Taylor Swift wants to kill her public image.
The pop star goes about slaying various public perceptions of herself in the new video for Look What You Made Me Do, from upcoming album Reputation.
Taylor, in a clear swipe at her critics, pokes fun at her 'reputation' as the serial monogamist, the heartless publicity hound, and the good girl in the darkly satirical video.
But most telling are her digs at ex Tom Hiddleston and frenemy Katy Perry along with some serious venom for Kim Kardashian.
The 27-year-old debuted the new video at the MTV VMAs on Sunday night, but did not appear herself at the awards show. Her rival Katy was conveniently absent when the video was introduced, despite the Fireworks singer hosting the ceremony.
Various hidden messages were clearly buried in the video, the first comes right at the beginning as a zombie version of Taylor claws her way out of a grave.
The tombstone next to hers bears the name of the pseudonym she used for a song she wrote for ex Calvin Harris, Nils Sjöberg.
Clues: Various hidden messages were clearly buried in the video, the first comes right at the beginning as a zombie version of Taylor claws her way out of a grave; The tombstone next to hers bears the name of the pseudonym she used for a song she wrote for ex Calvin Harris, Nils Sjöberg
At the time Calvin had denied his girlfriend Taylor had written his hit This is What You Came For, only for her authorship to be revealed after their relationship ended. Nils Sjöberg was the moniker she used to be listed in the songwriting credits.
While another message had a quote from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, Et Tu Brute. The meaning, 'You too, Brutus?' is often used to communicate shock after being backstabbed by a friend or someone unexpected.
Betrayed: While another message had a quote from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, Et Tu Brute (The meaning, 'You too, Brutus?' is often used to communicate shock after being backstabbed by a friend or someone unexpected)
Look close or you'll miss it! The message is scrolled on the arm of throne in one scene in the video
The message is scrolled on the arm of throne in one scene in the video.
However, who she intends the message for is unclear. It could be directed at Kim Kardashian for leaking audio of her private conversation with Kanye West over his now notorious song Famous. In the track Kanye claims he made Taylor famous and calls her a b*tch, while also musing he thinks he still might one day sleep with her.
When the song was released Taylor voiced outrage over it. In Kanye's defense his wife Kim released partial audio to show that Taylor had given her approval for the lyrics.
Another hint: Taylor also had a single dollar bill in her bathtub, which seemed to symbolize the dollar she won in her recent sexual assault case against a DJ
Taylor, however, counter claimed that she only knew the gist of his song not the actual lyrics that ended up in the track.
Kim's recording had many fans of the Kardashians claiming 'Kim had all the receipts'.
Taylor ends her video with one version of herself asking, 'What are you doing?'
Every move: The star also depicted photographers documenting her crash
While another Taylor replies, 'Getting receipts. Gonna edit this later.'
In another scene Taylor bathes herself in diamonds as the lyric 'The role you made me play / Of the fool, no, I don’t like you / I don’t like your perfect crime'.
The words and images seem to have two meanings: a reference to the Famous song as well as Kim's jewelry heist in late 2016.
The pop star also made a reference to her sexual assault case by including a strategically placed dollar bill in the jewel filled bathtub (the amount she won in the case).
One version of Taylor can be heard saying: 'You are so fake. There she goes playing the victim again.'
While Taylor's now infamously short-lived romance with Tom Hiddleston got a nod in the clip.
Last year during the Fourth of July the Avengers actor was seen wearing a I love TS shirt while frolicking in the sea. The declaration of love was widely mocked.
And in this video Taylor has a group of dancers wearing the same slogan across their chests.
Meanwhile, another clue is given when Taylor dons a blonde bob and crashes a car in the video. In this scene, the Bad Blood hitmaker looks strikingly similar to on-off rival Katy Perry, who conveniently enough was hosting the VMAs.
Both singers have felt betrayed by the other in various interviews and the nod to Brutus could very well be a dig at Perry.
The video was directed by Joseph Kahn, who has been behind previous videos Blank Space and Bad Blood.
Is that the mansion from Blank Space? Some nods to previous work were also included
As the clip nears the culmination audio can be heard of Taylor pretending to answer the phone: 'I'm sorry the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now. Why? Oh because she's dead.'
The short film ends with all versions of Taylor confronting each other.
One version of Taylor can be heard saying: 'You are so fake. There she goes playing the victim again.'
Many Taylors: The video certainly makes sure to include all possible versions of the star
While the one accused of these faults declares: 'I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative.'
The exchange is a clear nod to how all of her actions as a celebrity are scrutinized and judged by the public.
Taylor Swift wants to kill her reputation. She wants to start fresh, but first she has to bury her former selves.
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