Any fellow Swiftie will understand how excited I was on October 21. If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, I’m talking about Taylor Swift’s new album, Midnights.

As mentioned, Midnights was released October 21 at, of course, midnight. The album consists of 13 songs, resembling Swift’s “13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [her] life” said Swift on Instagram when giving a few details about her new album. There were seven more songs released at three a.m. bringing the album to a total of 20 songs. 

Of the original 13 songs, I would have to say my favorite would have to be “Anti-Hero” or “Mastermind.” I like “Anti-Hero” a lot because it is a new side of Swift that she hasn’t shown many people. It’s a very vulnerable song. She talks about some of the things she hates about herself but in a sort of upbeat way.

Taylor Bergstrom, class of 2025, says her favorite song from the original 13 songs is “Anti-Hero” because she likes the meaning of it. 

“It is meaningful to [Swift] and is relatable,” said Bergstrom. 

“Mastermind” is one of my favorites because of the chorus and the bridge. You know those songs where you can just sing them out loud? At the bridge that’s all you want to do, sing it out loud. 

Of the “3 a.m.” version, my favorite would have to be “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve.” Swift is really good in this album about putting very sad or depressing concepts with upbeat music. “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” is about regretting a past relationship, which is speculated to be about Swift’s past relationship with John Mayer when she was just 19 and he was 32. Though I cannot relate to this feeling, I am empathetic enough to see Swift’s pain. 

“Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” is also Bergstrom’s favorite song from the added seven songs. 

“I think it’s a really strong song and should’ve been on the original 13” said Bergstrom. 

Even though I may not relate to all of her songs, I can connect with some of Swift’s new songs, such as “Anti-Hero” or “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” 

I believe everyone can relate to “Anti-Hero” every now and then. We all have felt insecure about ourselves before, whether it be about how we look or how we act or even about our relationships. We have all felt as though we are the problem before, that we are to blame. Swift dives deep into all the things she hates about herself, which in turn are things that many of us don’t like about ourselves either. 

“You’re On Your Own, Kid” tells a story of a girl being in love with a boy, but him not noticing so she leaves her town to play music. I interpret this song differently than what the story is. I view the song as saying that we all can be or feel alone, but that is not something to be scared of, it is something to embrace. Instead of trying to find a person or place that makes us not feel alone, we should find ourselves and take chances. 

I am not the only one who feels as though they can relate to “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” Bergstrom also feels this way. 

“I feel like I just resonate with it,” said Bergstrom. 

I am someone who needs to have a specific playlist for whatever they are feeling or doing at any given moment. I like Midnights because it has a song for all of my moods and emotions. When I am feeling kind of sad or it’s late at night, I listen to songs like “Labyrinth” and “Sweet Nothing” because they have more of a calm feel. When I want to feel energized, I listen to “Vigilante Sh**,” “Karma,” or “Bejeweled” because their confident and almost sassy beats give me the energy I need to get through the rest of the day. 

The album was rated a 9/10 (an average out of 9 students who took an online form) overall, with “Anti-Hero” being the top favorite song. 

Swift takes us on an emotional rollercoaster in this album with songs about love, songs about regretting past loves, songs about self-loathing, songs about revenge, and so many more interpretations. Each song has a different meaning for everyone, it is all about what you are feeling in the moment and what you see the lyrics portraying.