The 2022 Video Music Awards (VMAs) took place on Aug. 28. It was a night of wins for chart-toppers and for artists on the rise. Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish took home awards for Best Artist and Best Song, respectively, and it was Dove Cameron who got a spot alongside industry titans as the Best New Artist winner.
Musicians from every genre commanded the red carpet in fantastical fashion as well as classic silhouettes.
However, the artist who came in big was singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who won the award for Music Video of the Year for her 10-minute “All Too Well” short film and announced the release of her 10th studio album, “Midnights,” which is set to release Oct. 21 of this year.
Swift took the red carpet by storm sporting a sleek bun, with her iconic blonde bangs brushed to the side. From the black winged liner to her bold red lips, her look on the carpet was quintessentially “Taylor.” Silver jewel strings draped into a stunning sleeveless halter gown left celebrities and Twitter alike in awe.
Swift is known to hint at future projects through her fashion and this dress was chock-full of ambiguous meaning. Fans pointed out that Swift’s Oscar de la Renta dress bore some resemblance to iconic moments in Taylor Swift history from the dazzling gown she wore at the 2009 VMAs when Kayne West famously interrupted Swift’s acceptance speech to her “Look What You Made Me Do” music video where Swift, her neck draped with diamonds, sat in a bathtub full of the precious stones.
In fact, many thought she was hinting at the re-record of her sixth studio album, “Reputation,” since her former label sold the masters to talent manager Scooter Braun. The nod to the “Look What You Made Me Do” music video from her “Reputation” album was enough for fans to speculate about the next Taylor’s Version to look out for in the coming weeks.
Although audiences can still expect Swift’s re-recordings, the announcement that stole the show was the release of her new album “Midnights,” which Swift announced during her acceptance speech for one of three VMAs she won that night.
However, the exact details of her upcoming album are still unclear. In an Aug. 29 Instagram post, Swift described the album as “the stories of 13 sleepless nights.” But, there has yet to be a confirmed track-list or genre.
The singer frequently uses cover art to hint at the ambience of the soundtrack and will even change her clothing and social media presence to curate a specific and consistent mood.
Darkness and snakes set the tone for the electropop and R&B album in “Reputation,” whereas autumnal colors and French braids manifested in folk-pop album “evermore.”
So far, Swift has released four different album covers, united by muted colors and wood paneling. What does this mean for “Midnights”? Look no further than Tech expert on all things Taylor Swift, @gttaylorswiftsociety on Instagram for the answer to this question.
“I’m really hoping that [Midnights] is a Fleetwood Mac, 70s pop rock type vibe,” says the Tech Taylor Swift Society, “just based off the cover art so far that’s what I’m getting.”
As for the society’s feelings towards the new album: “I am super excited!” Tech Swifties can look forward to Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album available to stream on Friday, Oct. 21 at midnight sharp.