The Release Of Midnights:

On August 28th, 2022, Taylor Swift announced that her new studio album Midnights would be released on October 21st. The swifties were not ready, and neither were we. The track list of 13 songs exploring "13 sleepless nights'' from Taylor herself made fans wonder if this would be an album similar to Reputation, or perhaps a storytelling masterpiece like Folklore. It can, in fact, be interpreted as her soft launch back into her Reputation era. It is perfect for that time of year if you find yourself getting dumped around the holidays and need some motivation to get back up and strut. Since the album was released, Taylor has already made groundbreaking records. It became the top-selling album of the year a day after the album was released, it easily made its way into the top 10 songs on Apple Music and Spotify, and it sold over 1 million copies in its’ first week. Since her studio album Red(Taylor's Version) in 2021 was released, she is back in 2022 as the most streamed woman on Spotify and holds one of the top 10 spots on Billboard Hot 100. The album was recorded with her sidekick, Jack Antonoff, who helped write many other songs on Lover, Folklore, and Evermore. Midnights also features singer Lana Del Ray in track 4, "Snow On The Beach." Taylor has done almost every genre of music, ranging from country, pop, folk rock, and alternative. She seems to be reaching back into pop music slowly. This album explores the journey of Taylor finding love, taking her power back, and her time away from the public eye.

Why Swifties Are Sleepless:

If Taylor is going to write about 13 sleepless nights and release an additional album 3 hours after Midnights, we might never go to sleep. Before her album was even released, Taylor began to plant tiny easter eggs for her swifties about the upcoming album. Last spring, Taylor surprised NYU graduates with a commencement speech where she spoke and said unreleased lyrics from the new album, which at the time, no one even thought about. Clever thinking Taylor, but the swifties were onto something. Before this occurrence, Taylor posted to Instagram promoting the series The Summer I Turned Pretty, with her debuting her song "This Love;" she captioned the photo, "comes out at m i d n i g h t." If we thought to prepare ourselves for a new album like Midnights, we would all be single and ready for revenge. Enough about the release; let's talk about the setlist. Even though the album is supposed to be about 13 sleepless nights in her life, it brings you back to eras and nostalgia from her personal life. This album is likely the most honest and vulnerable she has ever been about her personal life since Reputation; the track list takes you back to all the heart-breaking, happy, and mournful moments throughout her discography. Swifties who have similar memorable experiences and connect with Taylor through her music can reflect while listening to Midnights. The set list includes 13 autobiographical songs that Taylor has intentionally made about herself instead of creating a character or persona like she has in her past albums, Folklore and Evermore. All swifties know that track 5 is the prized possession of Midnights because it is where she puts her emotions fully on display as it is titled "You're On Your Own, Kid." The song talks about her time growing up all the way to where she is right now. At the song's beginning, she explains how she was used to going through difficult times alone, but shifts the song from sad to a positive realization that she can face anything that comes her way. You can hear this in the bridge, where she expresses many moments she has been through from each of her eras, ending the song by saying, "face it."

The Woman Can Write Anything:

Taylor has a way of making a simple word sound so beautifully that it sounds like the woman is just making up words at this point. Taylor is known for her storytelling, allowing her listeners to feel and visualize every word she releases from her mouth. For example, when she writes "the blood rushed into my cheeks" from track 2, "Maroon;" such a way of saying she is blushing makes listeners envision and sense the lyrics personally. The meaning behind Midnights is Taylor's reflection on her life and the journeys she has been to become the 32 year-old woman she is today. Being in the public eye for most of her life has caused sad, beautiful, and tragic moments that have made her, at times, want to quit the industry. Years back, she was publicly humiliated on stage at an award show by Kanye West which caused considerable controversy between the two. She admitted to Rolling Stone that she almost quit music after the feud. Thankfully, we will not be seeing Kanye anytime soon due to his recent social media choices! If you want to hear about that drama, tune into Reputation, but for now, Midnights is the album you need.

Written by Camryn Bacon, Photography: Anna Burson, Graphic Design: Jade Sung, Social Media: Liane Nguyen

The Mastermind of Midnights