Taylor Swift has set the standard once again. Midnights, Swift’s most recent release, reveals her newfound sound – a revamp in instrumental, stylistic choices, and production. The tracks on her tenth album unlock a different side to Swift as she tries to capture “the story of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [her] life.” In her own way, she’s come full circle in reflecting upon her life. This release was an opportunity to allow herself to let go of the past and get ready to take a step forward.

Midnights is a return to an autobiographical writing style, a style that she had stepped away from to work on albums like Folklore and Evermore, which revolved around themes such as “the unpredictable rise and devastating fall of romance.” These albums feature characters Swift had created in her head during quarantine, with the songs providing an insight into their made-up stories. This album however, is about herself as she enters a healing stage, reflecting on her insecurities.

Swift is known for jumping back and forth between music styles in her albums, and Midnights contains a combination of sounds from a mix of past releases. For instance, tracks “Karma” and “Midnight Rain” give off quite a similar style to songs on Reputation, and “Lavender Haze” has an upbeat and happy-go-lucky vibe, which fits perfectly into Lover.

Across the tracklist, one of the more dominant subjects Swift writes about is introspection. In “Anti-Hero,” she repeats, “I’m the problem, it’s me,” conveying her honest yet almost satirical opinion on how she sees herself. She speaks to the little voice that self-sabotages everyone and their decisions – leaving her songs relatable and relevant.

Her voice continues to resonate with soul and passion as she treats songs like a diary entry. In “Bejeweled,” Swift perceives how she now realizes the extent to which she was mistreated in the past. Lyrics like, “I think I’ve been a little too kind,” and “didn’t notice you walking all over my peace of mind,” reinforce that she is no longer oblivious to the truth.

Although her fans, aka ‘Swifties’, are currently enjoying listening to each track and attempting to crack the easter eggs within them, inevitably, they’ll soon be eager for more. After this release, filled with her late-night sweet dreams and terrors, it will be intriguing to see which direction Swift will go next.