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This Fan Theory About Taylor Swift’s ‘Ready For It’ Taps Into Gaming Culture

2 minute read

Another day, another Taylor Swift fan theory. The pop princess is set to release the music video for her song “Ready For It” (off her upcoming and much-anticipated album Reputation) on Thursday night, but ahead of the release, fans already have ideas about what the singer might be trying to communicate with her visuals — and as anyone who’s seen her reference-heavy “Look What You Made Me Do” video knows, there’s probably, definitely a hidden message.

In the previews for the videos, Swift is seen in a hoodie, then in a bodysuit; she’s also seen shattering a screen made of glass, which has some fans positing that Swift is tapping into gaming culture for the video.

Tumblr user adelaideswifts suggests that Swift wearing a hoodie is some kind of gamer persona who breaks free of a “world where people can turn her on & off as they please” and “try to control her.” When she’s liberated by smashing the screen, she’s wearing a bodysuit adorned with lightning bolts and won’t be “controlled or put in a box again…not by media, fake friendships, men, musical genre, her ‘reputation.'”

This Tumblr user also suggests that the new, liberated Taylor could also represent her fans who engage with her online through their “screens” but with whom she can find freedom to really be herself.

See the full post below.

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Write to Cady Lang at cady.lang@timemagazine.com