Let me begin by saying I’ve never been much of a Taylor Swift fan. Or rather, on the rare occasions when I have discussed my opinions of her music, image, “reputation” (see what I did there?!), I’ve been fairly neutral. None of her songs or albums have been particularly bad nor especially appealing to me personally, apart from a few singles here and there. I think much of “Reputation” is a drastic shift from her previous work, especially singles like “Look What You Made Me Do” and “...Ready for it?” which are a bit jarring and strike me as inauthentic to who Swift is. “Delicate” is different, however.
I had heard the single on the radio a few months ago and liked how subdued it felt compared to the first two singles. I was (and am still) intrigued by the synthetic quality of the vocals introduced in the beginning of the song and recurring as the pre-chorus throughout it, in contrast to the earnest, “real” vibe she is going for with the straightforward delivery of the lyrics. Essentially about the anxiety of potential rumors one may have heard before beginning a new relationship, “Delicate” is a catchy song that I was prepared to only mildly like — something I might listen to while driving around during a summer afternoon; it certainly has a summer easiness about it. But in seeing the music video for it recently, I’ve come to really like the song and actually appreciate Taylor Swift, which I never thought I would say.
Rather than give a synopsis of the music video, I’ll just cut to the two aspects of it that I liked the most. First, when she is looking in the mirror and making faces at herself — corny and silly though it may have been — I realized I appreciate the way Swift pokes fun at herself and the audience, who has come to expect the artist’s taste for the dramatic and theatrical in her music videos, particularly in contrast to the high production and direction value of it. That is, it may be over-the-top, but it seemed authentic to who Swift is, or perhaps who she is presenting herself as. Second, in a world where women in the spotlight are pressured to be sexy and flawlessly beautiful at all times, Swift throws that out the window, dancing like a goofball and gallivanting about the hotel in which the music video is primarily recorded.
The song itself and much of the video is quintessentially T-Swift, but the aforementioned displays of her personality differ from her previous videos that are all show and no tell. Here we see the artist at her best. Her style, or artistry, may not be for everyone. I myself wouldn’t go so far as to say I’m a forever fan now. But I think this is easily one of the best songs/ music videos Swift has released to date. Do you agree? Love it? Hate it? Let me know!
