Additional Coverage:
- Taylor Swift released a star-studded music video for ‘Opalite.’ Here are the details and Easter eggs you may have missed. (businessinsider.com)
Taylor Swift Drops “Opalite” Music Video, Packed with Star Power and Easter Eggs
Music sensation Taylor Swift delighted fans this week with the surprise release of the music video for “Opalite,” a fan-favorite track from her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” The twinkling pop song is positioned as the second single from “Showgirl,” following the chart-topping success of “The Fate of Ophelia.”
The “Opalite” video, which premiered on Friday, features a stellar cast led by Domhnall Gleeson (“Ex Machina,” “Star Wars”). Gleeson’s involvement stems from a lighthearted comment he made during a joint appearance with Swift on “The Graham Norton Show” last October, where he expressed his desire to appear in one of her music videos. Swift, inspired by the remark, penned the video’s script the following week, casting Gleeson as “Lonely Man” opposite her “Lonely Woman.”
In a delightful reunion, Swift also enlisted the entire guest lineup from that “Graham Norton Show” episode for cameos, including Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lewis Capaldi, and even Norton himself. Swift humorously likened the process to “a school group project but for adults and it isn’t mandatory.”
She shared her joy on social media, stating, “To my delight, everyone from the show made the effort to time travel back to the ’90s with us and help with this video. I had more fun than I ever imagined – Made new friends, metaphors, and fashion choices.
It was an absolute thrill to create this story and these characters.”
As expected from any Taylor Swift music video, “Opalite” is brimming with intricate references and Easter eggs for her dedicated fanbase to uncover.
Decoding the “Opalite” Clues:
- “Opalite” as a Metaphor: The video introduces “Opalite” as a chemical substance promising to transform “your problems into your paradise.” This concept mirrors Swift’s inspiration for the song, which she previously revealed was born from the idea that happiness can be “man-made,” much like the artificial opal. A sweet personal touch: Swift’s fiancé, Travis Kelce, celebrates an October birthday, making the opal his birthstone.
- Echoes of “You Belong With Me”: A scene depicting Swift sitting cross-legged in her bedroom, adorning a rock with a friendship bracelet, subtly harks back to her 2009 hit “You Belong With Me.” The earlier video featured a similar visual of a teenage Swift privately navigating unrequited love in her bedroom.
- Nods to George Michael: Swift’s bedroom is a treasure trove of George Michael references. A copy of his debut solo album, “Faith,” is prominently displayed, alongside a poster and what appears to be a “Faith” vinyl.
This is a direct callback to Swift’s song “Father Figure,” the fourth track on “Showgirl,” which interpolates Michael’s hit of the same name and credits him as a co-writer. Swift explained her creative process for “Father Figure,” describing it as a narrative about “power, and a story about a young ingenue and their mentor, and the way that that relationship can change over time, and betrayal, and wit, and cunning, and cleverness, and strategy.”
- “Ruin the Friendship” Visuals: During a karaoke scene where Swift sings lines from “Opalite,” she is flanked by two rotating disco balls with multicolored LED lights. This visual connects to a lyric from “Ruin the Friendship,” the sixth track on “Showgirl,” where Swift sings that a “disco ball makes everything look cheap.”
- Familiar Faces from the Eras Tour: Swift brought back some familiar faces from her Eras Tour. Dancers Raphael Thomas and Kevin Scheitzbach make cameos as a bartender and a box office attendant, respectively. This follows a trend from the “Ophelia” music video, which also featured her Eras Tour crew.
- “Lover” Lyric Brought to Life: A poignant moment sees Swift saving a seat at the bar for her rock, a visual interpretation of the lyric “At every table, I’ll save you a seat” from her 2019 album’s title track, “Lover.” In this context, with an inanimate object as her muse, the sentiment takes on a more melancholic tone.
- “Showgirl” and Lucky Number 13: Gleeson’s clock displays 12:12, a subtle reference to “The Life of a Showgirl” being Swift’s 12th studio album. Additionally, Swift’s lucky number 13 makes an appearance when Gleeson plays pool with his cactus, with the 13 ball conspicuously facing the camera.
- Lyric-Inspired Fortune Teller and Mall Stores: Swift’s handmade paper fortune teller features gemstones like “Onyx,” “Opalite,” “Sapphire,” and “Moonstone,” alluding to lyrics from “Opalite” and her 2022 hit “Bejeweled.” Even the mall stores in the video bear names derived from her lyrics, such as “Sweeter Than A Peach,” “Dear Protege,” and “Infamy Loves Co.”
- “Mad Woman” Message: After Swift abandons her rock, it reappears sporting a new friendship bracelet that reads “F**k U 4ever,” a clear reference to the lyric from “Mad Woman,” the 12th track from her album “Folklore.”
- Self-Aware Dance Routine: In the video’s climax, Swift and Gleeson perform a choreographed dance in sparkly teal sweatsuits, receiving a score of 0 from all three judges (including Eras Tour dancer Kameron Saunders). This moment playfully pokes fun at Swift’s long-standing reputation as an “awkward dancer,” a theme she has satirized in previous music videos like “Shake It Off” and “Delicate.”
Swift has previously spoken about using dance as a metaphor for self-discovery and resilience, stating, “Life can be greatly reflected in your willingness to dance.” Even her Eras Tour choreographer, Mandy Moore, has acknowledged Swift’s “bad rap” for dancing, praising her “tenacity” in such a vulnerable art form.
“Opalite” is a testament to Swift’s continued creativity, her playful engagement with her fanbase, and her masterful ability to weave layers of meaning into her visual storytelling.