#i'm officially in love with any song that comes out of 1989

[flowers-for-em]

TICK TOCK ON THE CLOCK I PACE DOWN YOUR BLOCK I BROKE MY OWN HEART CAUSE YOU WERE TOO POLITE TO DO IT!!!!!

[anadrenalineslut]

LOVER GAYLOR'S VERSION WOULD BE SO GOOD

I ABSOLUTELY AGREE ANON.

I'm actually kind of sus over those lover vinyls now, not gunna lie to you. I just feel like... yes, lover is queer already but I feel like there is definitely a song or two she cut from the listing that are explicitly queer... or maybe there aren't and this was the "coming out" album the way it was supposed to be because ME! is pretty explicit honestly. "like a rainbow with all of the colors, i promise you'll never find another like me" is a queer ass lyric.

not only that but she intentionally made the aesthetic of that song on rep tour a rainbow, with her background dancers in pink, yellow, blue powersuits- which is an inherently queer clothing item to me tbh. Like, you wanna talk about queerflagging? that's the literal definition of queerflagging. I don't know any grown ass adults donning a full rainbow dress unless they're queer. I just don't see taylor loving rainbows because she just "loves" rainbows.

Like, not to mention she goes into dwoht/atw after shake it off, which I feel like is SO telling of 1989 era isn't it?

but like, yeah, I just feel like if you listen to lover from the lens of a bisexual woman coming out- it is pretty explicitly queer. False God is just another name for Pussy is Bible, change my mind. I just... idk... don't get me wrong I want lover (gaylor's version) because I want more lover era songs. I love lover, i'm so sad she didn't get her own tour and has to share the spotlight with nine other bitches but it's okay i'm FINE.

I just... I want her to be able to come out the way she planned it. Taylor is not a private person by nature, and she is putting up boundaries but I cannot imagine she wants to stay in the closet. Like, what was lover then if not her wanting to make a huge show out of her coming out? When I hear the speeches, I see the videos and hear her discuss lover... my heart breaks, she put so much thought and care into that fucking era... she wanted to put her sexuality on the front pages of every magazine because she feels like she fucking earned it? Like, if i was taylor, I would want the attention on my sexuality if I was forced into the closet which... idk it's pretty clear from her own visual work that she's resentful of her "glass closet" and has been seeking a way to get out of it for over a decade now, probably.

Lover was so open that folkmore videos feel like a slap in the face with their tone honestly. the last music video we got for lover was the man and I doubt she wanted to end with that because u know cruel summer was going to get released as a single... you just fucking know it. there's no way, she teased the FUCK out of that song. MULTIPLE references to it... nah, something's up. but like... go back and watch me! then watch cardigan... it's a complete tone shift. It's a complete emotional departure from where ME! was and I don't think that it's "reading too much" into it when this is like superficial stuff I'm talking about... we've returned to a dark cottage and forest and taylor is trapped behind a glass closet... after lover era where bisexual rumors were at an all time HIGH?

no bro, she's hurt over the way it all went down and it's fucking evident.... but i think the finality of midnights as an era and the way it's kind of been the best of all the eras (like... the glam of 1989, the healthy attitude of lover, the hair ish of debut/fearless/red all together, the sadness of red in the official photoshoots, the easter eggs of reputation, the queerness of speak now) makes me feel like we're going into a really fun and new and honest era of taylor swift. I think she's finally done with the lying and hiding and she's going completely change the way she approaches music after this year.

I think she's hinted that she's ready to get onto ts11 and the new chapter of her life several times this year... I think she might just mush all the rest of the rerecordings together with lover b side for tour (imagine the record she would set with that babes.... i know she's thinking about it) because she wants to have a gay ass tour this time around, the way lover was supposed to be. And I think that's why she's decided to do an eras tour as well, because she's been playing with the rest of her eras this entire midnights era. like what is the midnights era? it's literally a retrospective on her past eras.

so i think we might get lover gaylor's version only because she'd probably be the first and only person in history to chart all 250+ songs that she'd definitely chart if she released the rest of her recordings at the same time, and the only person to chart all ten of her first albums at once too. it'd be a nice even record to set and she loves her some numbers.

anyways i hope you enjoyed my intense clowning anon

[swiftiephobe]

ok general thoughts: i really really like it!!!!! i've given it three full listens so far and i've enjoyed it more each time. i don't think it's much of a progression nor does it really bring anything super new to her discography but it does feel like a very refined/polished form of the pop sounds she's already explored. i'm not going to officially place it into my album ranking yet because i really need to wait and see how it settles. very very tentatively, it could maybe dethrone 1989 and take third spot (and best pop album spot) but that's a very very very early judgement. i also had lover in my top 3 a week after release so maybe you can understand my caution here asfhdhcjdjf

i do feel there was a bit of a bait-and-switch between the concept/visuals and the music which i think explains some of the initial negative reactions from some? especially since there was no single released there was a LOT of hype over what the album would sound like and the visuals being so 70s inspired but like... it's a straightforward pop album. i really really like it as i said but i can definitely understand why people are disappointed. i feel like if you're gonna leave that much mystery there has to be more of a pay off at the end than releasing songs that have the same dna as stuff you've released before. i also feel like more could've been done with the "midnights" concept in general, like it's there on some of the songs but the theme of "telling the story of 13 sleepless nights" doesn't really come through as strongly as i thought it would.

lyrics: it's a pop album so i wasn't expecting as much folklore/evermore "quill pen" lyricism. there's definitely a LOT more "glitter gel pen" lyrics but y'know she hasn't really been releasing those much in the past couple of years so i'll allow it!! i think overall the lyrics are good, they're a mixture of eloquent, detailed, vulnerable with a bit of cheek at the right moments too. that's not to say there aren't some clunkers on here but overall i think there aren't any songs that are diabolically bad lyrically which is great, and even some of the weaker songs lyrically make up for it in other ways

production: this has jack antonoff's style ALL over it and well i'm a slut for synths so i was always gonna like the production. if anything though it's a bit samey? don't get me wrong i prefer that to the total whiplash mess that was the lover tracklist, i definitely think midnights was a very pleasant listen all the way through and i can see it being an album i return to as a whole which is a win for me. however i do feel some of the songs are just kinda redundant and blend into each other. i'm sure the more i listen the more i will notice the little details that set them apart

anyway here's the track-by-track (under a cut because this post got LONG)

lavender haze: this is sooooo gorgeous, veeeeery sensual, this is probably one of the highlights for me. idk how i feel about it as an opening track; i feel like the "meet me at midnight" intro was definitely added on after she decided to make it the opener rather than it being an organic part of the song. but taking the song out of that context it's absolutely stunning

maroon: ahhh it IS like a grown-up version of red with the colour references. another one that's up the top for me, it's just so rich in imagery

anti-hero: mm there are things i like and things i don't. i really like when taylor properly self-reflects in her music and i do think it must be a really tricky thing to do knowing millions of people will be listening. however this kinda feels like it almost gets there but doesn't quite for me? like idk certain lyrics kinda feel like she's just mocking what people say about her which kinda takes away from what the song is meant to be. i'm kinda like "girlie you're soooo close" at certain points, there's just a certain level of sincerity lacking for me. absolutely love the lyric "i'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror" though. the bridge is great too. and despite some gripes about the lyrics the song is a certified bop

snow on the beach: she HAS to be trolling omg. i actually don't mind her backup vocal features but why hype up the lana feature just for lana to barely be present at all. i actually don't love the song either which is a shame because i love both taylor and lana as musicians :/ idk it's just kinda meh for me. also this song did not need to be explicit LMAO like there are a few of taylor's songs with swearing i feel is shoehorned in but i think this is particularly egregious

you're on your own kid: i think she's singing about her childhood/start of her career here???? at least at the start, the song as a whole is basically an autobiography. i honestly wasn't expecting that but i kinda love it, it feels really different from what she's sung about before and feels so vulnerable and honest (what anti-hero wishes it could be!), for sure a worthy track 5 which makes me happy because the title had me a bit dubious

midnight rain: some interesting production choices here... i can't really work out who she's singing about and i'm curious. i'm probably just oblivious

question...?: the eccentric title was not necessary ashfhsjfjskf this is not as experimental as i thought it might be. again i want to know who/what she's singing about??!?! both this and midnight rain just kinda come and go for me, like they're solid mid-tier in this album, good but not standouts

vigilante shit: ok this is one i was anticipating to not like as much based on the title and yeah. this is down the bottom for me, it's a bit corny. i think the story in the song is fiction/fantasy (definitely feels like taylor cosplaying as... something) but if it's real i want to know the tea

bejeweled: i do really like how vigilante shit flows into this song, they almost feel like they're a pair that go together. i also like it better than vigilante shit even though i keep hearing her say "hoe" in the chorus which is a bit of a scream (ik she's not i just keep hearing it!). add this to the list of "who the hell is she singing about" songs

labyrinth: the epiphany vibes!!!!!!!!! we won!!!!!!!! i love how this is a bit different from the other songs sonically, it's more of a slow burn. i think this is going to be a grower for a lot of people and one of those underground favourites that doesn't really get discussed much but has devoted fans nonetheless

karma: nahhhhh idc this is so fun. this song is gonna get dragged but i am going to be a karma apologist! karma IS a cat and it's purring in my lap. the girls who get it get it and the girls who don't don't

sweet nothing: this is a bit cutesy but y'know good for them!!! i like the instrumentation it's very sweet, this is the most stripped-back song i think so it'll probably just be more of a grower

mastermind: this was probably the song i was most curious about because it's a closing track and closing tracks always slap and "mastermind" was an intriguing title so i was like hmmm how is it gonna wrap up the album??! and i like it! i really love the production and how it builds and i think it does round out the album really well. the general themes explored and directions the album goes in are nicely brought together here which is exactly what i want from a closing track!

[sunjaesol]

THE MANY CRUSHES OF LUKE PATTERSON... AND THE ONE THAT STUCK

💌💌💌💌💌💌💌💌

1982

Luke Patterson's first crush ever was Haley Martin. He adored the colour of her hair — like the clementines his mom bought — and the way she finger-painted, enough for his four year old eyes to stare at her in awe.

He watched her make mud pies in the sandbox from the monkey bars, only to ruin them to get a rise out of her. He couldn't understand why she didn't like him the way he did, so he nagged his mom to explain.

"Teasing girls should be fun for them too, sweetheart," she soothed. "This Haley clearly didn't like it."

He blinked. "Huh?"

Her smile stayed warm, similar to hot chocolate and whenever grandpa conjured candies from behind his ear. "Why don't you share your grapes with her tomorrow? I'm sure she'll like that."

His nose scrunched up. "Why?"

"Because it's sweet, Luke."

"I don't get that," he shrugged. "But I'll try."

The next day, he sat beside her during storybook time and that seemed to help a little already. By the time it was lunch, her mood was lifted, which excited him too, and urged him to offer the grapes.

It earned him a featherlight kiss on the cheek.

Luke squeaked in surprise, flushing a firetruck red, to which she giggled and plopped another grape in her mouth.

Three days later, his crush was gone from his mind and he began sharing his grapes with his new friend Reginald instead.

1986

"Can you ask Jessica what she thinks of me?" Luke hurriedly whispered, eyes flickering between Reggie and the girl from across the courtyard.

Normally, Luke Patterson exuded confidence. The resident class clown, always opening his jaw to react to the teacher without raising his hand, catching fights with stupid classmates, sneaking into dad's stationwagon to create mixtapes.

Fearlessness was his freaking middle name. (It was actually Beck, but whatever. He wished it was something cool like Duran Duran though.)

But when it came to girls... he got so nervous. Because they were girls! He didn't understand them! They hated rambunctious boys and only listened to stupid pop music and blabbered about how they stole makeup from their sisters.

Jessica, however, somehow made his heart flutter and his stomach twist up. She just looked cool in her dungarees and she had a pretty smile and she didn't wear that overwhelming, sugary perfume that was now popular.

Reggie snickered, in the way only eight year old boys could. "You liiiiiiike her!"

"No!" He scowled. "I–I'm just curious."

"Sure," he drawled, but then shrugged in agreement, the oversized leather jacket rustling on his shoulders. He stole it from his older brother after he saw him kissing (!!!) some girl and figured it held some magic to impress the ladies with.

"Just do it!"

With a dramatic flourish, the boy left their hiding spot, Luke lurking around the corner of the alcove to watch. Jessica looked up from her hard work of creating friendship bracelets and smiled at Reggie.

Oh, gosh. She was pretty.

A minute later, a sheepish Reg slowly crawled back to him, cheeks red and fiddling with the zipper of his jacket.

Luke grabbed his shoulders, urgent. "What did she say?"

"Uh... well..."

"C'mon, dude!"

Reggie sighed. "She... likes me, buddy. Sorry."

His hopeful face crashed into one of devestation, quickly covering it up with a laugh and a squeeze of the shoulder. Oh, man, what would Steven Tyler do?

"That– that's dope!"

In the end, Reggie and Jessica were boyfriend and girlfriend for a week while he wrote an angry poem about how stupid dungarees were.

Huh... it was surprisingly good.

1988

"Hey, Luke," Gwenn greeted, shy, tucking her hands in her Camp Wacky Rocka hoodie. "I really liked that song you made about your guitar."

Jumping from the tree branch to the ground, Luke dazzled her with an appreciative smile. From above, Reggie and their new friend Alex watched on curiously.

"Thanks!"

Who would've thought that summer camp would be the first time he made a real, girl friend! Gwenn was super cool and she played the saxophone and she liked Joan Jett and her hair was all curly and big and it reminded him of pretty clouds.

Looking over her shoulder, he noticed a gaggle of girls staring at them. Like they were waiting.

Gwenn stared at him. "Can you close your eyes?"

He frowned. "Why?"

"Just 'cause."

Whatever. Maybe she wanted to show him something cool and would stick it in his hand. Complying, he closed his eyes and impatiently waited, bouncing on his heels.

"So?"

Suddenly, he felt a light, warm touch on his mouth and — oh! She was kissing him!

Luke staggered back in surprise, gawking at a blushing Gwenn as she squeaked a sorry and ran back to the now giggling and screeching girls. They ran away like a flock of birds.

It was a dare! His first kiss, stolen by a dare!

His boys jumped down beside him, awed.

Reggie hollered. "You kissed Gwenn!"

"I don't get it," Alex muttered.

Luke's face twisted up in a sour expression. Camp Wacky Rocka should be all about the music and becoming legends and Gwenn ruined it!

He stuck his tongue out. "Whatever. Let's go to the mess hall!"

1989

When Luke turned eleven, he kissed someone for real.

His birthday party was at the arcade, loud chatter and robotic sounds clashing together in an amazing cacophony. His parents hated the place, which is why Luke loved it.

Of the twenty guests, Yasmine clapped the loudest after he finished his song with the boys — Math Is For Losers! — and grabbed his hand as they walked to a duel game.

Luke felt fuckin' giddy the entire time. (Freakin' in front of his parents, fuckin' with friends.) The swoop in his stomach, his cheeks stretched into a wide beam.

Freshly eleven and the king of the arcade, he boldly asked if he could kiss her.

She smiled, her purple headband glittering in the neon lights, and nodded.

It was short and warm and her lips tasted like pink lemonade and sour gummies and it gave him an entirely new buzz. It was exciting.

He kissed her a couple more times the days after, eager and curious, until she claimed she was now only interested in twelve year old boys.

Since Luke now held the record of most kisses between him, Alex and Reggie, he wasn't too bothered by it. They shook hands, complimented each other on the kissing, and that was that.

1992

"Are you or are you not my boyfriend?" Olivia bit, crossing her arms.

Luke sighed, lazy gaze drifting from her to his band waiting by their bikes. Damn, he thought having a girlfriend would be way easier. Why was she so tense?

"I am," he said. "Why do you think I'm not?"

"Because you ignore me, like, all the time!" Pouting, she fiddled with the hem of her tartan skirt. "And now you're going to be with your band!"

He shrugged. "You can come with us and listen, if you want."

Luke met Olivia this year as deskmates in French class. Her raven hair was long and thick and her lips were all shiny from lip gloss and maybe he got a little cocky, thinking he could be dating the hottest girl of freshman year, so he naturally asked her out.

Maybe he should've considered beforehand whether they had anything in common, but he'd always been the overzealous type. And besides... she was a good kisser.

She scoffed. "That's not any better. Whatever. I'll just hang with Tina and Priscilla then. Laters!"

Plopping a kiss on his lips, she turned around and stalked to her whispering friends. Luke puffed, adjusted the beanie and made his way to the boys.

Girls were confusing.

"I bet dating boys is easier," Alex mused. "Like, equally terrifying, but also... easier. I think. Maybe."

Bobby laughed. "How's the girlfriend, Luke?"

"Ha ha," he deadpanned. "Let's go. I got this new song, Crooked Teeth, and it's a fucking banger!"

Olivia broke up with him after Sunset Curve's first, official gig at the arcade with the explanation that he loved music more than her. He never loved her to begin with, so maybe that was the problem.

She made out with Bobby that same night.

Holy shit, man. He supposed that bitter feeling at the sight of them tasted like rock 'n roll, the one thing he actually craved.

What a funny, funny feeling. (He wrote a hell of a lot of songs about it after. He never quite looked at Bobby the same way either.)

1995

"Hey, Maisie." Leaning against the locker beside the girl, he shot her a million dollar smile. "You comin' to our gig tonight? It's at The Orpheum."

Maisie was fucking awesome. Always in short, flowery dresses and fishnet tights and thick eyeliner like a rockstar, always listening to something new on her walkman. She came from a rich family, but that didn't hinder them from becoming friends.

Her jaw fell slack in awe, him instantly gaining more confidence. Ducking his head to meet her eye, he leaned a little closer. He knew damn well what he was doing, and he got a thrill every time it worked.

"Really?" She gasped. "That's awesome! I'll so be there!"

"Sweet," he grinned. "And stay after too."

A brow quirked up, intrigued. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Just 'cause."

"Right," she drawled. "Nothing is 'just because' with you, Luke."

"And that's why you gotta stay," he teased, nudging her shoe with his. "To find out."

If they rocked that gig and he felt like a fucking legend, he hoped it would end with the two of them hooking up. He wasn't interested in dating — having learned his lesson after Olivia — and he knew she wasn't either, but she was fun.

And that was the most important to him: to have fucking fun. Luke Patterson was here for a good time, not a long time.

And if nothing happened between him and Maisie, then he'd still feel like a legend. In a couple of hours, he was going to play at The Orpheum! How gnarly was that?!

2022

Twenty-seven years later, Luke was still seventeen years old. While he preferred to not question the science behind ghostly activities — he flunked physics anyway — he was happy that he froze at this age.

Because Julie was seventeen, too.

And, man. He was madly in love with her.

He loved everything, from the babyhairs curling around her ears, to her voice and compassionate soul, to her beautiful smile, all the way to her cute, doodled sneakers.

Her epic music taste, her snark, the way she always found his gaze, the way she finished his lyrics, the way she always knew what to say to make him feel better.

His heart melted to a flickering candle whenever she hugged him, a raging wildfire erupting between every kiss. He was a fool for her.

"Stop moving," she giggled, one hand coming up to hold his chin.

He grinned, "Sorry, Jules."

Shifting closer, she dabbled more glitter on his cheeks. They were playing at a black-light club tonight, so Julie and Flynn bought all the glow in the dark makeup available at the store for the occasion.

They looked ridiculous in daylight, Julie's weirdly pink lipstick claiming all his attention, but he knew they'd look fucking cool once the lights went down.

"You want to watch a movie after the gig?" she whispered.

Luke rolled his eyes, playful. "You're gonna fall asleep."

"Yeah." With a bashful tilt of the shoulder, she leaned in closer. "But then you'll be with me."

"Julie! How scandalous," he teased, though his chest swelled at the thought of having some alone time, some cuddle time, with Julie.

"So?"

Murmuring a yes, he closed the little distance to kiss her, sealing the deal, only for her to chase after him — an attempt to wipe the lipstick stain off his lips.

"Nah, keep it." A smirk grew. "So the people know."

She tsked. "Idiot."

"You like it."

"I'm still taking it off though, seeing as you're supposed to be a hologram," she pointed out. "But... you can kiss my lipstick away after the show."

He sighed, dreamy. "I love you."

Finishing his glitter and removing the stain, she dazzled him with a satisfied smile. "Love you too."

She rose up from the couch and went to search for Reggie, the boy likely with Carlos. For a moment, Luke was alone in the studio, allowing himself to sink into that warm, fuzzy feeling.

No matter how many blunders he went through with girls — Haley, Jessica, Gwenn, Yasmine, Olivia, Maisie — they all prepared him, in one way or the other, for Julie.

To not only recognise when an awesome girl was standing right in front of him, but also how to treat her — because Julie Molina deserved the fucking world.

Even if that world now included the supernatural.

Whatever. They were all a little crazy.

💌💌💌💌💌💌💌💌

@bluefirewrites @blush-and-books @pink-flame @ourstarscollided @constantly-singing @unsaid-emily @willexx

[finnickodaiir]

bestie how would u rank taylor’s albums 👀

Thank you so much for asking! Putting under a cut, because it got a little long:

1. Speak Now. It was during that era (around December 2010 or January 2011) that I got into Taylor Swift and even though Red used to be at the top for me (and Speak Now was a close second), I've come to appreciate Speak Now more. I feel like this is Taylor at her most honest and vulnerable, which makes sense considering she wrote the entire album by herself when she was just 19/20, which is quite an achievement. Also the Speak Now Tour movie is just amazing. Favorites are Back to December, Mine, Never Grow Up, Mean, Dear John, The Story of Us, Enchanted, Innocent, Last Kiss, Long Live and If This Was a Movie

2. Red. I just love Red, it was my favorite album for quite a while, and it should have won Album of the Year back in 2013 imo. There's only song I don't really like, but it's also kinda catchy so I don't mind it that much. Also love the vault tracks in Red TV! Favorites are State of Grace, Red, Treacherous, All Too Well, Holy Ground, Begin Again and Nothing New.

3. Evermore. The fact that she wrote this and released just a few months after writing Folklore is insane. It's the one album I don't skip any songs. Favorites are Cowboy Like Me, Gold Rush, Coney Island, Tis the Damn Season, Happiness and Marjorie.

4. Folklore. I really don't have much to say about Folklore beyond "it's great" and I loved the concept. My favorite songs from it are The 1, Cardigan, Mirrorball, Seven, This is Me Trying, Invisible String and Peace

5. Fearless. Love Story was the first TS song I ever heard when I was just like 8 years old (it was on the soundtrack of this movie I watched with my mom called Letters to Juliet) and here we are today. There are a couple of skips, but overall it's a great album imo. Favorites are Fearless, Fifteen, You Belong With Me, Love Story, Breathe, Hey Stephen and Forever & Always.

6. Debut. Appreciate this album more!!! The vocals are a bit off because she was just 16 and the equipment probably wasn't the best, but that doesn't affect the songs that much in my opinion. Like Fearless, there a few skips, but it doesn't affect the album that much. The stand outs imo are Our Song, I'm Only Me When I'm With You, The Outside and Teardrops on my Guitar.

7. Reputation. It's lower on the list, but in my opinion out of her 3 officially purely pop albums, it's her best one and I really like the concept of the album, but I do feel like there are few songs that sound way too much alike in terms lyrics/storytelling and 2 songs that are skips imo. My favorite songs from Reputation are Delicate, Getaway Car, Gorgeous, Dancing with Our Hands Tied, King of My Heart, Dress and Call It What You Want.

8. 1989. It's a fun album, but I just feel like there's something missing. The songs aren't bad (except for like maybe one or two), but I think the lyrics feel watered down in comparison to the other ones (even the one that's below 1989 on my ranking). Faves are Blank Space, Style, Out of the Woods, I Wish You Would Come Back, This Love, You Are In Love and Clean.

9. Lover. I don't dislike it, but it just feels messy and it has a lot of skips imo (because they just don't really fit with the theme of the album or it's a bit cringy but not in a good way). Favorites are Cruel Summer, Lover, Cornelia Street, The Archer and Afterglow.

[batterycityghoul]

Hello there! I don't know if you are accepting requests, so I'm just shooting my shot. I was thinking about a short one shot with Diego based on the song Wait a minute by Willow Smith. Actually the part where she says "You left your diary at my house And I read those pages, you really love me". I know you're busy with These Hands Stained Red, so it's okay if you can't write it. Have a nice day! 🤗💖

Title: You Were Bound to See

Pairing: Diego Hargreeves/Reader

Word Count:  2.9k (whoops?)

Author’s Note: I was already in a Birds of Prey mood, and your additional requests for 'number 8/singer in a bar/power has to do with her voice' gave me maaajor Black Canary/Dinah Lance feels. So, I used some of that character's story for inspiration. I hope that's okay! (I also had never heard the song before, so I hope I did alright with your song prompt! Thank you so much for sending this in! 💖) 

You sat on your bed, waiting for him to show up. On nights like these, it wasn't uncommon for him to sneak into your apartment, seeking a night together.  

When you heard the window beside your bed slide up, you felt a smirk tug at your lips. You glanced over your shoulder, catching sight of him standing there in his domino mask and usual vigilante gear.  

"What was it this time?"  

"A robbery," he answered. "What? You couldn't see that with your little musical gift?"

You quirked an eyebrow at him, not amused by his snark. "It doesn't work like that and you know it," you snapped, shooting him a glare. "And why don't you take that stupid thing off your face? You look like an idiot."

Diego rolled his eyes, reaching up to pull his mask off. "You used to wear one too. Or did you forget we used to be on the same team?"

How could you ever forget? Your mother had only been a lonely, scared teenager when she suddenly became pregnant and gave birth to you all in one day. You didn't remember much about her, but you did remember that she used to call you her little miracle. She didn't have much money or anyone to rely on, but she loved you. And you? You loved her.  

You were just a kid when she got sick and passed, there and gone in what felt like a blink of an eye. In the weeks before she left you, you spent many nights at her bedside, singing her song after song, your head filled with visions that never yielded what you hoped to find.  

After she passed, you ended up bounced around the system for a few years until you ran away. You learned at a young age that you truly couldn't rely on anyone but yourself, so you resigned yourself to being alone.  

You had to become resourceful to survive on the streets. It wasn't the most glamorous lifestyle, but you figured it was better than trusting someone who would only ultimately let you down.  

Your life took a sudden turn when you were only thirteen. You had gone a few days without food, so you had to resort to looking through a dumpster in search of a meal. You thought you had found the jackpot outside of a mansion, since you knew rich people were always throwing away perfectly good food.  

You had just jumped inside when you startled at the sound of someone banging a fist on the side of it.  

"Hey! You find anything good in there?"

You peeked over the side of the dumpster to see a boy about your age leaning against the side of it. He glanced up at you, throwing you a wink, before he brought a cigarette to his lips and took a drag.  

"Smoking kills, you know?"  

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "Death doesn't concern me that much," he offered with a grin, lightly laughing at the words as if it was a joke only he would understand. "What are you doing in there?"

"Looking for food," you answered, figuring there was no harm in being honest.  

The boy squinted up at you before he nodded his head. "Alright," he said. "Come with me."

You shook your head. "I don't even know you."

"Oh! Right," he said, hastily dropping his cigarette to the ground before stepping on it. "I'm Klaus. And you are?"

You considered the boy for a few moments before you sighed. "I'm Y/N," you finally offered.  

You were surprised when Klaus took you inside the mansion. He was quick to introduce you to a woman named Grace who immediately started to fuss over you. She made you food which you promptly ate while listening to Klaus ramble away about his life and family.  

"Well, this was great," you started once you finished the pancakes and eggs Grace had made for you. "But I should really be going."

"I believe we would both agree on that," you heard a man say from the doorway of the kitchen. "What were you thinking, Number Four? Inviting this strange child into our home?"

Klaus snorted before he shot you a commiserating look, as if you could possibly understand what was really going on. "I was thinking, Reggie, that she was hungry and needed something to eat."

"This is not your house, Number Four. You did not have my permission to invite a stranger inside."

It was then that you noticed the other kids crowding around the older man. It took you a few moments, but you realized that you recognized some of them. You frowned at the one wearing a domino mask, a scowl on his face as he watched you.  

"We don't have time for this," the older man snapped. "It is time to debut the team. There is a robbery in progress and you and the other children are going to stop it."

"At a bank?" You asked, tilting your head to the side as you watched the older man. "There's going to be men hiding in the bank vault. Make sure you get them too."

The man turned to give you his full focus, staring you down for long enough that you started to feel truly uncomfortable. "Tell me," he started. "When were you born?"

"What? What the hell does that matter?"

"Your date of birth," the man demanded. "Now."

"October first," you answered.

"Year?"

You shot a quick glance at Klaus, seeing that his eyes were wide with wonder as he waited for your answer.

"1989?" You hesitantly offered, not sure why it came out as a question.  

"Where did you find her, Number Four?"

"Uh," Klaus started, staring at you uncertainly.

"I was outside in the dumpster looking for food," you answered for him.  

"I see," the man mused. "It seems I may have some use for you after all. Stay here," he commanded. "I want to speak with you when we get back."

You watched as the man herded all of the kids out of the kitchen, leaving Grace with instructions to make sure you stayed put.  

Of course, you had no intention of staying. You didn't trust the man or the way he seemed to think you were suddenly valuable to him. You didn't want to see what he had in store for you.  

So, the moment Grace turned her back, you made a run for it.  

It didn't take you long to learn that Reginald Hargreeves really did have no intention of letting you go. He managed to track you down within a day and offered you another meal if you only listened to what he had to say.  

You agreed, even if you were hesitant to believe that he was offering you salvation.  

He spun you a crazy tale of superhero kids and a bid to save the world. It took some coaxing, but you finally admitted that you caught glimpses of the future. All you had to do was sing a song and visions played in your head of what was to come. You couldn't control it and it only seemed to stretch as far as a few days ahead, but you always tried your best to understand them when they came.  

"Precognitive music," Reginald confirmed with a nod of his head. "Well, I'm not sure how useful you can be to the team, but I'm sure we can find a place for you. Welcome to the team, Number Eight."

Despite having an official welcome to the team and family, you still tried to run away. A lot. But Reginald always brought you back.  

You didn't really mesh well with the team. You didn't bother to get to know Luther or Allison. The one they called Number Five disappeared not long after you joined the team and Ben was so quiet and reserved that he usually kept to himself. The only ones you really forged any kind of connection with were Diego, Klaus, and Vanya.  

Klaus didn't really give you a choice about whether you wanted to be friends or not. He seemed to just barge right into your life and stay there, pulling you into his antics from time to time.  

You bonded with Vanya over music. Once you heard her play her violin, you instantly fell for her talent. You spent hours listening to her play, eventually having the confidence to sing to her and sharing your visions with her.  

And Diego? Diego only seemed to show an interest in you because he didn't trust you. You were pretty sure he thought you were going to somehow kill everyone in their sleep one night. Which, to you, didn't make sense, because he was the one with the lethal power.  

Diego's constant watch over you meant that you ended up spending a lot of time together, whether you truly wanted to or not. You discovered an anger in Diego that you connected with. He was angry with his upbringing and constant dismissal from his father that left him feeling like he wasn't good enough and you were angry at the shitty hand life had dealt you and the constant voice in your head telling you that you didn't belong. Over time, you learned how to talk each other down when you truly felt like you were going to lose it. Sometimes when you tried to run away, Diego would be the first to talk you out of it.  

As you grew older, you started to rely on each other. You were the first one to have his back on a mission and he made sure you knew how to spar just as well as him so you could better defend yourself. You started spending most of your time together, forging a connection you never would have seen coming, despite your precognitive ability.  

When you turned seventeen, you and Diego left the Academy together. You both took up odd jobs, sharing a shitty apartment just so you wouldn't have to spend one more moment under the roof of Reginald Hargreeves.  

That first year you spent together, just the two of you, was one of the best years of your life. Diego took up playing guitar and you would sit on the bed you shared, singing to him. He was always so interested in your visions, but that wasn't why you chose to share your talent with Diego. Singing had always been something you loved, and in a way, it was something you did for the people you loved. Your mom. Vanya. And then Diego.  

Of course, you knew you were too young for those kinds of feelings and young love rarely lasted.  

Your problems started when Diego wanted to start up a vigilante lifestyle. He ended up washing out of the police academy, stating that it wasn't for him. Instead, he took to wanting to patrol the streets at night, listening to a stolen police scanner, and throwing himself into danger. You tagged along at first, but you quickly realized that you didn't want to be a superhero. It became a point of contention between the two of you.

"Diego, we can't keep doing this," you insisted one night. You were bleeding from a cut to your forehead you had gotten after a close call with a group of men who were intent on robbing a convenience store.  

"Doing what?" He asked, carefully dabbing at the cut with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol.  

"This," you insisted. "Saving people. Being good little superheroes. I thought that's why we left the Academy."

"That's why you left the Academy," he pointed out.  

"I'm not cut out for the superhero life," you said, trying to make him see that you were suffering for it.  

"You were born for the superhero life," he countered. "Otherwise, what's the use of having a power if you don't use it to save people?"

You shook your head, glancing away from him. "I didn't ask for this," you whispered. "Aren't we meant for something more?" You couldn't help but wonder, feeling like your heart was tearing in two at the silence that followed.  

You left not long after that. You ended up singing in a dive bar for a boss with shady connections and as far as you knew, Diego took up a job at a boxing ring during the day while he moonlighted as a vigilante at night.  

Even though you both didn't seem to agree with the other, you couldn't stay away. The rest of the team had been irreparably broken for a long time, but you couldn't seem to quit Diego. He didn't like that you were seemingly wasting your nights singing in a bar, keeping your visions to yourself, and refusing to use them for the greater good. You didn't like that he was risking his life for people who didn't give a fuck about him and wouldn't care if he died in the process of saving them.  

You spent years going back and forth. Some nights, after you were done at the bar, you would make your way to The Fighting Lion, waiting on Diego's bed until he bothered to show up. Other nights, he would come see you after saving some hapless victim, crawling through your window like you were teenagers in some kind of sweet rom-com.  

It didn't matter how much it hurt that you would never truly agree, because you knew that you loved him. You loved him so much some days you could hardly think past the need to have him right there at your side.  

Now, you barely resisted the urge to roll your eyes before you turned your back on him.  

"I can guess why you're here," you started, shooting him another quick glance over your shoulder. "Catch the bad guys?"

"And saved some lives, baby," he told you with a smirk.

"Don't call me that," you said.  

"What should I call you then?" The smirk never left his face as he started pulling off his holsters, dropping his knives on their unofficial designated place on your dresser. "Remember what I used to call you when we were younger?"

"Don't," you warned, knowing what he was about to say.

"My little songbird," he crooned with an almost mocking note to his voice. "You used to sing just for me," he reminded you.  

You watched him continue to strip until his shirt was off and his pants were unzipped.  

"You're awfully confident about where this is heading," you pointed out to him. "What if I said I just wasn’t feeling it tonight? What if I showed you the door?"

"You know, I caught your show tonight," he informed you, seemingly completely ignoring your previous words.  

That was news to you. As far as you were aware, Diego had never bothered to actually come to the bar and see you sing. He thought you could do better and you didn’t quite disagree with him.

"I listened to you and watched you," he said, slowly approaching you until he was standing just beside your bed. "And I realized something."

"Oh, yeah?" You asked, raising an eyebrow at him as he put a hand to your shoulder, coaxing you to lie down. "What was that?"

He moved to hover over you on the bed, propped up on his arms on either side of your head with his eyes trained on yours. "You don't really love it," he finally responded. "You just go and sing because you enjoy it, but it's nothing like those private shows you used to put on for me. I never realized before how close we were then. How intimate," he said as he leaned down, placing a kiss to your jaw. "I remember the look on your face every time you sang just for me." Another kiss was placed in the hollow of your throat. "You used to look at me like I was everything to you. You gave yourself away."

You felt your breath hitch as he placed a biting kiss just under your jaw, his teeth lightly scraping over your skin.  

"I did?" Your voice was breathless as you attempted to glance down at him.  

"You did," he confirmed with another smirk, finally rising up so you could see him.  

"And what did I give away?" You couldn't help but ask, torn between knowing and pulling him down into a kiss.

"You love me," he said. "I didn't notice at first, but tonight made me see it. It made me see you. You love me, Y/N. You really love me."

It was hopeless to deny it. You had known since you were only seventeen. You had resigned yourself to loving Diego for the rest of your life, because you simply couldn't help it. It didn't matter if you would always clash and were wrong for each other in so many ways. Your heart never seemed to listen to what your brain had to say. You loved Diego.  

"And what if I do? Does that change anything?" Your hands clenched into fists at your sides, your instincts warring between pulling him closer or pushing him away in the event he just ended up hurting you again.  

"Of course it doesn't," he answered with a shake of his head. He offered you a soft, sincere smile before he leaned down again, his lips brushing against yours as he spoke his next words. "Because I love you too."

[tswiftisgay]

Out of the Woods is about the pain of bearding 💔

Out of the Woods was written and produced by Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff, released as a promotional single prior, and then again on the album 1989. The song is believed to have been written in October 2013. It was the final music video released for the 1989 era.  

I would like to argue that OOTW is a song both about bearding with Harry Styles and dating Dianna. It is a mirror image of I Know Places. Let’s dive in.

1.   First, let’s look at the song within context.

It follows Style on the album, which describes an on and off relationship: “When we go crashing down, we come back every time/ 'Cause we never go out of style.“ This is similar to how the Out of the Woods relationship is described: “We were built to fall apart /Then fall back together.” I Wish You Would, How to Get the Girl, and All You Had to Do Was Stay all play with this theme as well. In this way, Out of the Woods fits into the larger themes and narrative of the album.

Another song on 1989, I Know Places talks about running and hiding to protect a relationship. This sense of paranoia and fear is only present in one other song on the album--Out of the Woods.

2.    Now let’s discuss the inspiration behind OOTW as understood by the GP and Kaylor fans.

GP: It’s about Harry Styles as make clear by references to last December, a snowmobile accident, wearing his necklace, paper airplanes, and the thematic similarities to Style, which is also about him.

The main problem with this take is that Haylor was a joint PR bearding relationship. (See this timeline and search my blog for the haylor hashtag if this is still not clear to you.)

However, if you still aren’t sold that Haylor was fake, these lyrics don’t seem to match with the narrative for their split: “Remember when we couldn't take the heat / I walked out, I said, I'm setting you free.” They supposedly split because Harry was flirting with other girls. How did that have anything to do with heat or pressure?

Plus Taylor’s own explanation for the album changed a lot. Despite implying that Style is about him in her first 1989 interview with Rolling Stone, she later distanced herself from that interpretation. In fact, her overall narrative focus shifted during her album promo, making it unclear which Taylor to believe.

Kaylors: It’s about Dianna with whom Taylor had a tense on/off relationship while bearding with Harry. Taylor dropped clues linking the song to Harry to appease her het fans, as she did in many songs.

The problem with this take is that it is more than just a clue. Taylor spends an entire verse describing a snowmobile accident. Taylor makes repeated and extremely specific references to Harry and their public relationship.

Some may argue it was all a metaphor. Paper airplanes are certainly a powerful metaphor for something fragile, but your necklace hanging from my neck is pretty clear cut. Others may say that there was another similar experience she was actually alluding to, like how she later carefully set up Calvin stunts to mimic actual Karlie moments. But unlike a stunt photo or quote, an injury is hard to fake. In fact, Harry tried to hide his injury when he was being papped. Fans only know about it because of the photos leaked from a party he attended later with friends.  

3.   Another less popular analysis reads this as a song about bearding with Harry. 

“This is a pretty obvious closet metaphor. Are we in the clear? Are we safe? Did it work? Did we fool the world again? Is our mutual secret still hidden?

“So while the marketing is exploitative and icky as usual, the song itself could possibly be the one honest introspective statement we’ve ever gotten on the Haylor debacle.” from @at-your-liberty ‘s post (Also see this post.)

Please note that Jack Antonoff has been a co-writer and producer on some of Taylor’s most intimate, personal, and queer songs on her last two albums. You Are in Love, Dress, Call It What You Want, and New Years Day, are the most obvious examples. I would argue Out of the Woods is another one.

I think given the absolute plethora of lines pointing to Harry this is a very logical analysis. I also agree that the theme of fear and running match perfectly with the process of bearding.

4.   I would like to posit that this song is actually about two different people simultaneously. 

Taylor has a knack for creating songs with layered meanings. White Horse is ostensibly about a failed relationship but also about a loss of innocence—or even about accepting the loss of a heterosexual fairytale. This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things is ostensibly about Kanye West and feuds, but as many of us have noticed it also unmistakably correlates with her relationship with fans. There are countless more examples, especially when you look at the real inspiration behind many of her songs.

In the case of OOTW, Taylor did not need to be vague about it because her topic was more or less Harry Styles, even if not in the way her general audience would expect. Haylor was one of Taylor and Harry’s most intense and public beards. (Hiddleswift being the only thing to compete with it.) There were pictures and articles released almost every day of December 2012. At the time Taylor is had rekindled her relationship with Dianna, while Harry was dating Louis Tomlinson, who was notably a complete wreck during and after the stunt. Louis consistently spoke of Taylor with disdain and jealousy.

So she wrote retrospectively about navigating a public fauxmance and a real romance, reflecting on how bearding is a painful, emotionally taxing activity. 

Looking at the Lyrics

Looking at it now

It all seems so simple

It was a simple plan, like any other bearding arrangement, but it didn’t end up being simple for them.

Her relationship with Dianna was also simple or straightforward in the sense that they both liked the other. But being queer was deemed potentially destructive to their careers, which is when things stop being simple.

We were lying on your couch

I remember

You took a Polaroid of us

Dianna, Harry, and Taylor are all well known for using polaroid cameras. There are Polaroid photos of Swiftgron. I think it is notable that Taylor and Harry were both close friends with Ed Sheeran. ( Ed was even present at many of their stunts.) It is very likely that they met in social circles—and maybe even took a Polaroid together--before doing the stunt. 

Then discovered

The rest of the world was black and white

But we were in screaming color

Screaming color is both a good and bad thing here. It is describing something beautiful and real--real feelings between Taylor and D--but it is also describing how rainbows stand out too much, something Taylor and Harry both had in common as they dove into a bearding commitment. They both had something to hide.

And I remember thinking

Are we out of the woods yet?

Are we in the clear yet? In the clear yet, good

The chorus is where Taylor describes the feeling of trying to convince the public that Harry and she are involved—and both straight—while trying to improve or hold onto what remained of her relationship with D. Taylor had been bearding heavily in 2012, first with Connor Kennedy and then with Harry. This was taxing on her relationship with D, which noticeably fell apart around the time she started bearding with Kennedy, rekindled but then disappeared until after Taylor and Harry split. (See this Swiftgron timeline for more info.) She was just trying to succeed and make it through to the other side of her bearding arrangements.

Looking at it now

Last December (last December)

 This is a pointed reference to December 2012 when Haylor was “official” and inseparable.

We were built to fall apart

Then fall back together 

As noted in the bearding analysis linked above, they were built. This implies some forethought while the phrasing removes the agency from the “we” themselves. They were constructed to fall apart when the contract ran out. This also mirrors the D storyline of on and off relationships.

Your necklace hanging from my neck

Again a pointed reference to Harry Styles, with whom she supposedly shared a paper airplane necklace. (In reality, they were not the same necklace, just similar.)

The night we couldn't quite forget

When we decided to move the furniture so we could dance

This is very reminiscent of their night out after 1D’s first Madison Square Garden performance when they did karaoke and danced around in what was an otherwise packed area. They both went back to Taylor’s hotel late at night, the beginning of an extensive series of pap shots of them entering and leaving Taylor’s hotel.

However, the line also seems to be a metaphor for the whole performance of bearding. Neither Taylor nor Harry had ever taken bearding so far as to heavily imply that they were sexually involved. They couldn’t quite forget it no matter how much they wanted to because it was so well documented.

Baby, like we stood a chance

Two paper airplanes flying, flying, flying

Paper airplanes is a reference to their shared necklace, but it is also a metaphor for something that can go far but is fragile. Both Harry and Taylor’s reputation and fame was a paper airplane at that point, with Taylor breaking into pop music and Harry breaking into the American music world while trying to hide their true selves. Trying to sell the Haylor stunt and distract from other narratives was perilous, and in the end they didn’t really stand a chance. The media mocked their intense relationship, some even calling it out as a PR set up. But more importantly, both of them failed to hold it together.

CHORUS 

Remember when you hit the brakes too soon

Twenty stitches in a hospital room

When you started crying baby, I did too

But when the sun came up I was looking at you

This references the snowmobile accident on their ski trip and Harry’s injury, but it is also about both of them reaching their breaking point with pretending. They were both crying, hurting, and suddenly looking at each other clearly. They saw how horrible the situation was for both of them and their respective relationships. Harry had been away from his band and bf for most of December, creating strained and painful interactions even visible in interviews. Taylor and D did not appear to be on good terms either.

I believe the last two lines also reference clearly seeing D again and realizing that bearding wasn’t worth losing their relationship.

Remember when we couldn't take the heat

I walked out, I said, I'm setting you free

The pressure of trying to sell their fake relationship is too much. Taylor decides to agree to end the stunt earlier than intended, setting Harry free.

But the monsters turned out to be just trees

When the sun came up you were looking at me

Sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees. The fear of being locked into bearding, spending all their time together, and continuing the lie turned out to be just trees. They were able to navigate the PR narrative so they could leave the relationship but still milk it for press and inspiration. Harry is looking at Taylor and seeing her not as a captor but as someone sharing his situation. There is a lot of empathy in these lines. 

Again, I think those lines also read as D looking back at Taylor and understanding her situation.

Ultimately, Taylor and Harry are able to get out of the woods/bearding and back to their real selves and real relationships. 

Last but not least: The fact that I Know Places and OOTW are the only songs with the theme of fear on 1989 is very interesting to me. In my opinion, IKP is about hiding and protecting the real relationship while OOTW is about selling and getting through extremely public (as Haylor was amazingly well documented) bearding. If we ever wondered if Taylor was able to hide relationships, we know from IKP she can but doesn’t choose to with Harry. 

I Know Places is about running, hiding, and trying to protect a secret relationship.

Out of the Woods is about being extremely public and constantly acting to sell a fauxmance.

They are two sides of the same story.

[ts1989fanatic]

Our Wish List for Taylor Swift's Seventh Studio Album

Judging from the superstar's recent Instagram posts, TS7 could be on its way.

Without a single word, Taylor Swift has slowly been teasing her army of devoted fans with the possibility of new music, all thanks to a flurry of pastel-hued Instagram activity. Does a caption-less post filled with palm trees and stars signal the start of a new era? Does the number of stairs she’s sitting on in a follow-up post point to a release date? What does Taylor peering through fence slats mean?

As a certified Taylor stan, I was counting the number of mysterious stars and palm trees along with every other Swiftie in the world. I prize the selfie she gifted me with during her surprise appearance at the Reputation pop-up as the most-liked picture on my Instagram feed. I bought my brother a hand-numbered “Delicate” lithograph when I saw her on tour just to rub in the fact that I had sprung for floor seats in the 20th row (and also because I’m a good brother). I even happen to be wearing my stonewashed Reputation Stadium Tour sweater -- which remains my favorite piece of merch I’ve ever purchased -- as I write this.

Taylor Swift Spotted Leaving Recording Studio

Theories are running rampant on social media regarding the details of TS7, and as speculation continues to reach a fever pitch without any official announcement, release date or surprise single drop, here’s my wish list for Taylor’s elusive seventh studio album.

Taylor has never been one to shy away from taking musical risks with a new album cycle. From the dubstep beat of “I Knew You Were Trouble.” to the glossy synth-pop sheen of 1989, she’s changed her sonic landscape on every album since Speak Now, so it’s safe to assume that the superstar will break new ground with her next LP. Without a lead single to dissect, there’s no telling where Taylor could be getting her latest musical inspiration from, but at this point, plenty of fans would love a touch of her country roots on at least a few songs as a reminder of the Taylor they first fell in love with. Personally, I also wouldn’t mind a return to the sparkling 1989-era sonics, but I'm equally ready for a mind-blowing left turn that no one but Taylor is expecting.

A Joe Alwyn 'Love Story'?

Unlike the ripped-from-the-tabloids lead-up to Reputation’s release in fall 2017, the Taylor of 2019 isn’t dominating the headlines with rumors of feuds and gossip. This time around, there's no public record that needs correcting or trail of ex-boyfriends to lyrically skewer. Instead she’s happily played the supportive girlfriend to Joe Alwyn throughout awards season, even opting to skip this year’s Grammy Awards to be by his side at the BAFTAs. Any mention on Reputation of her romance with the British actor was merely hinted at, leaving fans speculating about songs like “Delicate” and "Call It What You Want" and veiled references scattered throughout her music videos. Will she open up about her mostly private relationship to give us “Love Story 2.0"?

Dream Collaborations

For her last two albums, Taylor relied primarily on pop heavyweights Max Martin, Shellback and Jack Antonoff to construct an endless parade of pop bangers. The partnerships clearly worked, delivering “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” “Out of the Woods” and “End Game.” However, a new album cycle is always a good time to bring both old and new voices to the table. Liz Rose, who helped Taylor write more than a dozen hits in her early career -- from “Tim McGraw” and “Teardrops on My Guitar” to “You Belong With Me” and beloved Red album cut “All Too Well” -- would be a welcome return, and I’d also love to see what Taylor could create with songwriters and producers she hasn’t worked with before, like Bonnie McKee, Emily Warren and Mozella.

Taylor Swift Leaves Sweet Comment On Camila Cabello's Birthday Post

As for guest features on the new record, it would be amazing to see some of Taylor’s public, adoring friendships turn into professional relationships, a la her multiple team-ups with good friend Ed Sheeran. Watching Taylor perform “Shake It Off” with Camila Cabello and Charli XCX in the pouring rain at MetLife Stadium last summer made me realize I’d positively live for a studio collaboration with either of her Reputation tourmates. Another obvious choice? Shawn Mendes, who served as an opener on Taylor’s 1989 World Tour and also made a special appearance on the Reputation Tour to duet with her on his hit “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back.” I mean, could you imagine Taylor and Shawn on dueling guitars?

Here Comes the Sun

The imagery surrounding the Reputation era was filled with snakes, cynicism and a certain world-weariness from the “Look What You Made Me Do” singer, and rightly so, considering the constant siege she was under from what must have felt like all sides. Now that she’s successfully weathered the storm and taken back her narrative, I’d personally love to see Taylor ditch the snakes and reintroduce some of the sunnier elements of her look while still reveling in the melancholy romance that permeates her discography. If her recent palm-tree-and-star-filled Instagram posts are any indication, the old Taylor may yet have a chance of being resurrected and returning stronger -- and happier -- than ever.

[sailormiyoung89]

hi there! from your url, i'm assuming you're a Sailor Moon and kpop fan? Just wondering as a fellow fan when you discovered them and how long you've been following them? What's your top 10 anime/kpop artists? And what are your opinions of the Sailor Moon reboot and kpop in general? (P.S. what does the 89 stand for?)

 Hey :) You guessed right, SM and kpop are my obsessions XD I first watched the english dub of Sailor Moon when I was...idk like 4 or 5. Then when it went off air I didn’t watch it again for YEARS. I lived in the middle of the countryside and didn’t have a computer till my uncle passed away and we got his. I was about ten. But because we were so isolated, we only had dial-up till I was like...16. At which point the FIRST thing I looked up was Sailor Moon XD 

I’m not certain when exactly I got into kpop. I was a fan of Kesha’s and was listening to her song, Run Devil Run and scrolling through the comments when I saw a lot of people debating whether this or the SNSD and Girls’ Generation versions were better. I’d never heard of SNSD or Girls’ Generation but decided to check them out and find out for myself - it didn’t take me long to discover that SNSD and Girls’ Generation were the same group XD (Incidentally, please don’t ask me to chose which version is better. I refuse XD). 

I don’t know exactly when this was - I THINK the first half of 2012. 

Top 10 anime: I actually haven’t watched a whole lot of anime. I start them and get a few episodes in and then just get distracted XD

10. Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica. If you like shoujo anime, you probably know about this one but it’s kind of a dark magical girls anime :)

9.Another. It’s a horror mystery anime....I actually kind of want to rewatch it now that I think about it XD

8. Deadman Wonderland. It’s about a boy who’s framed for the murder of his classmates and is imprisoned in a kind of Battle Royale/Hunger Games style prison. I actually named my dog after one of the characters in it, Shiro (and also for the Japanese tale about the dog of the same name who lives with the elderly couple). 

7. Digimon. Back when it was Pokemon vs. Digimon, I may have loved my pokemon red (and blue and yellow), but in terms of anime, I always preferred Digimon. The digimon just seemed to have a lot more personality compared to pokemon. Plus I adored Kari (Hikari in Japanese).

6. Cardcaptor Sakura. After Sailor Moon had gone out of my life as a child, we would occasionally rent videos and dvds from Xtravision and there was always a CCS one. When I first saw it, I thought that maybe it was that other one I watched as a child or something. After the first time, I realised it was definitely something else but I would always pick it up anytime we rented a dvd.

5. I’m going to put Naruto here. Not because I ADORED it or anything and I definitely don’t think it’s the best but despite the fact that it must be one of the longest airing anime, it’s one of the few that I actually saw through to the end.

4.  Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood. I think it’s just one of those GREAT anime that should be a staple for any anime fan to watch. 

3. Full Moon wo sagashite. It’s a shorter anime about a young terminally ill girl who gains the ability to transform into a singer and fulfill her dream of being a singer. I won’t say anymore except that if you ever watch this one, make sure you have tissues.

2. Death Note. I remember being SO blown away by it when I first watched it when I was 17 - I actually convinced a LOT of people in my class to watch it XD 

1. Sailor Moon. Without question.  

Top 10 kpop artists:

10. Ladies Code

9. Sistar

8. BlackPink

7. GFriend

6. Pristin

5. EXID

4. F(x)

3. Twice

2. Mamamoo

1. SNSD

Opinions about Crystal:

....I REALLY wanted to like it :( I didn’t though. It moved too fast. Sure the anime had a bit too much filler but taking away ALL the filler and just plowing through plot full speed ahead was far too far in the other direction. Personally for me, characters come first and the plot comes second. It’s not that the plot is unimportant but you have to give me reasons to care about the characters - reasons that don’t hinge on things I know about them from other adaptations. Plus I’m not a massive fan of SenShi. I’ll take some VenusXKunzite but other than that, I’m not interested in pairing up all 4 girls with all 4 guys. Like you’re telling me that 2 of them didn’t like the one person? Or everyone was liked by SOMEONE? 8 people are not just gonna pair off that simply. I watched the first season and could feel my interest going away episode by episode. I watched the first episode or two of R and while that was a LITTLE better, that was because I was already predisposed to adoring my lost little baby Chibiusa. 

All that said, I did watch S and enjoyed it a bit. It’s still far too fast paced. Breathing every now and again isn’t bad but they just don’t seem keen on doing that. But I did like it a bit more and will check out at least the first couple of episodes of SuperS. I know also that there’s been a lot of discussion about the animation quality and even though I lack any kind of artistic talents, I can see that the animation hasn’t been great. And it DID get better for S. But honestly, I don’t care. I would take stick figures. All that’s important is that I’m given a reason to love these characters. 

Kpop in general? That’s so vague XD You want my general opinion on an ENTIRE music industry? :P 

Okay well I like kpop. We’ve established that much XD And I’m sure you could tell from my top 10, it’s the girl groups I’m here for. There weren’t any really when I first started listening to kpop that I knew of and I am 10000000% here for girls being friends (or more than friends. lbr, there have to be SOME lesbian kpop idols. There are literally hundreds of female idols) and loving and supporting one another. The thing that really appealed to me and why I can’t tell you exactly when I started listening to kpop was the reality shows. I mean Western artists don’t really have reality shows AND variety shows AND modelling gigs AND mc careers AND acting careers. Kpop idols just seemed to be able to do everything!! The one I spent the first six months or so watching over and over again was Hello Baby. I was completely enamored with it :) Only after I finished watching it did I start to wonder ‘hey, I wonder if they’ve done anything recently...and I googled and found out I missed the debut of their first (and only official) subunit. All because I was watching a show that they’d filmed years ago that I could’ve watched anytime....

And lol. For most people, if they have a number at the end of their username, it’s related to their date of birth. For me, it’s ‘89, as in ‘1989′, the year my bias Tiffany Young Hwang was born. My original tumblr username was ‘SailorMushroom89′, ‘Mushroom’ being a reference to ‘brighter than Mushrooms’, Tiffany’s -butchered- intro when she first debuted. (I don’t know if you’re a Sone but it was back before Tiffany’s Korean was fluent and she was SUPPOSED to introduce herself as ‘brighter than Jewels, Tiffany’ but mispronounced jewels and introduced herself as ‘brighter than Mushrooms, Tiffany’).