There's one thing that routinely brings me joy, and that is watching emotional teens react to new tracks from their favorite stars. So, no matter how I feel about "Look What You Made Me Do," Taylor Swift's new single, I know I will enjoy the proliferation of reaction videos — self-made clips of YouTubers getting teary at the sound of a new T. Swift single.
Take Kalista Elaine. Her video, posted last night just after the single came out, already has over 40k views. She writes a disclaimer underneath the video, noting that this is "not sponsored." No, Taylor Swift is her queen and this is Kalista's version of worship.
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"I'm going to dance like a snake at a concert to this," Elaine exclaims while she's listening. She then dances like a snake. Then: "This is like a soap opera! But like a good one!"
And then there's storesinthedust, who is very concerned about the fact that "old Taylor" is dead.
"What does that mean? I loved the old Taylor Swift. I hope she's not, like, really going out of the" — and then she gets too emotional to continue.
The reactions are their own versions of pop culture entertainment — Taylor Swift's brand is very manufactured and produced. The reactions are the honest reflection of this highly packaged song.
As for the real reviews — the ones by critics — the reviews are mixed. Variety writes that "the catharsis and playfulness are a little harder to pick out in ["Look What You Made Me Do"], though they’re there." According to the publication, this song is more direct than her haters-eff-you piece "Shake It Off" that was released in 2014. But if you keep digging, the old Taylor is still there. So don't freak out, y'all! Taylor Swift is still Taylor Swift. She's just, you know, done some things.
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