No, we can't calm down—even in the midst of a lavender haze.
Taylor Swift just dropped the highly-anticipated music video for the second single from her album, Midnights—and as expected, it already has fans on cloud nine.
The surrealist video stars Taylor and her lover (played by Laith Ashley) in what she calls a "sultry sleepless 70's fever dream" complete with purple smoke, flowers growing from the carpet and her television opening into a galaxy. It naturally ends with her falling asleep on a cloud in a starry sea of swimming koi fish.
On Instagram, Taylor shouted out her "incredible costar" Laith, a transgender model and actor, "who I absolutely adored working with."
"This was the first video I wrote out of the 3 that have been released," she said, "and this one really helped me conceptualize the world and mood of Midnights."
Ahead of the release of her 10th studio album in October, Taylor shared the inspiration behind some of the songs, including "Lavender Haze," the first track on the record. Co-written by friend Zoë Kravitz, the singer revealed she was intrigued by the phrase after hearing it while watching Mad Men.
"It turns out that it's a common phrase used in the '50s where they would just describe being in love, like, you were in the lavender haze," she said in an Oct. 7 Instagram video. "And that meant that you were in that all-encompassing love glow, and I thought that was really beautiful."
Taylor, who's been dating Joe Alwyn since 2016, also referenced her private romance and the attention that surrounds them.
"My relationship—for six years, we've had to dodge weird rumors, tabloid stuff, and we just ignore it," she continued. "This song is sort of about the act of ignoring that stuff to protect the real stuff."
But her new single from Midnights isn't the only track from the album to delve into her inner thoughts. As the Grammy winner previously explained, her entire album is comprised of stories from restless nights in her life.
"This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams," she wrote in an Oct. 21 Instagram post celebrating the album's debut. "The floors we pace and the demons we face. 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."
Watch the stunning video above, and keep reading to find out how more celebrities were involved in Midnights.
Her boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn contributed to the album under his pen name William Bowery, credited as a songwriter on "Sweet Nothing." The track is about finding solace in his love, as she sings, "I found myself a-running home to your sweet nothings / Outside they're push and shoving / You're in the kitchen hummin' / All that you ever wanted from me was sweet nothing."
Swift's collaborator for more than a decade, Antonoff was her right hand on Midnights, producing and co-writing most of the songs.
"I couldn't be happier that my co pilot on this adventure was @jackantonoff. He's my friend for life (presumptuous I know but I stand by it)," Swift wrote on Instagram, before noting what makes this record special to them: "this is our first album we've done with just the two of us as main collaborators."
"Always have to remember things aren't necessarily how they seem," Aaron Dessner cryptically tweeted on Oct. 18 after fans noticed the Folklore and Evermore collaborator didn't have a writing credit on any of the original Midnights tracks. However, Swift later revealed he worked on several of the 3 a.m. bonus songs, including "The Great War," "High Infidelity" and "Would've, Could've, Should've."
The High Fidelity actress—who was in the same quarantine bubble as Swift back in 2020—has songwriting credits on the opener "Lavender Haze," along with Swift, Antonoff, Mark Anthony Spears, Jahaan Akil Sweet and Sam Dew.
Lana Del Rey contributed as both a co-writer and vocalist on the dreamy "Snow on the Beach."
As Swift put it in one clip, "The fact that I get to exist at the same time as her is an honor and a privilege and the fact that she would be so generous as to collaborate with us on this song is something I'm gonna be grateful for for life."
The real question here is how exactly did Swift's brother Austin Swift contribute to her track "Question... ?" The song credits list him as a contributor for "Unknown, Other" on the song, which, according to Rolling Stone, sampled her own 1989 song "Out of the Woods."
Eagle-eyed fans noticed that the physical copy of the album credits Austin Swift for providing "crowd applause" on the jam.
The Teen Wolf actor also mysteriously received an "Unknown, Other" credit on "Question... ?" which the physical copy reveals as "crowd applause." Meanwhile, his involvement in "Snow on the Beach" is more instrumental: He's listed as a drummer on the Lana Del Rey track.
Mary Elizabeth Ellis plays Swift's murderous daughter-in-law in the "Anti-Hero" music video, wearing one of the artist's Fearless dresses to her funeral. It brings her lyrics to life: "I have this dream my daughter-in-law kills me for the money / She thinks I left them in the will / The family gathers 'round and reads it / And then someone screams out / 'She's laughing up at us from hell!'"
Ellis previously acted in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Licorice Pizza with HAIM (more on that later) and, fittingly, Masterminds.
The stand-up comedian, who has appeared in Billions and Don't Think Twice, portrays one of Swift's greedy sons in "Anti-Hero."
The Search Party actor also hilariously plays one of Swift's grown sons in "Anti-Hero," rocking some headphones and a colorful bomber jacket at Swift's hectic funeral onscreen.
"Watch my nightmare scenarios and intrusive thoughts play out in real time," Swift teased, "with some help from the excellent @birbigs, @bejohnce, and @maryelizabethellis who fabulously portray… get ready for it… my grown sons and daughter in law?"
Kravitz is not the only Big Little Lies actress involved in Midnights. Laura Dern appeared as the step mother character in the "Bejeweled" music video.
Sisters Alana, Danielle and Este Haim (of the band HAIM) were featured as step sisters in the "Bejeweled" music video, after recently collaborating on Evermore's "no body, no crime" and opening for Swift's 1989 tour.
Celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath had a cameo in the "Bejeweled" track as well. Fans think the collab was teased at the MTV VMAs in August: McGrath did Swift's makeup for the event, where the singer revealed her upcoming album on the way. The beauty expert captioned the dazzling looks, "SWIFT SEDUCTRESS" and "TAYLOR-MADE BEAUTY."
The burlesque dancer also appeared in the "Bejeweled" Midnights video with her martini routine.
Laith Ashley stars in the "Lavender Haze" music video, which was released in January 2023.
"You are magic," Ashley wrote to Swift on Instagram. "Thank you for letting me play a small part in your story."