Taylor Swift releasing new music.
Since 2006, Taylor has been our not-so guilty pleasure. We have unabashedly devoured her albums, deep dived into her lyrics in an attempt to decipher underlying meaning, and devoted text message chains theorizing over her possible muses. She inspired us to create our own squad, proudly proclaim our devotion to her, and stan not only for her music but for tidbits on her personal life. For years, Taylor has successfully crafted this pop culture public persona that is easily digestible for all – she’s the sweet, vulnerable girl next door who just wants to tell you about her heartbreaks and that you shouldn’t f**k with her because she’s got a song ready to skewer your ass.
So on April 13th, when Taylor teased fans with this Instagram post…
…it made us all speculate. 1989 was her departure from her country music roots, fully embracing her new role in pop music. reputation was both an open love letter to boyfriend Joe Alywn (see “Gorgeous,” “Delicate,” “King of My Heart,” “Call It What You Want”) and calling out those who wronged her (i.e. Kanye West, Katy Perry, anyone who signed her high school yearbook “K.I.T.” but didn’t put their phone number). On April 26th, what music would Taylor bring to the table this time?
It’s All About “ME!”
She answered that question with her new single, “ME!”
The pop-synthesized song opens with this confession:
I know that I’m a handful baby, uh
I know that I never think before I jump
And you’re the kind of guy the ladies want
(And there’s a lot of cool chicks out there)I know that I went psycho on the phone
I never leave well enough alone
And trouble’s gonna follow where I go
(And there’s a lot of cool chicks out there)
“ME!” is three minutes and thirteen seconds of Taylor and Brandon Urie telling each other that there’s no one like them, that they’re flawed (even “psycho”), but still “awesome.” We’re given an actual spelling lesson (“Hey kids! Spelling is fun!”) about how “you can’t spell awesome without me.”
Swifties, We Have a Problem
I wanted to love this song, completely devour it, blast it throughout my day, memorize each and every lyric.
However, after the first few tries, I just didn’t feel it.
Unlike her past premiere singles like the haters-gonna-hate anthem “Shake It Off” and even the controversial and borderline problematic “Look At What You Made Me Do,” “ME!” lacks the gravitas that we usually expect with a Taylor Swift worldwide premiere. Is there anything harmful about the song? Well, no. However, there is nothing memorable about it either.
(It doesn’t help that on the same day as the song’s premiere, P!nk dropped her album, Hurts 2B Human, which is beyond brilliant, f**king amazing, and showcases P!nk’s strong vocal register and ability to make pop music that inspires thought.)
Love or hate her, Taylor Swift has steadily become one of this generation’s resounding voices. Unfortunately, the song doesn’t demonstrate the finger-on-the-pulse songwriting that we’ve come to associate with her. Although “ME!” is pure camp, light-hearted, and safe for radio play, it feels that Taylor’s musical growth has become stunted because, quite honestly, we’ve heard all of this from her before. At the end of the song, we’re left with vapid lyrics (“cool chicks” and “lame guys”) that were most likely found in Taylor’s tween song journals and/or a rejected Schoolhouse Rocks! segment. For someone who famously told us that “the old Taylor couldn’t come to phone” because she died, it really does feel like the old Taylor has been resurrected.
What Exactly Was I Expecting?!
My favorite artists – from across all genres – all have that common factor: their music changes with the time. Having an artist open up to you about their personal life or even just about what is happening around them leaves us with a sense of intimacy and connection. We find ourselves in those lyrics, create a soundtrack to our lives, and grow as they grow.
Although I don’t expect Taylor Swift to open the door to her entire private life in just one song, I was hoping for a richer tapestry that reflected the growth of this now 29 year old woman. This is the same woman that, through her own public sexual assault court case, helped other women find their courage and voice to say that enough was enough. After years of playing it safe, Taylor finally used her influence to promote equal rights and endorsed political candidates who uphold that all people deserve fair and equitable treatment.
Perhaps we will see this Taylor reflected in her music. However, that Taylor can’t come to the phone either.
While there has yet to be an official album announcement, we’ll just have to settle with “ME!” and we shouldn’t ever have to “settle” when it comes to Taylor Swift.
What do you think of Taylor Swift’s new single? Let us know your thoughts!
