Taylor Swift shocked fans with the announcement of her surprise eighth studio album, Folklore, on Thursday (July 23), also revealing that she would be dropping the lead single from the record with a music video upon release.
The star said that the “Cardigan” music video was written and directed by herself with cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, producer Jil Hardin, executive producer Rebecca Skinner, AD Joe ‘Oz’ Osbourne, Editor Chancler Haynes and special effects wizards David Lebensfeld & Grant Miller and the set was designed by Ethan Tobman.
The video shoot the overseen by a medical inspector and followed all CDC guidelines including masks and social distancing, the superstar even revealed that she did her own hair, makeup and styling for this video.
“Once in twenty lifetimes, And when I felt like I was an old cardigan, Under someone’s bed, You put me on and said, “I was your favorite,” sings Swift in the new song.
Swift even dropped an exclusive folklore-inspired cardigan for purchase in her merch store, which you can pick up HERE.
Along with the release of “Cardigan,” Swift also dropped her eighth studio album, Folklore, which is a 16-track record that she wrote and recorded the album during quarantine.
In the surprise announcement post on Thursday, Swift told fans that “most of the things” she had planned this summer didn’t happen, but she didn’t plan to write, record or release a new album but that DID happen. She stunned fans with the surprise and told them that she poured her whims, dreams, fears and musings into the new project.
“I’ll be releasing my entire brand new album of songs I’ve poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into,” Swift explained. “I wrote and recorded this music in isolation but got to collaborate with some musical heroes of mine; Aaron Dessner (who has co-written or produced 11 of the 16 songs), Bon Iver (who co-wrote and was kind enough to sing on one with me), William Bowery (who co-wrote two with me) and Jack Antonoff (who is basically musical family at this point). Engineered by Laura Sisk and Jon Low, mixed by Serban Ghenea & Jon Low.”
The aesthetic of the new album is much different from her previous album, Lover, as it seems Folklore is going for a different vibe with the moody black and white images in a grassy field in what looks like a forest. The album art and photos were captured by Beth Garrabrant.
Folklore Track List:
1. The 1
2. Cardigan
3. The Last Great American Dynasty
4. Exile (featuring Bon Iver)
5. My Tears Ricochet
6. Mirrorball
7. Seven
8. August
9. This is Me Trying
10. Illicit Affairs
11. Invisible String
12. Mad Woman
13. Epiphany
14. Betty
15. Peace
16. Hoax
17. The Lakes (Bonus Track)
Folklore is the follow-up to Swift’s Lover, which was released just less than a year ago in August 2019.
