The pop-star wants to trade victim for villain in “Look What You Made Me Do” — don’t believe it for a second
In her latest on-brand video, “Look What You Made Me Do, ” Taylor Swift emerges from her own grave, self-christened as the new Queen of Shade. Prior to the release of the video and the announcement of her new album “Reputation, ” Swift had been in retreat from social media and the limelight. This vacation seems to have followed for somewhat falsely playing the victim in her latest encounter with Kanye West. It was a moment that underlined Swift’s much-discussed, career-spanning use of the victim card, one cataloged in a detailed, biting summary of pretty much every single thing that she’s manipulated for public sympathy published on. In her hiatus, it appears Swift has collected receipts and addresses for all who she believes had wronged her — other celebrities, ex-boyfriends, critics and listeners alike — and packaged them into her new video. To wit, the opening visual is a tombstone that reads: “Here lies Taylor Swift’s reputation, ” a clear nod to the takedowns she’s been the center of in the past year. There’s so many visuals to decode here and many outlets who have, just as she wanted, have already. Shots are taken at every person she wants us to see as a personal nemesis that dared to get in her way: Calvin Harris, Kanye West, Katy Perry, the media, . In this, the ending of “Look What You Made Me Do” demands closer study. In it, 14 era-specific version of Swift confront each other, each dressed in a separate, well-known look from one of her various music-video and award-show appearances. “Stop making that surprise face, ” a new Zombie White Walker version of Swift says to the t-shirt clad nerd from the. This is a reference to the fact that many have called Swift out for her endless “surprise faces” at award shows, reactions that appear rather disingenuous given that she almost wins everything, deservedly or not. “Yeah, you can’ t possibly be that surprised all the time, ” says ballerina Taylor from the. No-fucks-given Taylor chimes in: “what’s with that bitch?” Zombie Taylor says: “Don’ t call me that!” in a gesture to Swift’s behavior in the “Famous” beef, one in which Kanye West said he played the song for her, but the singer said she didn’ t know he was going to call her a bitch. “Y’ allll, ” young and full-on country Taylor scoffs. “Oh stop acting like you’ re so nice, you’ re so fake!” 2012 MTV EMA’s Taylor scolds. Country Taylor starts to cry and one of the new Taylors says, “There she goes, playing the victim, again.”
