Taylor Swift gave fans a major treat on Thursday evening by dropping her eighth studio album – and first Alternative album – titled Folklore.
Along with the 16 original songs, the 30-year-old Grammy Award-winning recording artist premiered the emotional music video for her album’s lead single Cardigan on YouTube.
In the four-minute and 35-second video, Swift journeys through her piano into a mythical realm that forces her to confront, both, tranquility and turmoil.
All the feels: Taylor Swift premiered the emotional music video for her album’s lead single Cardigan on YouTube
Battling the elements: In the four-minute and 35-second video, Swift journeys through her piano into a mythical realm that forces her to confront, both, tranquility and turmoil
It was revealed in the video’s credits that Swift and her crew operated ‘under the strictest guidelines’ in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the shoot.
‘A special thank you to our set medics, COVID-19 compliance personnel, and the crew for operating under the strictest guidelines including wearing PPE, practicing thorough sanitization, and respecting social distancing during the video shoot.’
The Cardigan music video commences with Taylor sitting at her piano in what looks like a rustic cabin, complete with vintage decor and a burning fireplace.
Swift has her pulled back into a romantic bun and she sports a white, floor-length nightgown as she continues to delicately run her fingers over her piano keys.
Roots: The Cardigan music video commences with Taylor sitting at her piano in what looks like a rustic cabin, complete with vintage decor and a burning fireplace
Romantic: Swift has her pulled back into a romantic bun and she sports a white, floor-length nightgown as she continues to delicately run her fingers over her piano keys
Pixie dust: With a curious gaze, Swift opens the lid to discover an overwhelming cloud of glistening pixie dust that begins to seep out of the piano like fog
Journey begins: She steps up onto her bench and climbs into the piano, closing the lid behind her
Suddenly, the cracks of her piano are illuminated by a warm, golden light.
With a curious gaze, Swift opens the lid to discover an overwhelming cloud of glistening pixie dust that begins to seep out of the piano like fog.
She steps up onto her bench and climbs into the piano, closing the lid behind her.
The audience is then taken to a Neverland-inspired setting, complete with winding trees, mossy overgrowth, and more natural wonders.
Neverland: The audience is then taken to a Neverland-inspired setting, complete with winding trees, mossy overgrowth, and more natural wonders
Safe and sound: Taylor climbs out of her piano and gazes at the scenery around her with delight before resuming her piano playing
One with nature: As the camera pans around Swift, we can see that her piano has become the source of a picturesque waterfall
Taylor climbs out of her piano and gazes at the scenery around her with delight before resuming her piano playing.
As the camera pans around Swift, we can see that her piano has become the source of a picturesque waterfall.
Moss and other forms of greenery begin to takeover her piano as she continues to work her way through the chorus.
Without warning, the mystical, golden dust returns and begins to ooze from Taylor’s piano bench.
Rough waters: All tranquility is lost as the next scene shows Swift floundering in water and gasping for air as rain pours down from the grey sky above her
Against the grain: She begins to paddle, battling the current, while the sky flickers with lightening
Reunited: Using all of her strength, she fight the current and swims towards her piano, eventually latching onto it
She lifts it slowly before stepping into the bench one leg at a time, until she is fully consumed.
All tranquility is lost as the next scene shows Swift floundering in water and gasping for air as rain pours down from the grey sky above her.
She begins to paddle, battling the current, while the sky flickers with lightening.
Taylor looks at her surroundings frantically before spotting her piano floating the water.
A girl and her piano: The camera pans out in order to reveal the vastness of the ocean that surrounds Taylor and her piano
Safe haven: Suddenly, the gold pixie dusts returns and all hope returns to Taylor’s eyes. She quickly opens the magical lid and hurls her body inside
Home: The next scene shows Taylor reentering her cozy cabin, but she is dripping wet from her unexpected ocean endeavor
Using all of her strength, she fights the current and swims towards her piano, eventually latching onto it.
The camera pans out in order to reveal the vastness of the ocean that surrounds Taylor and her piano.
Suddenly, the gold pixie dusts returns and all hope returns to Taylor’s eyes. She quickly opens the magical lid and hurls her body inside.
The next scene shows Taylor reentering her cozy cabin, but she is dripping wet from her unexpected ocean endeavor.
What’s this? As she sits down on her piano bench, Swift notices a white cable knit cardigan lying next to her
Skeptical: She stares at the cardigan briefly
Resilience: She picks it up, places it over her shivering frame, wraps her arms around herself, and stares into the camera
As she sits down on her piano bench, Swift notices a white cable knit cardigan lying next to her.
She picks it up, places it over her shivering frame, wraps her arms around herself, and stares into the camera.
Taylor made fans aware of the surprise record and music video on Thursday afternoon.
Taylor said she created the album, consisting of 16 songs, during lockdown as songwriting helped her ‘pour all of my whims, dreams, fears and musings into’.
Surprise! Taylor Swift delighted fans on Thursday when she revealed she was releasing her eighth album, named Folklore, at midnight
Alongside the album artwork, which also included a teaser of the music video for her new single Cardigan, Taylor wrote: ‘Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening, but there is something I hadn’t planned on that DID happen.
‘And that thing is my 8th studio album, folklore. Surprise Tonight at midnight I’ll be releasing my entire brand new album of songs I’ve poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into.
‘I wrote and recorded this music in isolation but got to collaborate with some musical heroes of mine; @aarondessner (who has co-written or produced 11 of the 16 songs), @boniver (who co-wrote and was kind enough to sing on one with me), William Bowery (who co-wrote two with me) and @jackantonoff (who is basically musical family at this point).
Exciting: Taylor said she created the album during lockdown as songwriting helped her ‘pour all of my whims, dreams, fears and musings into’ (pictured in December)
Bombshell! Taylor wrote: ‘Surprise Tonight at midnight I’ll be releasing my entire brand new album of songs I’ve poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into’
Mysterious: The singer took to Instagram on Thursday to make the surprise announcement, first teasing jigsaw pieces of her album artwork
‘Engineered by Laura Sisk and Jon Low, mixed by Serban Ghenea & Jon Low. The album photos were shot by the amazing @bethgarrabrant.
‘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. My gut is 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. Love you guys so much.’
Countdown is on: Taylor also posted a screen grab from the music video of her song Cardigan, which she says will also premiere at midnight to coincide with the album release
She wrote: ‘The music video for Cardigan will premiere tonight, which I wrote/directed.’
After thanking a long list of people who helped her film the music video, Taylor added: ‘The entire shoot was overseen by a medical inspector, everyone wore masks, stayed away from each other, and I even did my own hair, makeup, and styling.’
The surprise album release comes just one day ahead of the release of her arch enemy Kanye West’s album Donda, meaning the pair with battle it out in the charts.
Following the announcement, Twitter was flooded with excited Tweets from fans.
Thrilled: Following the announcement, Twitter was flooded with excited Tweets from fans
One wrote: ‘There has never been a single moment in my life where i have anticipated something taylor swift has done, she surprises me… every… single.. time.’
Another added: ‘So you’re telling me right as I’m trying to get through the breakdown that is #10YearsOfOneDirection Taylor Swift decides time drop another album??? My childhood self can’t take this’.
A third fan chimed: ‘NEW ALBUM TONIGHT IM CRYING SO HARD’.
A fourth added: ‘@taylorswift single handedly saved 2020 with this surprise album I’m not emotionally stable’.
Creative: Referencing lockdown, Taylor wrote: ‘Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening, but there is something I hadn’t planned on that DID happen’
Taylor’s last album release, Lover, was in 2019. Her 2006 eponymous debut studio album was the longest-charting album of the 2000s.
Having sold more than 50 million albums and 150 million singles globally, Swift is one of the world’s best-selling music artists of all time.
Her accolades include 10 Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and seven Guinness World Records; she is the most-awarded act and woman at the American Music Awards (29 wins) and Billboard Music Awards (23 wins), respectively.
Taylor’s surprise announcement comes after she told The Sun it was ‘so sad’ Glastonbury was cancelled, but it was ‘the right decision’.
The songstress was scheduled to perform her chart-topping hits at the music festival, which had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Taylor said: ‘I wanted to perform in places I hadn’t performed in as much, do things I hadn’t done — like Glastonbury. It’s so sad. But I know it’s the right decision.’
The Lover singer was set to headline the festival on Sunday night and announced her appearance on Instagram back in December.
Star: Taylor’s last album release, Lover, was in 2019. Her 2006 eponymous debut studio album was the longest-charting album of the 2000s (pictured in November)