This Symbolic Moment In Taylor's "ME!" Music Video Is What All Swifties Were Waiting For
Taylor Swift is back and releasing new music, sharing a new song titled "ME!" on April 26. If you've seen the video, which includes a bunch of metaphors and interesting graphics, you might be wondering what the meaning of the snake exploding into butterflies in Taylor Swift's "Me!" music video is. While you're free to make your own guesses, it appears to be symbolic of her metamorphosis between the past and the present.
The moment happens at the very beginning of the video, with the snake that marked her 2017 album Reputation slithering toward and hissing at the camera. Just as it snaps, lunging forward, the snake explodes into a trove of pastel-colored butterflies. You can check it out here.
While the message of Reputation is "the old Taylor is dead," the new single suggests that Swift has been reborn. The song, assisted by Brandon Urie of Panic! At The Disco, is all about self-love, security, and owning one's individuality. There's dancing, bright color schemes, and lyrics that are just so darn empowering.
The chorus, for example, goes like:
Me-e-e, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh / I'm the only one of me / Baby, that's the fun of me / Eeh-eeh-eeh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh / You're the only one of you / Baby, that's the fun of you / And I promise that nobody's gonna love you like me
Cute, right? Twitter can't get enough of this apparent rebirth, either.
"I feel like the snake exploding into the butterflies signifies her finally reaching this place of ultimate happiness," wrote one Twitter user. "This is the new era. Beautiful and even more filled with self love."
Others (myself included) are just as amazed.
On a serious note, it seems like Swift is really becoming more comfortable with who she is and being herself.
On March 6, she penned an essay for ELLE about things she's learned ahead of her 30th birthday that was all about growth and moving forward. And it was inspiring AF. She talked about, among other things, taking risks, eliminating drama, her foray into politics in 2018, and her fears.
Swift also suggested that she had been in a happy place and making music that reflected her state of mind at the time, saying:
There’s a common misconception that artists have to be miserable in order to make good art, that art and suffering go hand in hand. I’m really grateful to have learned this isn’t true. Finding happiness and inspiration at the same time has been really cool.
Seems like "ME!" may have been the result of that, which is just beautiful, if you ask me.
But don't think that Swift has totally shed her "bad girl" persona. She went on to discuss the importance of being stern when one is taken advantage of, and her comments suggest that she'll divert to 2017 Taylor if she needs to. "Grow a backbone, trust your gut, and know when to strike back. Be like a snake — only bite if someone steps on you," she wrote.
That said, get ready for more tunes. If "ME!" is any indication, we're in for some really cool stuff.
