Meet Us At Midnights 💫
Written By: Gracie Magguilli
Midnights tells “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [Taylor Swift’s] life,” and well Midnights sure did live up to its name because no one slept last week. Midnights is Taylor’s 10th studio album and Swifties love it! Between buying the vinyl, watching music videos, and waiting to see what Taylor does next, it’s enough to keep fans awake for the next 13 nights. Wondering what Taylor’s been up to since the album dropped? Look no further! We’ve got it covered. We’re taking you through everything that’s happened during Midnights Release Week! ✨
Midnights Mayhem With Me on TikTok
Taylor abandoned her usual marketing strategies for Midnights and was very direct with her fans this time. Swift usually drops easter eggs and clues for fans to figure out what’s coming next. Sometimes she’ll even drop full albums (I’m looking at you Folklore and Evermore) but not for Midnights. Taylor took to TikTok and for the past few weeks has been releasing a track title each day at exactly midnight. She picked which track to release by pulling a bingo ball and just those 13 videos alone amassed 74 million views on TikTok. Fans started theorizing about what each song could be referencing and were hyped to know every track on Midnights….well almost every track. 📱
A “Special Very Chaotic Surprise”
Before we met Taylor at midnight on the 21st, she released a “Midnights Manifesto" on TikTok and Instagram. It features a planner where Swift tells us everything coming up for the album’s release. This planner included a "Special Very Chaotic Surprise" just three hours after the album dropped. At exactly 3 am, Taylor released Midnights (3am Edition). This version included 7 new tracks and Taylor took to Instagram to tell fans all about it. “Surprise! I think of Midnights as a complete concept album, with those 13 songs forming a full picture of the intensities of that mystifying, mad hour,” she wrote on Instagram. “However! There were other songs we wrote on our journey to find that magic 13.” We will never complain about more Taylor Swift music. 🎤
“Anti Hero” Video Release
After the release of Midnights, Swifties were treated to the "Anti-Hero" music video just hours later. This song was only recently revealed to be the lead single off the album and Taylor has talked a lot about the meaning behind this song. On Instagram, she posted a Behind the Song video where she explained, “I don't think I've really delved this far into my insecurities in this detail before." Swift calls the song a “guided tour throughout all the things I tend to hate about myself." The video is all of her nightmares personified and was written and directed by Taylor herself. It's a perfect mix of comedy and a serious look at Taylor’s life as a celebrity. The video is packed full of easter eggs, so let us know what you found! 🎬
Following the release of the “Anti-Hero” music video, Swift went on Youtube Shorts and asked fans to use #TSAntiHeroChallenge to show their toxic traits. This is a reference to the lyric “It’s Me. Hi. I’m the Problem, It’s Me.” in the lead single from Midnights. Taylor starts the trend by showing her cat in a baby carrier with the text “she treats her cat like a son.” Here are some of our fav submissions. 😺
Taylor on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Taylor went on Jimmy Fallon this week and fans were treated to some insight into the album post-release. They talked about the success of the album, how Midnights is projected to sell a million copies within the first week, and all the records the album continues to break left and right. Taylor commented how at 32 years old, she's one of the older pop stars, and she's just happy to be here. She later said that this is the first album that is a direct autobiographical take on her life. She goes on to say that while re-releasing Red (Taylor's Version) and Fearless (Taylor's Version) was a good time to reflect on her life, it is really nice to see what a positive reaction fans have to something that is 100% her. She also teased a potential tour, which has fans anxiously awaiting the terror-filled days on Ticketmaster. 🎟
Exclusive Vinyl and Target Release
Taylor really said Harry you may hold the Vinyl record but not for long. Taylor released 4 different versions of Midnights on vinyl. Each version is a different color and if you buy all four, you can put the backs together to make a clock! This doesn’t even include the target vinyl, which is purple. Taylor also dropped tons of merch on her website! 💿
Bejeweled Music Video
On Tuesday, Taylor Swift dropped her music video for the song "Bejeweled" Taylor said this music video would be released via her Instagram, and fans were treated to a 5-minute video showcasing Taylor's take on the Cinderella story. It features a star-studded cast including three-time Oscar winner Laura Dern, as well Jack Antonoff, Dita Von Teese, and makeup artist Pat McGrath. The video is packed with Easter eggs including a popular fan theory that Taylor hinted at Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in this video. It is a must-watch for this week. Let us know your thoughts and your fav fan theories! 💎
Well there you have it, that's everything that's happened so far for Midnights release week. Who knows? by the time you read this, Taylor may have dropped 7 more music videos and 8 more albums and we'll all be waiting in line for her next tour. Let us know what your fav track on Midnights is, any Easter eggs you found, and what Taylor's Version you want to see dropped next! 🌙
If you want to get more involved in fan communities, join a Fan Crew or our awesome weekly newsletter!