Midnights: A Subtle New Artistic Experience or a Secret Kanye Diss? -

By Luke Weidenkopf

Taylor Swift walked into the 2022 Video Music Awards and decided that it was her night. Her outfit was impeccable, but her voice and poise were even grander. When the category for Video of the Year was announced, everyone in the audience in person and at home knew where the award was going. She directed and wrote a jaw dropping 10 minute short film starring Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brian, featuring her smash hit song, “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”.

During her acceptance speech, Swift dropped a bomb, much to delight and uproar of her fans.

“I thought it might be a fun moment to tell you that my brand new album comes out October 21.”

Fans of the famous pop star, called Swifties, had been theorizing for months that a new album was coming soon. Swift refused to add any more information about her new record but stated that more information will come at midnight.

When the clock struck 12, fans rushed to her Instagram and website, scouring every nook for just a speck of information.

Swift’s website ultimately crashed, likely due to the excess digital traffic of her ravenous fans, until finally, she posted a description of the album on Instagram.

Midnights, her 11th studio album, is set to release on October 21st, featuring 13 tracks that will take its listeners on “a journey through terrors and sweet dreams.”

According to Swift, it is about the sleepless nights, the “floors we pace and the demons we face.” And many of her most die-hard fans believe they know what specific demons she is talking about.

13 years ago, Swift went onstage to accept Best Female Video at the VMA’s but during her acceptance speech, Kanye West stormed on stage, grabbed the microphone, and said, “Taylor, I’m really happy for you and I’m going to let you finish; but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.” He ruined Taylor’s moment and caused a rift that is still ongoing.

Swift and Kanye’s feud has been very public and very personal, though Kanye seeming to be the only one who wishes to keep stoking the fire.

He has gone on many tirades on Twitter bashing Swift and her music. Additionally, Kanye released a music video for his 2016 song “Famous”, that featured a nude look-a-like of Taylor Swift in bed next to him, while the line “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/Why? I made that b*tch famous (Godd*mn).”

Kanye has always claimed he got approval from Swift for this obscene scene, but she has always denied it. The only response she has given was in 2016 during her Grammy Award acceptance speech for Album of the Year. In her speech she never mentions Kanye, but makes many not-so-subtle hits, saying that “there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame. But if you just focus on the work and you don’t let those people sidetrack you… you will look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there.”

There are too many coincidences that add up to this album mainly being about her feud with Kanye, especially considering it is being released 13 years after their feud first began. The number 13 has always been important to Swift. In an interview to MTV in 2009 she said, “I was born on the 13th. I turned 13 on Friday the 13th. My first album went gold in 13 weeks. My first #1 song had a 13-second intro. Every time I’ve won an award I’ve been seated in either the 13th seat, the 13th row, the 13th section or row M, which is the 13th letter.”

Midnights features exactly 13 tracks (and Taylor made sure people know that). But maybe the cherry on top, the piece de resistance, is that Midnights is being released on Kayne West’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian’s, birthday.

Midnights will surely break records and top the Billboard 100, allowing Swift to tie for 3^rd place for most albums to hit the coveted number 1 spot. This is her 11th studio album, so whether or not she comes out and says what her album truly is about, her diehards, the Swifties, will truly know.