Taylor Swift dropped the music video for her new song “Cardigan” at midnight on Friday, giving her cooped up fans a way to escape the dark realities of their world for the magical realism of the one she created for the first single off her new album “folklore.”
In the music video, which you can view above, Tay starts off playing an old piano in a rustic home, but soon realizes it’s not a regular instrument at all but a portal to another land. She climbs into the piano pops up in a moss-covered magical realm and plays a little more of “Cardigan” by a waterfall. She ventures back into the piano again and turns up in the sea during a storm, with only the piano to use as a raft. Eventually, she returns home, sopping wet and looking for something to warm her. Oh, look, it’s a cardigan.
“Cardigan” was written by Swift and Aaron Dessner and produced by Dessner. The music video was directed by Swift.
Swift made the surprise announcement Thursday that she’d be releasing her eighth studio album, “folklore,” at midnight Friday.
“Before this year I probably would’ve overthought when to release this music at the “perfect” time, but the times we’re living in keep reminding me that nothing is guaranteed,” the singer said in a statement. “My gut telling me that if you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world. That’s the side of uncertainty I can get on board with.”
See below for the “folklore” track listings.
the 1
cardigan
the last great american dynasty
exile (featuring bon iver)
my tears ricochet
mirrorball
seven
august
this is me trying
illicit affairs
invisible strings
mad woman
epiphany
betty
peace
hoax
(bonus track) the lakes