It’s been a week since Taylor Swift returned in blistering fashion, with her fiery comeback single ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ and the accompanying music video that threw more shade than a solar eclipse.
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Since its release fans have been falling over themselves to dig a little deeper into the video, spotting scores of hidden messages in the ‘Look’ video; but buckle up, there’s one huge theory about the the upcoming sixth album ‘Reputation’ that has got people’s tongues wagging.
So in the last scene of ‘Look’, we see a lineup of 15 Taylor’s iterations, past and present.
https://twitter.com/SwiftInstinct/status/902082405804138496
Within the lineup there are several new characters, as well a range of Taylor’s from the past, including Taylor from the 2009 VMAs (the one when Kanye hopped on stage and ruined her speech) and the Taylor’s from her ‘Shake It Off’ and ‘You Belong With Me’ videos.
And another thing we know there’s going to be 15 of is songs on the new Taylor album. So what if every song on the Taylor album is represented by one of this line up? Taylor herself even liked this post on Tumblr alluding to the theory (so it’s gotta be true right?!)
15 Taylor at the end of the vid. 15 album tracks. Theory: each one of them representa a song in the album ? #LMYMMDVideo pic.twitter.com/MmgQExJEhj
— AisTay? (@hitmewithyour13) August 28, 2017
There were 15 versions of Taylor portrayed at the end of the music video. The album has 15 songs. A song for every version of Taylor? I HOPE
— Kelsey Ewert (@omgitskelsx3) August 28, 2017
Seems a bit tenuous? Okay stick with us.
First look at the final lineup – what if they’re in the order of the tracklisting? That means number six (the cheetah coat wearing, selfie taking, shade throwing version of Tay) is the ‘Look’ version of Taylor, which makes total sense.
Fans have also commented that the fifth Taylor in the lineup is crying – and how the fifth song on Taylor albums are always the sad ones (ie ‘White Horse’ on second album ‘Fearless’, and ‘All Too Well’ on fourth album ‘Red’).
5th Taylor is crying and 5th song is always the sad one so it may be true.
— Anna? (@icy_girl13) August 31, 2017
AND ANOTHER THING: Fans are speculating that the fourth track on ‘Reputation’ will be nearly nine minutes long according to an allegedly leaked track list, and Perez Hilton also saying there’d be a proper long track on the record:
I still don't know a title yet, but I hear the song is long (not sure exact length). And it's described as "dark".
— Perez (@ThePerezHilton) August 23, 2017
Now the fourth Taylor in the lineup is Taylor in circus ringmaster getup a la her ‘Red’ album tour. ‘Red’ has a track on it called ‘All Too Well’ – and the song was initially 10 mins long, before Taylor cut it down. What if Taylor is finally giving the fans what they want in the form of the full version of ‘All Too Well’ – which is why it’d make sense to have ringmaster Taylor as the fourth in the lineup.
So there you have it, 15 Taylor’s for the 15 songs on the record. A bit of a reach? Maybe. Fitting with Taylor’s easter egg ridden history? Definitely.