chosetherose

[chosetherose]

Great additions!

Taylor -

Uses “garden” as a metaphor for fame in The Albatross

Proclaims she “died at the altar” waiting for proof that [her fans] love her in a song about bidding farewell to bearding

Also Taylor -

And it’s even more ironic that this isn’t a real garden. This is cut flowers bunched around to look like a real garden but it’s fake.

So long bearding and fake fans. Taylor is going to destroy you. 🧨 👻

[chosetherose]

Poem anon, I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ll try to answer your ask this weekend.

[chosetherose]

@timilina That’s a great question I’ve never thought about before.

My quick interpretation is that the tattoos are a “secret” to hide. Like being closeted. Taylor Swift™️ needs to hide them with makeup. But when she is writing or otherwise behind the scenes, the tattoos (on True Taylor) are always there.

Notably, as you mentioned, the road scene is the only time in the whole video True Taylor doesn’t have tattoos. My thought is Taylor is “on the road” or on a journey to a life where she doesn’t have anything to hide. You see them laying, metaphorically, in her mind with papers swirling around them on the road. So in some way Taylor’s art is involved with this journey.

The Fortnight video foreshadows the convergence of Taylor Swift and her brand

In her videos, Taylor has continually played with the idea of herself as a person versus as a brand. These portrayals have almost been adversarial in nature. Think about the relationship between the two life sized Anti-Hero Taylors. The hooded robot Taylor who got to exist in the world while her bare counterpart was trapped in glass. Etc.

The Fortnight video introduces similar characters but flips the script because there isn’t a me versus her dynamic anymore. Instead, there is a story about coming together.

A scene by scene breakdown:

Taylor Swift™️ is chained to a bed in a white gown with a spicy slit and garter. A faceless nurse enters walking upside down on the ceiling (a continued theme suggestive of PR games). The nurse presents “Forget Him” pills, arguably reminiscent of a dark time where the world thought they could “cure” homosexuality. After Taylor Swift™️ begrudgingly takes her dose, the nurse unchains her.

We then see Taylor Swift™️ approach a two way mirror and wipe the mask off her face, revealing face tattoos we know to be Post Malone’s in real life. This reveal is setting the scene that within this video Post Malone represents Taylor’s inner self, her true soul behind the veil of celebrity. I’ll call him True Taylor.

Next, the mask is back and we see Taylor Swift™️ walk out of the observation room and into the workspace. She goes from wearing a leggy white gown with garter to a fully covered black poet-esque dress. She isn’t dressed for voyeuristic eyes anymore, she’s dressed to work on her art. I love this light to dark transition because black can be seen as the absence of light. Fitting for a tortured poet who can’t live her truth in public with her sunny muse by her side.

Note that we don’t get to see black dress Taylor Swift™️ through the two way mirror. She exists behind the bright lights of fame, making art in a room hidden from our view. Maybe the pills numb her enough to twist the art for an audience who likes to her to be chained to a bed while they watch her suffer.

But wait Taylor Swift™️ and True Taylor are collaborating. They start work separately but their art eventually drifts out of their typewriters, combining into a white light that bursts into a rainbow. Remember how I said black light is the absence of light? Well white light is comprised of all hues on the visible light spectrum.

We know there are layers to Taylor’s music: the surface layers chock full with to red herrings for the grocery line Swifties and the deeper layers of Taylor’s truth. They both exist in the art, swirled together.

But here is where things start to feel different. We cut to True Taylor and Taylor Swift™️ away from all those faceless people - they are alone in the middle of a road. That in itself is ridiculously symbolic of being on the way to somewhere (maybe brighter days). But there’s more because they are dressed identically, laying inside Taylor’s head that is made up of their art. This scene is like bonking us on the head that these two people are one and the same.

Note: The silhouette here is from the Style video which also portrays Taylor’s inner self as a man.

Taylor Swift™️ runs to True Taylor and they embrace in the middle of the road as pages of their art float around them. In the chaos, Taylor Swift™️ reaches out to True Taylor.

Maybe this scene is suggesting the public version of Taylor is ready to embrace her real self.

Then we see Taylor Swift™️ strapped to a table, wild hair from dropping the hairpins we saw in the opening scene. The drugs aren’t working, it must be time to escalate to shock therapy. The men around her gather and there is literally a sign in the background that says “Master Control”.

But one of the men in the room making decisions for the brand is actually True Taylor, who has been there all this time.

Enough is enough when True Taylor can’t take the pain and pulls the plug on the procedure, freeing public persona Taylor from torture.

Next we see True Taylor, familiarly encased behind glass, on a phone call. Perhaps making plans while safe from the rain. Taylor Swift™️ is elevated on a pedestal, out in the storm, in her best dress FEARLESS! Credit to @rep-princess-witch who put the fearless connection together in another post.

I’ll say it again, that is the huge difference in this video compared to others. Here, Taylor Swift™️ is not an antagonist, she is ready to brave the storm.

So what does she do? She’s back in the workspace burning all the files. It’s not without emotion but it’s necessary. We then see a stoic Taylor Swift™️ with no regrets.

After burning the files she’s back in the observation room. It’s time to fight back against the voyeurs and she does so by smashing the glass between her and them. She regains her agency by squashing their ability to hide. Shes deserting her past life.

Note: We don’t see True Taylor back inside. This fight is specifically for Taylor’s public persona.

In the closing seen, we see True Taylor leave shelter, step outside into the storm, and reach for Taylor Swift™️. The person and the public persona are weathering the storm hand in hand.

*Please check out @heyitsmoog on TikTok - he shared thoughts there that inspired me to make this post.*

[chosetherose]

Taylor -

Uses “garden” as a metaphor for fame in The Albatross

Proclaims she “died at the altar” waiting for proof that [her fans] love her in a song about bidding farewell to bearding

Also Taylor -

And it’s even more ironic that this isn’t a real garden. This is cut flowers bunched around to look like a real garden but it’s fake.

So long bearding and fake fans. Taylor is going to destroy you. 🧨 👻

[chosetherose]

8/26/25:

Who’s gonna stop us from waltzing back into rekindled flames?

[chosetherose]

A rare stretch of mother daughter time today with my three month old. Introduced her to my Taylor vinyl collection and before I knew it I was performing The Alchemy for her with my son’s toy ice cream scooper. I started laughing because the joy and amazement on her face was exactly what I looked like front row at the Eras tour. 😂

[chosetherose]

I kind of can’t believe next month is lotto ticket day.

[chosetherose]

The life of a showgirl…

That is the face I make when I am so beaten down by burden that all I want to do is curl up in my covers and hide.

[chosetherose]

“Just a friend” Anon,

I hear you. For me it is curious because if it is from who you’re implying then it shows recent events have been in the works longer than some people here believe. Based on my interpretation anyway.

However, in the grand scheme, you’re probably right in suggesting it doesn’t matter.

CTR

[chosetherose]

Does anyone have any thoughts on this poem?

I received it I think three days after TTPD’s release last year. I have no idea from who; it could be from one of us just inspired by a beautiful new album. In any case, it’s always stuck with me because it’s so haunting and gorgeous. I have some thoughts on it and after recent events have been wondering if it could be something more. I don’t want to say much now because I’m curious what you guys think. And it might be nothing!

guilty as sin?

always have been

in her house 

they both walk in

one down the walk

not an aisle

the other hides in shadows

whispering through the gallows 

a person and a place 

same in the name

secrets kept

a man, astray

only ghosts of all remain

Anon, this is so dark but it is beautiful. I don’t know why you’re sharing it but I enjoyed the read.

[chosetherose]

Instead of a pen click, he hears “cha-ching” 💰

I didn’t know that Blank Space was Travis Smellsy’s favorite song 😂🤣 makes sense

[chosetherose]

Reblogging with analysis from a mutual.

"Google says [dragons burning down a castle] signifies a dramatic change in world order. I guess I see that as a change in culture to acceptance of LGBTQ - this of course assumes mass coming out theory"

Hmm. So, I was rewatching some old music videos from three years ago, and some things struck me.

During Taylor's funeral scene in Anti Hero, the kids argue about how her death wasn't an accident. Specifically, they say this: "She didn't fall off that balcony! She was pushed!"

In-scene, the accusation is that Kimber (a character dressed as Taylor's doppelganger) did it. But we cut from this scene straight to the next one - which is Private Taylor sitting on the roof. She is joined by Showgirl Taylor - the doppelganger who has been sabotaging her and driving her to self-harm all through the video. This doppelganger pops up like a goblin, and for a second, you think she might push her. Just like she pushed her off the bed earlier. But Private Taylor is too defeated to fight her - instead, she feeds her, by offering her the bottle of wine. The vice of alcohol that has been harming Private Taylor since the Showgirl appeared. Showgirl is happy with this, and then they both get distracted by the outsized, outcast giant the third Taylor - Famous Person Taylor - has become. They laugh and commiserate with her about the absurdity of the situation. They're the only ones who can still see the humanity in her and "hang out", so they do, and they all get drunk together. End scene.

My point with all of that is that I think all the campy fighting at the funeral is misdirection, and what the music video is actually hinting at is that eventually, Private Taylor will be pushed from a height to her death - but it's not Kimber that does it. It's the doppelganger we've been watching her fight with the whole time. She pushes herself off the balcony.

What this means in the context of what's currently happening . . . I don't know. It's not clear yet. But it feels worth pointed out that when we next see a balcony in a music video - it's at the end of the Bejeweled mv. That's another video that has clear ties to the Showgirl era we're in now. There, we're explicitly told that Taylor "wants the castle" (her work) and does not want the prince. The showgirl burlesque is her entry to the talent competition. It's what wins her the castle. And once she has that all-important castle, what's the last image we see?

It's Taylor, dressed up like a princess, standing out on the balcony. She steps through red theater curtains, smiles . . . and then we pull back to show dragons are burning down the castle around her. So many people seem to miss that detail! The end of the video is framed as a victory, but the castle she worked so hard to win is crumbling apart and catching fire where she stands.

So . . . is that the victory? Burning down her legacy? Just as she burned down the Lover house on the Eras Tour? We're not shown that she controls the dragons, but Taylor is shown smiling in the middle of the chaos.

Why would burning down her life's work be a victory? Hmm 🤔

Anon, this analysis is so thought provoking. I love it. Great job and thank you for sending this in.

Everybody, if you’re scrolling by please take the time to read Anon’s ask.

“Why would burning down her life’s work be a victory?”

What. A. Question. I don’t have an answer but I will say it reminds me of You’re Losing Me. “Do I throw out everything we built or keep it?/ I'm getting tired even for a phoenix/ Always risin' from the ashes/ Mendin' all her gashes/ You might just have dealt the final blow”. Maybe rebirth, which I think Taylor has been hinting at for years, can only happen by burning down her current image, etc.

A couple things I noticed in the Bejweled video when grabbing these screenshots…

As Taylor is dancing as a showgirl, there is a super quick scene where the Sarah’s and Hannah’s in their Sunday best are upset at what they see. But the more diverse group in the back is cheering. It makes me thing of a potential reaction of some kind of coming out one day. Grocery line Swifties in the front upset and people like us in the back cheering Taylor on.

I’m sure I’m the 13th million person to notice this but the clock on the castle is at midnight. (TS12 / TLOAS?)

The castle’s bell is ringing. “When a bell rings in a castle, its meaning varies by context but generally signals an important event, such as a major announcement, a royal visit, a call to worship or gather, a wedding or funeral, the arrival or departure of troops, a warning of danger like an attack or fire, or the beginning or end of a significant conflict or power shift.”

All this to say…Anon brings up a very good question. Taylor just won this Castle and is happy about it as dragons are scorching it down. Perhaps related is that it appears to be 12:00 (midnight) and a bell is ringing signifying some sort of important event. Yes, dragons attacking could be worthy but we know Taylor. There’s another layer to consider.

What a great ask!

[chosetherose]

Hmm. So, I was rewatching some old music videos from three years ago, and some things struck me.

During Taylor's funeral scene in Anti Hero, the kids argue about how her death wasn't an accident. Specifically, they say this: "She didn't fall off that balcony! She was pushed!"

In-scene, the accusation is that Kimber (a character dressed as Taylor's doppelganger) did it. But we cut from this scene straight to the next one - which is Private Taylor sitting on the roof. She is joined by Showgirl Taylor - the doppelganger who has been sabotaging her and driving her to self-harm all through the video. This doppelganger pops up like a goblin, and for a second, you think she might push her. Just like she pushed her off the bed earlier. But Private Taylor is too defeated to fight her - instead, she feeds her, by offering her the bottle of wine. The vice of alcohol that has been harming Private Taylor since the Showgirl appeared. Showgirl is happy with this, and then they both get distracted by the outsized, outcast giant the third Taylor - Famous Person Taylor - has become. They laugh and commiserate with her about the absurdity of the situation. They're the only ones who can still see the humanity in her and "hang out", so they do, and they all get drunk together. End scene.

My point with all of that is that I think all the campy fighting at the funeral is misdirection, and what the music video is actually hinting at is that eventually, Private Taylor will be pushed from a height to her death - but it's not Kimber that does it. It's the doppelganger we've been watching her fight with the whole time. She pushes herself off the balcony.

What this means in the context of what's currently happening . . . I don't know. It's not clear yet. But it feels worth pointed out that when we next see a balcony in a music video - it's at the end of the Bejeweled mv. That's another video that has clear ties to the Showgirl era we're in now. There, we're explicitly told that Taylor "wants the castle" (her work) and does not want the prince. The showgirl burlesque is her entry to the talent competition. It's what wins her the castle. And once she has that all-important castle, what's the last image we see?

It's Taylor, dressed up like a princess, standing out on the balcony. She steps through red theater curtains, smiles . . . and then we pull back to show dragons are burning down the castle around her. So many people seem to miss that detail! The end of the video is framed as a victory, but the castle she worked so hard to win is crumbling apart and catching fire where she stands.

So . . . is that the victory? Burning down her legacy? Just as she burned down the Lover house on the Eras Tour? We're not shown that she controls the dragons, but Taylor is shown smiling in the middle of the chaos.

Why would burning down her life's work be a victory? Hmm 🤔

Anon, this analysis is so thought provoking. I love it. Great job and thank you for sending this in.

Everybody, if you’re scrolling by please take the time to read Anon’s ask.

“Why would burning down her life’s work be a victory?”

What. A. Question. I don’t have an answer but I will say it reminds me of You’re Losing Me. “Do I throw out everything we built or keep it?/ I'm getting tired even for a phoenix/ Always risin' from the ashes/ Mendin' all her gashes/ You might just have dealt the final blow”. Maybe rebirth, which I think Taylor has been hinting at for years, can only happen by burning down her current image, etc.

A couple things I noticed in the Bejweled video when grabbing these screenshots…

As Taylor is dancing as a showgirl, there is a super quick scene where the Sarah’s and Hannah’s in their Sunday best are upset at what they see. But the more diverse group in the back is cheering. It makes me thing of a potential reaction of some kind of coming out one day. Grocery line Swifties in the front upset and people like us in the back cheering Taylor on.

I’m sure I’m the 13th million person to notice this but the clock on the castle is at midnight. (TS12 / TLOAS?)

The castle’s bell is ringing. “When a bell rings in a castle, its meaning varies by context but generally signals an important event, such as a major announcement, a royal visit, a call to worship or gather, a wedding or funeral, the arrival or departure of troops, a warning of danger like an attack or fire, or the beginning or end of a significant conflict or power shift.”

All this to say…Anon brings up a very good question. Taylor just won this Castle and is happy about it as dragons are scorching it down. Perhaps related is that it appears to be 12:00 (midnight) and a bell is ringing signifying some sort of important event. Yes, dragons attacking could be worthy but we know Taylor. There’s another layer to consider.

What a great ask!

[chosetherose]

“Hmm” Anon,

Phenomenal analysis. I’d like to give your ask some thought and put together a response. I’ll try to get to that tomorrow or the next day at the latest.

[chosetherose]

There are no words.

[chosetherose]

It's important to remember that we only ever see what's shown to us. That's all there ever is - to see. The world can only watch, can only look on and on, and be entertained. True, for a life like this. Counting moons until the big day. Looking at chatoyancy. And yet, in this industry, in this community, seeing has never been the most important sense. I hope this will become clear to everyone here sometime very soon.