With Taylor Swift dropping her eighth studio album entirely out of the blue, she gave the world but a few minutes to catch their breath before pouncing forth with a new treat: the music video for her track, ‘Cardigan’.
Reverting to her signature, gentle piano riffs, it almost seems as though Taylor Swift is paying homage to her ‘Love Story’ era. And not just this tune, but with the whole wonderful bundle sitting on ‘folklore’. Oscillating between husky verses and fairytale-like melodies, the young star crafts an emotionally ripe masterpiece out of ‘Cardigan’.
The songwriting is definitely worth mentioning as ‘folklore’ witnesses some simply stunning lines. As Swift mentioned before, she’s carved out a space for her whims, dreams, fears and musings within these lyrics. And you’ll see a reflection of it in ‘Cardigan’:
You drew stars around my scars
But now I’m bleedin’
‘Cause I knew you
Steppin’ on the last train
Marked me bloodstain,
I knew you
Tried to change the ending
Peter losin’ Wendy,
I knew you
And when I felt like I was an old cardigan
Under someone’s bed
You put me on and said I was your favorite
Taylor Swift Takes A Dip Into Paradise
Directed by Taylor Swift herself and with a little help from cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto, they breathed life into this music video. We witness the star stepping into her piano, which appears to be spilling golden dust, before emerging into her very own Wonderland.
This space is soaked in greenery. From an old vine-covered bridge to Swift’s moss-grown piano to a gentle waterfall – it’s certainly her version of paradise. Though, her stay here is but a fleeting moment as she soon resurfaces in the midst of a stormy sea. Clinging to her piano, she stays strong against the tide until she can finally find some warmth in her very own cardigan.
Speaking of this video shoot, Swift also reassured her fans that all safety precautions were strictly adhered to. “The entire shoot was overseen by a medical inspector, everyone wore masks, stayed away from each other, and I even did my own hair, makeup, and styling,” she stated.
So, without further ado, take a dip into all the charm ‘Cardigan’ offers up.
By: Nina Karun