For the people who know 11:59 pm all too well
At 12 am sharp on October 21, Taylor Swift crashed Spotify with her newest album, Midnights. Like all the other Swifties on the planet, I was excited to finally listen to something other than the ten-minute version of “All Too Well” on repeat. I was also particularly excited because she had described Midnights as a “concept album,” drawing from 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout her life. This album was for the people who write poetry in the notes app late at night because their minds are racing with thoughts. In her own words, the album is “for all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching – hoping that just maybe, when the clock strikes twelve… we’ll meet ourselves.”
This album was for everyone. There are songs for when you’ve just met someone and you’re excited about what’s to come, for when you’re plotting revenge, or even for your most insecure moments. In a video on her Instagram, she explains the message of “Anti-Hero,” the first single of the album. “It’s the things we like and dislike about ourselves that we have to come to terms with.” Despite the upbeat nature of the song, the lyrics resonated deeply with listeners. How was she able to describe everyone’s insecurities so succinctly? One particular lyric that rocked me was “I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror.” She would rather look into the sun than at herself because that’s less painful? I could not believe my ears. I refuse to have a mirror in my room for this exact reason. The longer you stare, the more distorted your reflection becomes looking back at you. The self-realization of “It’s me, Hi. I’m the problem, it’s me,” was also incredibly relatable. You don’t want to bother anyone with your issues, but you can’t help but feel like a burden in everyone’s life.
The relatability of Taylor’s songs has been praised time and time again, but what sets her apart is her expert use of analogies that cloak her lyrics. I don’t know how she does it, but she always manages to describe exactly how people feel in the most poetic way possible. In “Labyrinth,” it’s a late-night journal entry about someone with anxious-attachment falling in love again. Upon my first listen, this one lyric echoed in my head: “You know how scared I am of elevators. Never trust if it rises fast. It can’t last.” You can’t control how fast elevators move up and down between the floors. After you’ve been in a couple that have fallen with you inside of them, you’re nervous for the next time you’re in one. Just like how people “fall in love,” it can be scary falling for someone faster than you anticipated because sometimes you end up slamming into the ground. The lyrics that I’m referencing here are merely a hint of the genius that is the rest of the album.
Midnights felt like Taylor read all of our journals and picked out thoughts and fears that chase each other before we fall asleep, and she pieced them together to create a cohesive album. I think there’s nothing more comforting than being seen and heard, and to have someone describe the exact same situation so beautifully makes the experience less overwhelming. Staying up past midnight to have alone time isn’t necessarily a lonely activity but sometimes you might feel that way. There’s a difference between feeling lonely and being alone and I think that Taylor’s music accompanies people in their choices to be either one. I think what resonates with a lot of people is that they can revisit any of her songs and find exactly how they’re feeling. I never personally related to Taylor Swift’s breakup songs, but now I come back to find them waiting for me.
Midnights is a collection of our bedtime thoughts, the ones we write in journals in scribbles or leave swirling around in our heads for the next night. There’s something for everyone. The Anti-heroes, the Masterminds, the Bejeweled, and the ones that love Karma. There’s a lot more to say about this album and it’s difficult to talk about Midnights without comparing it to her older work, but I think Midnights is strong enough to hold its own against lyrically heavier albums like folklore and evermore. This grown up version of 1989 has an expanded vocabulary and a much later bed-time. It’s the perfect album for the people who know 11:59 all too well.
