To be honest I think it’s one of if not the last time she’s shown even a modicum of genuine self awareness.
It was so sharp and timely, really gave me sky high expectations for what turned out to be Reputation. Her actual white album.
Blank Space being self-aware but with a nudge and a wink makes Reputation's overall "uWu you're all mean and I've been hard done by!" themes all the more baffling.
I initially reacted very negatively to this album because I do think it is easily her most forgettable. But. It must be said that even forgettable and occasionally downright awful is still better than the extreme cynicism and sloppy posturing of Reputation. That being said I’ve been sold on a handful of tracks from this now.
And even then I feel like it was almost by accident. Going by the rough original lyrics in the Blank Space voice memo, it originally had some defensive lines like "Just forget what you've heard about me. Don't believe what you hear about me, hear about me" which are in direct opposition of the satirical "you say I'm crazy? I GOT you crazy" spirit of the finished product.
Regarding the conversation about future singles, I'm gonna be a basic gay and say that I need a dramatique video for Cruel Summer.
It's probably never going to happen but I feel like a dramatic video for Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince would be amazing. Maybe like an apocalyptic football game with shit burning and cheerleaders doing the I don't really wanna FIGHT cause nobody's gonna WIN parts. (Probably sounds terrible ddd but it looks good in my head). I also wanted a dramatic black-and-white Bonnie and Clyde inspired epic for Getaway Car last era but that never happened either.
HMV are also releasing the Lover vinyl, in the exact same variant as Target and the one on her website.
I feel like I was distracted by Style and All You Had to Do Wad Stay at the time, but I am 100% firm now that Blank Space is her best song. And yes All To Wellsters and Enchantedsters I know I know juvenile/Max Martin/self referential etc. but it just hits when I hear it these days.
Amazon has it as TBC, so hopefully it'll show up on there later with a cheaper price. HMV had reputation was first being sold for £44.99, and is now at £14.99 so.