishing them. Still, I wouldn’t recommend rooting for an anti-hero if it is indeed exhausting to you. But I don’t read that as the intended message either.
In the past, Taylor Swift also covered the topic of covert narcissism with a Halloween-themed (or Halloween-passing) song and music video: Look What You Made Me Do. This one with a different angle and attitude toward it. As the one on the receiving end of the mistreatment, hitting back with the force multiplied. And let me tell you, I absolutely loved this song and its music video too.
Yup, I’ve happened to meet nasty people like that and have been involved in similarly nasty drama, with a ridiculous smear campaign against me. So it was both relieving and empowering to me despite the surrounding quarrel and differing opinions on what was the “right” way to respond in such cases. Hint: There isn’t a single right way; you heal how you heal and anger is at times your best friend.
All in all, I’m glad that these works exist and that they help us through situations, if not just intrigue, fascinate, and amuse us. The genius in them often flies over people’s heads, but such is life.
Hell, yeah! @ More Halloween-themed/passing Taylor Swift songs and music videos?