I posted a tame, non controversial post on TikTok the other day about how my intent for this album is to go to a store and get a copy on the 3rd and read all of the lyrics before I listen to the music.
Someone came in to my comments to inform me that “The lyrics are already out.” and proceeded to list off and tally up “What they are about.”
This bothered me for a couple of reasons.
1. I actively avoid seeing or hearing about leaks. Even and especially if they ARE real, it feels extremely disrespectful to consume them before release day.
2. From what I gather, what is “available” is an extremely blurry photo that was decoded by AI. I don’t trust anything about this.
3. The very idea that a cursory skim of the lyrics could be boiled down to a short list in a comment of what each one is about. This is Taylor Swift we are talking about. I am still constantly finding new things, learning new things, considering things from different angles for albums that have been out for YEARS.
But, yeah. You got your hands on some lyrics, ran your paternity test, and the matter is closed. Guess I shouldn’t even bother listening because there’s nothing else to say. “It’s very cut and dry.”
NONE of her songs are cut and dry. They all have at least 3 different possible meanings. This is why we are fans.
They closed out their comment saying “Gaylors keep losing. Give it up. It’s over.” We don’t care about winning or losing. We’re just having fun being in community around an artist we love. You should try it sometime. If you’re that happy for her, just be happy in community with other people who are happy. Stop attacking Gaylors for sport. It’s a really bad look and it’s not going to age well.
I’m a straight person and I am getting really sick of and embarrassed by how other straight people act around this. I formally apologize on behalf of them.
Time, rerecords & horcruxes, Karma is coming SOON - A Master Thesis
I never looked very deeply into the horcrux reference here (because JK Rowling SUCKS). But I started thinking about the order in which the Harry Potter horcruxes were destroyed, and was curious if that order would line up with her rerecording chronology in any way.
I am happy to report back... that it DOES. 💥🤯💥
Here are a few things you will see referenced in this theory:
The Harry Potter chronological narrative
Rhetorical symbolism behind each horcrux
How each horcrux was formed and destroyed
The order of Taylor’s re-recordings so far
The prologues from each TV - what did Taylor say when presenting each re-record?
Promotional merch from each TV - what objects did Taylor use to market each re-record?
Key visuals from TV music videos and the Midnights MV series - what imagery did Taylor use to visualize her re-recording quest?
Table of Contents👇
00 - Setting the stage...
01 - Tom Riddle's Diary = Fearless
02 - Gaunt's Ring + Deathly Hallows = Red
03 - The Locket = Speak Now
04 - Hufflepuff’s Cup = 1989
05 - Rowena’s Lost Diadem = Karma?
06 - Harry Potter = Taylor Swift (Death of The Brand)
07 - Nagini = Reputation
08 - Conclusion: Karma, Reputation, then Debut
Theory Overview - TLDR (kinda)
Tap the header links in the Table of contents or below to read the full chapters. There are too many details and visuals to summarize in one post!
00 - Setting the stage...
In the Harry Potter series, we are led to believe that there are SIX horcruxes that must be destroyed before Voldemort can be defeated. Except there aren't six Horcruxes.
A late stage plot-twist reveals that there has been a secret seventh Horcrux along the journey with us this whole time... a corrupted shard of Voldemort that lives within Harry himself.
Read the full setup →
01 - Tom Riddle's Diary = Fearless
Recapturing and visualizing adolescent experiences, with a particular focus on high school… yeah. This just feels right.
A young and ambitious wizard, who was able to craft an immersive, one-sided experience with a stranger that FEELS like a genuine conversation between two people.
Harry is sucked into a visual landscape of memories while remaining completely unaware of the true identity and intentions of the author.
ALL of that feels very true to the OG Fearless era - a lot of assumptions were made by the fans. For better or worse, this era really cemented her reputation as a diaristic songwriter.
Read the full chapter 01 →
02 - Gaunt's Ring + Deathly Hallows = Red
"There is nothing Dark about the Hallows - at least, not in that crude sense. One simply uses the symbol to reveal oneself to other believers, in the hope that they might help with the Quest." — Xenophilius Lovegood explaining the symbolism behind the Deathly Hallows
What’s something we all know about Taylor? She uses symbols to reveal herself to gaylors.
The Red prologue references a phone that RINGS, and themes of tortured by the ghosts of the past - Gaunts Ring contained the resurrection stone, which haunted him with the memory of his lost love.
Read the full chapter 02 →
03 - The Locket = Speak Now
Themes of overcoming fear, confronting cowardice, going out to do something scary on your own.
These themes parallel what I see in Harry, Hermione, and Ron’s journey with the locket. The locket brought out much self doubt, unspoken truths, and regrets in all of them.
The process of destroying it felt endless, like they were frozen in time. During the quest to destroy it, they begin to fight a dragon in a vault. Except once learn the dragon was also a victim, so they help it, and together they escape the vault.
Strong visual parallels from the Bejeweled MV and ICSY
Read the full chapter 03 →
04 - Hufflepuff’s Cup = 1989
Betrayal of values: Hufflepuff's Cup being transformed into a Horcrux symbolizes the corruption of loyalty and hard work, as it takes a cherished object associated with the Hufflepuff house, known for its values of dedication and fairness, and twists it into an instrument of evil by Voldemort, representing how even the most positive traits can be perverted when used for malicious purposes.
The 1989 era was marked by loyalty, friendship, etc. And it ended in betrayal. From the prologue: It turns out that the cocktail of naïveté, hunger for adventure and freedom can lead to some nasty hangovers, metaphorically speaking.
How did Harry and his friends break into Bellatrix’ vault? By Hermione spelling herself to look just like Bellatrix. Like a twin.
The treasure in the vault duplicates and burns those who attempt to steal it. Hermione duplicates Bellatrix to sneak into the vault. The hufflepuff cup horcrux is steeped in symbolism surrounding duplicity, doubleness. Both in deceit and literal double/ false twin objects. Does this parallel the lost sister album, Karma?
Read the full chapter 04 →
05 - Rowena’s Lost Diadem = Karma?
Since we do not have a Karma prologue, I will analyze the next best thing: the prologue of Karma’s hypothetical sister album, 1989.
A closer look at the end of the Bejeweled MV, and the exile pocketwatch...
Symbolism of eagles and color theory
The story of the lost diadem revolves around secrets and confession of regret/guilt. “I stole the diadem... My mother, they say, never admitted that the diadem was gone, but pretended that she had it still. She concealed her loss, my dreadful betrayal, even from the other founders of Hogwarts.”
Helena was evasive, as she didn't appear to like telling others about her past, not even that she was Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter. She was remorseful of what she had done, but also extremely angry at the defilement of the artifact and her mother's legacy, [thats a real fucking legacy to leave] referring to the corrupted diadem as an abomination.
Etymology - "Helena" is a Latinate form of Helen, derived from Greek ‘ελενη (eleni) which means "torch" or "corposant" (source of light). [its time to step into the daylight Taylor]
It is only once Helena chooses to tell the TRUTH, to bring her deepest shame to life, that Harry can go on to destroy the other 2 horcruxes.
Read the full chapter 05 →
06 - Harry Potter = Taylor Swift (Death of The Brand)
What if I told you Voldemort could represent forced closeting/homophobia?
What if in the same way Voldemort accidentally attached a piece of his corrupted soul to Harry as a child, Taylor had a part of her that was homophobic, who wanted to closet, who wanted to hide?
What if that part of her has to die, before she can fight the larger issues of closeting and homophobia in the music industry
What if the death of her Reputation or the reclaiming of Karma leads to the sacrifice of the version of Taylor that most people know and love - the heteronormative legacy, “chosen one” Taylor?
What would the death of Taylor Swift look like? Does it mean her legacy is dead, and reborn with the re-release of debut after all is said and done?
Read the full chapter 06 →
07 - Nagini = Reputation
The final Horcrux created by Voldemort was a vicious snake, reinforcing his connection to Salazar Slytherin. [Taylor’s last rerecord?]
Once Voldemort realized his other Horcruxes had been compromised, Nagini was encased in a protective magical sphere and ordered to stay close. (I swear I've seen this visual in a MV) Is that why Taylor WONT F-ING RELEASE IT?? lol
While everyone believes Harry to be dead, Neville steps in. Neville is in many ways, a mirror image to Harry. He was born on the same day, his parents were also rebels, and he was functionally orphaned for the same prophecy - it could have been about him OR Harry.
But Harry was chosen, and Neville remained eclipsed in his shadow. It is only once Harry the chosen one is gone, that Neville finds the courage within himself to step into the light and fight.
In the chaos of that moment, Harry reveals himself to be alive, reborn. And then he vanquishes the dark lord once and for all.
Final Battle for Taylor’s Masters: What if the death of Brand Taylor, who partially wanted to remain in the closet forever [lost fearless leader anyone?], allows for Taylor’s shadow self to step in and “finish the job” with Reputation.
Read the full chapter 07 →
08 - Conclusion: Karma, Reputation, then Debut
Harry was a great wizard, with many unique talents. The part of him that was Voldemorts ate him alive, but it also afforded him skills and advantages that other wizards lacked.
Taylor is a great musician, with many unique talents. The part of herself that seeks to stay in the closet ate her alive, but it also afforded her skills and advantages that other musicians lacked.
Anti-Hero Music Video - Secretly resurrected after being killed, while everyone is still fighting each other.
Read the full chapter 08 →
Final Conclusion:
Karma blows up the legacy began by Debut, Reputation addresses that death, and Debut is reborn from the ashes.
Obligatory side note - I hate JKR. She's the worst. I refuse to credit her in any way. This is an effort to reclaim what I once loved as a queer kid, and make it GAYER.
Just logged back into tumblr for the first time in a decade because I am going through withdrawals over the subreddit being down. Where are my people at?
Some days I feel like if I have to be alone for another second, I'll just disappear and no one will ever notice me. I really feel like I am going to be forever alone. It is a hopeless feeling. I can't understand how people go about starting relationships. It feels impossible. I try to talk to my friends about it. They brush it off and say "Don't worry about it. Enjoy being single while you can. You'll find somebody before you know it." They don't really listen to me. They don't understand how I feel. They couldn't possibly. Most of them are in happy relationships. I don't know what to do.
Having one of those days. When you turn up the sad music and feel like you could just sink into the floor. You cry at the drop of a hat and you're pretty sure no one would notice if you just faded away.
