While Lana Del Rey may have been the big name of Midnights’s “Snow on the Beach,” she wasn’t the only one. It turns out that longtime Swiftie Dylan O’Brien played a role in the song. You might recall Dylan’s iconic part in the All Too Well short film, which brought us all to tears (and still does). In “Snow on the Beach,” Dylan proves that he’s more than an actor — as a matter of fact, he’s an incredible drummer, too.
That’s right: The Dylan O’Brien played the drums in the Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift collab.
“Snow on the Beach” is one of the dreamiest songs on the track, painting strangely beautiful images of love and loss. It makes sense for the ever-dreamy, Teen Wolf icon O’Brien to have contributed to this crossover. Taylor has stated in the past how she admires O’Brien’s “versatility,” and if this isn’t a testament to his talents, I don’t know what else is. As a proud Swiftie himself, O’Brien must be living out his “wildest dreams” (pun intended). And fans are going crazy.
O’Brien is just one of many celebrity cameos on Midnights. Actress, model, and singer-songwriter Zoë Kravitz (talk about a triple threat) also appears on the album. Taylor credits Kravitz for co-writing the high-energy “Lavender Haze,” where she also provides background vocals. Kravitz’s name is also attached to “Karma,” which she had a hand in writing, too. While Kravitz’s contributions have surprised some, Twitter users are quick to remind people that her dad is acclaimed musician Lenny Kravitz. Like father, like daughter.
While many call O’Brien’s appearance a “win” for him and stans alike, others complain of the lack of Del Rey on this track. Though fans were hopeful that Del Rey would get her own verse on “Snow on the Beach,” the moment never came. Could there still be an opportunity in the future for another Del Rey and Swift collab? I hope that the answer is yes.
Already a popular celebrity crush, O’Brien’s fanbase seems to be expanding, all thanks to Taylor. Now that I’ve been made aware of his drumming skills, I’m excited to see where O’Brien’s musical career will take off to. Who knows — maybe he’ll have a spot on Taylor’s next album, too.