Do you feel like everyone’s a sexy baby? And you’re just a monster on a hill? If you’ve never considered the answer to those questions, you’re clearly not in sync with Taylor Swift, who sings those words on her new, Spotify-shattering, album, Midnights.
Whenever the 32-year-old releases new music, her confessional lyrics are poked and prodded by fans to the point of parody. Sometimes a lamp is just a lamp. But sometimes a scarf is a relic from a toxic relationship with a famous actor that may or may not still be at his sister’s house. Over the years, Swift has started to capitalise on this, often dropping subtle hints and allusions to her songs ahead of their release in a bid to get the detective work going. As a result, her music has become a set of clues to be deciphered, her listeners aspiring Agatha Christies, primed for perusal.
