Bejeweled (song)

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"Bejeweled"
File:Taylor Swift - Bejeweled.png
Promotional single by Taylor Swift
from the album Midnights
ReleasedOctober 25, 2022 (2022-10-25)
Studio
  • Rough Customer (Brooklyn, New York)
  • Electric Lady Studios (New York)
  • Pleasure Hill Recording (Portland)
  • Big Mercy Sound (Brooklyn, New York)
  • Sterling Sound (Edgewater, New Jersy)[1]
Genre
Length3:14
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff
Music video
"Bejeweled" on YouTube

"Bejeweled" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from her tenth studio album, Midnights (2022), which was released on October 21, 2022, through Republic Records. The ninth track on the album, "Bejeweled" is a disco and synth-pop song about self-worth, written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff. The song was released as a promotional single on October 25. It was accompanied by a music video written and directed by Swift—a comic take on the story of Cinderella, starring Swift, Antonoff, Laura Dern, Haim, Dita Von Teese, and Pat McGrath and featuring several Easter eggs that hint at Swift's next project. It peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Background

On August 28, 2022, Taylor Swift announced her tenth studio album, Midnights, set for release on October 21, 2022. The track-list was not immediately revealed.[2] Jack Antonoff, a longtime collaborator of Swift who had worked with her since her fifth studio album 1989 (2014), was confirmed as a producer on Midnights by a video posted to Swift's Instagram account on September 16, 2022, titled "The making of Midnights".[3] Beginning on September 21, 2022, Swift began unveiling the tracklist in a randomized order through her short video series on TikTok, called Midnights Mayhem with Me. It consisted of 13 episodes,[4] with one song revealed in every episode.[5] Swift rolls a lottery cage containing 13 ping pong balls numbered from one to thirteen,[6] each representing a track of Midnights, and when a ball drops out, she disclosed the title of the corresponding track on the album, through a telephone.[7] In the seventh episode on October 5, 2022, Swift announced the title of the ninth track as "Bejeweled".[8]

Lyrics and composition

"Bejeweled" is a disco and synth-pop song,[9][10] about recognizing self-worth. In the lyrics, she cautions a male romantic subject to pay attention to her before it is too late.[11][12][13] It contains "plinking"[13] and "shimmery" synth arpeggios[14] that burst "into sparklers" during its hooks.[13]

Release

On October 16, Swift posted an itinerary to her social media, detailing the events scheduled for the album, entitled Midnights Manifest.[15] It specified a music video release for the album's lead single, "Anti-Hero", on October 21 and "another track" on October 25.[16] Swift later confirmed the undisclosed track to receive a music video is "Bejeweled".[17] Excerpts from the video were shown in a teaser trailer for the album's visuals during Amazon Prime Video's broadcast of Thursday Night Football on October 20.[18] Besides Swift, the cast of the "Bejeweled" music video—Antonoff, Laura Dern, the Haim sisters (Este, Danielle, and Alana), Dita Von Teese, and Pat McGrath—also appeared in the trailer.[19]

Midnights was released on October 21, 2022 at 12:00 EDT,[20] on which "Bejeweled" appears as the ninth track.[21] On October 25, the song was issued for digital download on Swift's website, as a promotional single off the record.[22] An instrumental version followed two days later on October 27, in the same format, for a limited time.[23]

Critical reception

"Bejeweled" received positive reviews from music critics. Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone dubbed "Bejeweled" an "absolute knockout" of a song, "presenting herself as the ultimate prize."[24] Rob Sheffield said the song is an "anxious dance-floor poseur of 'Mirrorball' grown up, but it also feels like the wife from 'Tolerate It' finally breaking free", featuring Swift both boast and be needy.[9] Billboard journalist Jason Lipshutz said a "perfect" song like "Bejeweled" conveys Swift's years of experience as a songwriter. Lipshutz added that song is "a story of refusing to settle into early-thirties ennui".[25] Helen Brown of The Independent wrote, Swift "warns a guy that she has the capacity to light up rooms (and all the boys in the band) if he doesn't pay more attention".[11] Carl Wilson of Slate appreciated the song's lively synths reminiscent of works by Italian record producer Giorgio Moroder and the lyrics about "living well".[14]

Music video

Release

The music video for "Bejeweled", written and directed by Swift, premiered via her Vevo channel on YouTube at 12:00 EDT on October 25.[26][16]

Synopsis

The video contains many Easter eggs referencing her previous work, such as her 2020 song "Exile" and her 2010 album Speak Now. The storyline references, and provides an ironic twist on, the fairy tale Cinderella. In it, Swift portrays the Cinderella character, only named as "House Wench". She endures mockery from the wicked stepmother character, played by Laura Dern, and the evil stepsisters, played by the members of the band Haim, one of whose vomit Swift is cleaning up. As they leave for the ball, Swift opens a fob watch and becomes transformed into a cloaked queenly figure in a ball gown. She sings the second verse in a golden Art Deco-inspired elevator on her way to the ball on the third floor of a skyscraper. The elevator contains an Easter egg wherein the color of each elevator button represents every album Swift has released as of the music video's release, with the thirteenth and last button, which is purple, possibly representing Speak Now, hinting that it may be Swift’s next re-released album.

Swift then passes through an environment filled with falling gemstones before taking her cloak off, revealing a black American burlesque-inspired dance outfit. The gems fall into place on her bodysuit and boots, and a bracelet and necklace attach around her wrist and neck.

Exiting the elevator on a higher floor, Swift meets her "fairy goddess" (Dita Von Teese), both wearing silver burlesque-style outfits. After peeling off their stockings they perform a dance number in a pair of giant martini glasses and pour water over themselves from a pair of giant olives. Finally, Swift reaches the thirteenth floor and takes the stage at the ball in a clockwork-inspired setting surrounded by showgirls, wearing a black jewelled two-piece outfit and silver heels. Her act stuns the wicked stepmother and stepsisters, and impresses "Queen Pat" (Pat McGrath). Queen Pat forces Swift to entertain the Prince Charming character (Jack Antonoff), but Swift turns the Prince's marriage proposal down. The music video ends with the Prince shrugging off and accepting Swift's rejection while she enjoys the view from her newly-acquired castle as three dragons fly around it. The music video features orchestral versions of two other Swift songs from Speak Now: "Enchanted" in the beginning and "Long Live" at the end.[27][28]

Commercial performance

In the United States, tracks from Midnights occupied the entire top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100; "Bejeweled" debuted at number six on the chart with 35.5 million streams, 16,100 digital downloads sold and 1.6 million in radio audience. Swift became the first artist to simultaneously occupy the top 10 spots of the Hot 100; the female artist with the most top-10 songs (40); and the first act to occupy the entire top-ten of the Hot 100, Streaming Songs, and Digital Songs charts simultaneously. Midnights also became the first album in history to contain ten top-10 songs.[29]

Charts

Chart performance for "Bejeweled"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[30] 7
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[31] 7
Croatia (Billboard)[32] 21
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[33] 38
Global 200 (Billboard)[34] 8
Greece (IFPI)[35] 16
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[36] 29
Lithuania (AGATA)[37] 38
Malaysia (Billboard)[38] 15
Netherlands (Single Tip)[39] 1
Philippines (Billboard)[40] 8
Portugal (AFP)[41] 22
Singapore (RIAS)[42] 8
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[43] 43
South Africa (Billboard)[44] 19
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[45] 65
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[46] 44
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[47] 11
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[48] 57
UK Singles Sales (OCC)[49] 61
US Billboard Hot 100[50] 6
Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100)[51] 19

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Bejeweled"
Region Date Format Version Label(s) Ref.
United States October 25, 2022 Digital download Original Republic [22]
October 27, 2022 Instrumental [52]

References

  1. ^ Hussey, Allison; Monroe, Jazz (October 21, 2022). "Taylor Swift Releases New Album Midnights: Listen and Read the Full Credits". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  2. ^ Martoccio, Angie (August 29, 2022). "Taylor Swift Announces New Album 'Midnights': 'A Journey Through Terrors and Sweet Dreams'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  3. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (September 16, 2022). "Taylor Swift Confirms Jack Antonoff as Producer on 'Midnights' in New Behind-the-Scenes Look". Variety. Archived from the original on September 16, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  4. ^ Jones, Damian (October 7, 2022). "Taylor Swift reveals all song titles on new album 'Midnights'". NME. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  5. ^ McArdle, Tommy (September 21, 2022). "Taylor Swift Begins Revealing 'Midnights' Song Titles — Starting with 'Track 13, Because of Course'". People. Archived from the original on September 25, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  6. ^ Aniftos, Rania (September 23, 2022). "Taylor Swift Announces Next 'Midnights' Song Title & It's Spicy". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  7. ^ Gallagher, Alex (September 23, 2022). "Taylor Swift shares song title 'Vigilante Shit' in 'Midnights' tracklist reveal series". NME. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  8. ^ Millman, Ethan (October 6, 2022). "Taylor Swift Shares 'Bejeweled' Song Name as She Continues 'Midnights Mayhem'". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Sheffield, Rob (October 21, 2022). "Welcome to the Lavender Labyrinth: Taylor Swift's 'Midnights' Is the Mastermind's Ultimate Power Move". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  10. ^ Paul, Larisha (October 25, 2022). "Taylor Swift Continues 'Midnights' Video Reveals by Making Herself the Ultimate Prize in 'Bejeweled'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  11. ^ a b Brown, Helen (October 21, 2022). "Taylor Swift review, Midnights: Her darkest and most cryptic album yet". The Independent. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  12. ^ Jennings, Rebecca; Tarlo, Shira; Fernandez, Gabriela (October 21, 2022). "Every song on Taylor Swift's Midnights, explained". Vox. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c Lipshutz, Jason (October 21, 2022). "Every Song Ranked on Taylor Swift's 'Midnights'". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Wilson, Carl (October 21, 2022). "Taylor Swift's Midnights Is the Right Kind of Concept Album". Slate. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  15. ^ Brandle, Lars (October 17, 2022). "Taylor Swift Reveals 'Midnights' Music Videos Release Schedule". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Roberts, Savannah (October 17, 2022). "Taylor Swift unveils all her plans for Midnights' release week". Capital. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  17. ^ Aniftos, Rania (October 24, 2022). "Taylor Swift's Fairytale-Inspired 'Bejeweled' Music Video Is Coming Tonight". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  18. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan; Shafer, Ellise (October 21, 2022). "Taylor Swift Reveals First Look at 'Midnights' Music Videos Featuring Haim, Laura Dern and More". Variety. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  19. ^ Mier, Tomás (October 21, 2022). "Taylor Swift Shares Teaser Trailer for 'Midnights' Music Videos During Thursday Night Football". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  20. ^ Bailey, Alyssa (October 17, 2022). "Taylor Swift Breaks Down Exactly What to Expect From 'Midnights' Release Week". Elle. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  21. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (October 21, 2022). "Every Song Ranked on Taylor Swift's 'Midnights'". Billboard. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  22. ^ a b "Bejeweled Digital Single". Taylor Swift Official Store. October 25, 2022. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  23. ^ Robinson, Ellie (October 28, 2022). "Taylor Swift shares instrumental versions of 'Bejeweled' and 'Question…?". NME. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  24. ^ Spanos, Brittany (October 21, 2022). "Taylor Swift Lets Us Into Her Darkest Dreams On 'Midnights'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  25. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (October 21, 2022). "Every Song Ranked on Taylor Swift's 'Midnights'". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  26. ^ Major, Michael (October 24, 2022). "Taylor Swift to Release Cinderella-Inspired 'Bejeweled' Music Video Tonight". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  27. ^ Bailey, Alyssa (October 25, 2022). "Taylor Swift's 'Bejeweled' Music Video Easter Eggs Explained". ELLE. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  28. ^ Willman, Chris (October 25, 2022). "Taylor Swift Plays a Fully 'Bejeweled' Cinderella Escaping Laura Dern and Haim in New Music Video". Variety. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  29. ^ Trust, Gary; Trust, Gary (October 31, 2022). "Taylor Swift Makes History as First Artist With Entire Top 10 on Billboard Hot 100, Led by 'Anti-Hero' at No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  30. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. November 7, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  31. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  32. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Croatia Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  33. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202243 into search. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  34. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  35. ^ "IFPI Charts". www.ifpi.gr. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
  36. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  37. ^ "2022 43-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  38. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Malaysia Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  39. ^ "Dutch Single Tip 29/10/2022". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  40. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Philippines Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  41. ^ "Taylor Swift – Bejeweled". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  42. ^ "RIAS Top Charts Week 43 (21 – 27 Oct 2022)". RIAS. Archived from the original on November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  43. ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202243 into search. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  44. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (South Africa Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  45. ^ "Taylor Swift – Bejeweled" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  46. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 43". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  47. ^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  48. ^ "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  49. ^ "Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  50. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  51. ^ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Billboard Vietnam Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  52. ^ "Bejeweled (Instrumental Version) Digital Single". Taylor Swift Official Store. October 27, 2022. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
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