Taylor Swift
Credit: Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

In accepting one of three awards at the 2022 MTV VMAs Taylor Swift announced the arrival of her 10th studio album. Midnights will arrive to sound waves on October 21 and according to the pop star, will recount the “stories of 13 sleepless nights”. On October 7 Swift revealed the full track list to her forthcoming album including a song titled “Lavender Haze”.

With just under two weeks before the album is released, Swift has offered insight into the song and made a rare statement on her six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn. The notoriously private singer explained she learned of the phrase ‘lavender haze’ from the film Mad Men. 

“It turns out that it was a common phrase that was used in the ’50s, where they would just describe being in love,” she explained in an Instagram reel. “If you were in that lavender haze it meant you were in an all-encompassing love glow.”

She continued, “Theoretically when you’re in that lavender haze, you’ll do anything to stay there and not let people bring you down off of that cloud.”

Swift went on to address why she chooses to keep her relationship private as a public figure. “If the world finds out that you’re in love with somebody, they’re going weigh in on it. Like my relationship for six years, we’ve had to dodge weird rumours, tabloid stuff and we just ignore it. This song is about the act of ignoring that stuff to protect the real stuff.”

The “weird rumours” could be referring to the ongoing speculation she is engaged (if not married) to Alwyn, as well as controversy surrounding her private jet use.

To honour the new album in August, she stepped out at a VMAs afterparty wearing a glittering Moschino romper. We can’t wait to see what other fashion moments accompany this next body of music. Hopefully no more red scarves.

See the full track list to Midnights, below:

  1. Lavender Haze
  2. Maroon
  3. Anti-Hero
  4. Snow On The Beach featuring Lana Del Rey
  5. You’re On Your Own, Kid
  6. Midnight Rain
  7. Question…?
  8. Vigilante Shit
  9. Bejeweled
  10. Labyrinth
  11. Karma
  12. Sweet Nothing
  13. Mastermind