On November 10th, Taylor Swift released her new music video, Blank Space. Before I even went to watch it, I stumbled upon Taylor’s own statement about the origins of Blank Space, bringing up something I have never seen Taylor do.
“I had been thinking a lot about how the media has created this complex, fictionalized cartoon version of me, you know, this man-eating, jet-setting serial dater who reels them in, but scares them off because she’s clingy and needy; then she’s all dejected, so she goes into her lair and writes a song as a weapon. I mean, man, that’s pretty intense. And I started thinking about what an interesting character that person is. And, if I was that person, what would my life motto be, my mantra? What would I say? I think I’d own it.” (x)
To me, Taylor Swift was exactly that and it surprised and pleased me that she would make a video parodying herself. So I sat down and watched this masterpiece of a video.
Taylor is the “crazy girlfriend” in all manners of speaking, and you are literally quite frightened by the end of the video. The video starts with Taylor’s new handsome beau arriving on her estate. She meets him in her most beautiful outfit (she wears 20 different outfits in this video…I counted) and they seem to hit it off perfectly.
Despite the happy exterior of the relationship, Taylor frequently turns to glance at us, as if letting us know she is aware of what is happening and knows how everything will end.
Of course, things take a turn for the worst. Taylor begins to get extremely jealous of her suitor’s other “friends”, and begins to act like the crazy psycho that the media loves to peg her as. Once again, you have to remind yourself how very aware Taylor is of the public’s opinion of her. She evolves into the woman that the media gossips about every time she loses a boyfriend.
Psycho Taylor Swift proceeds to cut up her boyfriend’s clothing…
And tear apart his portrait…
And drown his cell phone…
And start chopping down a tree with their initials…
And beat up his car with a golf club.
Plus who can forget this quick scene when Taylor gives us her best version of “Crazy Eyes”?!
As expected, she finally drives her suitor away, only for a brand new one to show up and take his place. Taylor simply sends us off with a knowing smirk.
Not only is this music video very visually well-done (standing ovation to everyone in charge of costume, truly), but we can clearly see how Taylor is openly acknowledging her past and how the media would (of course) view her in this way. It conveys to us how much Taylor Swift has grown and matured since her musical beginnings, and people can see that. Just seeing how quickly people have been warming up to Taylor because of this video is a sign that she was successful with it. I went from being an indifferent listener of hers to buying concert tickets for her show next summer, and if that doesn’t prove any of this, I don’t know what will!