| "Bejeweled" | |
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| Promotional single byTaylor Swift | |
| from the albumMidnights | |
| Released | October 25, 2022 (2022-10-25) |
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| Genre | |
| Length | 3:14 |
| Label | Republic |
| Songwriters |
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| Producers |
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| Music video | |
| "Bejeweled" onYouTube | |
"Bejeweled" is a song by the American singer-songwriterTaylor Swift from her tenth studio album,Midnights (2022). She wrote and produced the song withJack Antonoff. It is an upbeatsynth-pop andbubblegum pop track with elements ofdisco andelectronica, instrumented by ringing syntharpeggios. The lyrics are about Swift's narrator affirming her self-worth upon being unappreciated by her partner. Swift said the song was also a metaphorical statement of her return topop music withMidnights after the 2020folk-oriented albumsFolklore andEvermore.
"Bejeweled" was released for limited-timedownload via Swift's website on October 25, 2022. Music critics complimented the song's upbeat production and considered the lyrics empowering, although a few considered it a weaker track onMidnights and questioned its placement. The song peaked at number eight on theBillboard Global 200 and within the top 10 on charts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, the Philippines, and the United States. It received platinum or highercertifications in Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Swift wrote and directed themusic video for "Bejeweled". It stars Swift, Antonoff,Laura Dern,Haim,Dita Von Teese, andPat McGrath. Influenced by "Cinderella", it features Swift as the protagonist reinventing herself and charming the prince, but she ultimately declines his marriage proposal. Swift included "Bejeweled" in the set list of her sixth headlining concert tour,the Eras Tour (2023–2024).
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Taylor Swift announced her tenth original studio album,Midnights, at the2022 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28;[1] its title and cover artwork were released shortly after the same day via social media.[2] She conceivedMidnights as a collection of songs about her nocturnal ruminations, detailing a wide range of emotions such as regret, lust, nostalgia, contentment, and self-loathing. The standard album wasproduced by Swift and Antonoff, as a result of the two experimenting with music while their partners were both shooting for a film inPanama.[3]
Swift announced the album's track listing via a thirteen-episode video series calledMidnights Mayhem with Me on the platformTikTok, where each video contained the title of one track at a time.[4] The title of "Bejeweled" was revealed in the episode posted on October 5, 2022.[5]Republic Records releasedMidnights on October 21, 2022;[6] itssynth-basedelectropop production was a departure from theindie folk sounds of its immediate predecessors,Folklore andEvermore (2020).[7] "Bejeweled" is track nine on the album;[8] it was released for limited-timedownload via Swift's website on October 25,[9] and an instrumental version followed two days later.[10] Swift included "Bejeweled" in the set list ofthe Eras Tour (2023–2024).[11]
On theBillboard Global 200 chart, "Bejeweled" debuted and peaked at number eight.[12] It was one of theMidnights tracks that helped Swift become the first artist to claim nine spots in the top 10 the same week.[13] In the United States, the song debuted and peaked at number six on theBillboard Hot 100; Swift became the first artist to monopolize the entire top 10 the same week thanks to the song and otherMidnights tracks.[14][15] It spent two consecutive weeks in the top 10 of theBillboard Hot 100.[16] The song reached the top 10 on charts in the Philippines (4),[17] Australia (7),[18] Canada (7),[19] Singapore (8),[20] and New Zealand (9);[21] and the top 20 in Vietnam (19)[22] and South Africa (20).[23] It wascertified triple platinum in Australia;[24] platinum in Brazil,[25] Canada,[26] New Zealand,[27] and the United Kingdom;[28] and gold in Mexico,[29] Poland,[30] and Spain.[31]
Swift wrote and produced "Bejeweled" with Antonoff, who recorded the song with David Hart, Evan Smith, and Laura Sisk at Rough Customer Studio, Brooklyn, andElectric Lady Studios, New York. Antonoff alsoprogrammed the track and playedpercussion,kalimba, acoustic guitars,bass, and a variety of synths includingJuno 6,DX7,OB1, andMoog. Smith andMikey Freedom Hart played additional synths andkeyboards, and their performance was recorded by David Hart at Big Mercy Sound, Brooklyn.Serban Ghenea, assisted by Bryce Bordone,mixed "Bejeweled" at MixStar Studios,Virginia Beach, Virginia, andRandy Merrillmastered it at Sterling Sound,Edgewater, New Jersey.[8]
"Bejeweled" is an upbeat[32]synth-pop[33][34] andbubblegum pop song.[35] Its production consists of syntharpeggios, mostly generated with the Juno 6,[36] that make up thehooks with a sound that critics described as "glimmering",[33] "plinking",[37] and "shimmery".[36][38] Some critics aligned the sound of "Bejeweled" with diverse sources.Rolling Stone'sRob Sheffield said that the track has a "disco rush"[39] and is "full of late-night disco jitters".[40] According toPaste's Ellen Johnston, the synth stylings evokeelectronica.[36]Annie Zaleski found the synth production to resemble 1980snew wave,[41] and Craig Jenkins ofVulture thought that the song has amaximalist quality similar to the music of Swift's 2019 albumLover.[42] There were comparisons to the music of other artists, such asLCD Soundsystem[36] andGiorgio Moroder.[38]
The lyrics are about recognizing self-worth and regaining confidence after a heartbreak.[42][43][44] Swift's narrator addresses how her partner takes her for granted when she was "graded on a curve" despite her efforts to maintain the relationship.[45] She tells the partner that she can still "make the whole world shimmer".[44] As she asserts her autonomy and power ("I'm going out tonight"; "I polish up real nice"),[39][43][46] she also reflects on her sadness and grief ("Sapphire tears on my face/ Sadness became my whole sky").[39][47][48]Billboard's Jason Lipshutz thought that the track showcased the complexes of Swift's personality,[49] and Sheffield considered the narrative of "Bejeweled" a continuation of Swift's "Tolerate It" (2020), showing "the wife [...] finally breaking free".[39] Swift stated the song also was a statement for her return topop music onMidnights: that she was still "bejeweled" enough for pop after "writing folk songs and being in this metaphorical forest that [she'd] created".[33]
Several interpretations thought that "Bejeweled" was relatable to women.PopMatters's Rick Quinn likened the theme of asserting a woman's autonomy to that ofLesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me" (1963),[46] and Zaleski summed up the song's mantra as "Fake it 'til you make it" as the narrator stands up for themselves in a relationship and regains confidence.[41] Catherine Robb and Kate Schmidt, academics in philosophy, wrote about how Swift examines the societal perceptions of and discriminations against women from the perspective of a "good girl" and how she can rebuff those remarks, which resulted in an ideal scenario for women at large.[50] According to Alba and Amandas Cercas Curry, also academics in philosophy, "Bejeweled" expresses anger against being undervalued in a personal relationship, but this theme is also applicable to larger themes such as unequal relationships in professional or societal settings, which represents "female rage".[45]
Several critics complimented the production of "Bejeweled". Brittany Spanos ofRolling Stone dubbed it an "absolute knockout",[51] and Mark Sutherland ofRolling Stone UK hailed it as Swift's "swaggiest showstopper" since "The Man" (2020).[52]Under the Radar's Andy Von Pip considered "Bejeweled" a catchy song with anearworm that showcased Swift's melodic songwriting,[32] Carl Wilson ofSlate appreciated the song's lively synths and the lyrics about "living well".[38] Saloni Gajjar ofThe A.V. Club described it as an unapologetic, "feel-good melody meant to be played loudly".[35]
Sheffield said the song is an "anxious dance-floor poseur of 'Mirrorball' grown up", featuring both Swift's confidence and vulnerability.[39] Jason Lipshutz said "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".[37] Helen Brown ofThe 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".[43] Elise Ryan from theAssociated Press was less enthusiastic and deemed "Bejeweled" a weaker track onMidnights for being "a bit too candy sweet".[53]The New York Times'Jon Caramanica panned the lyrics as underwhelming and the production as "metallic and tense".[54]
On October 16, 2022, Swift posted onto her social media an itinerary detailing the promotion for the album, titledMidnights Manifest.[55] It showed that in addition to the music video for the lead single "Anti-Hero", a music video for "another track" was scheduled for release on October 25.[56] One day before the release, Swift disclosed that the music video was for "Bejeweled".[57] Excerpts from the video were shown in a teaser trailer for the album's visuals duringAmazon Prime Video's broadcast ofThursday Night Football on October 20.[58] Besides Swift, the cast of the "Bejeweled" music video—Antonoff, the actressLaura Dern, the female pop-rock bandHaim (Este,Danielle, andAlana), theburlesque dancerDita Von Teese, and the makeup artistPat McGrath—also appeared in the trailer.[59] Written and directed by Swift, the music video for "Bejeweled" premiered on herVevo channel viaYouTube.[60]
Swift's team reached out to Dita Von Teese for her appearance. They talked about Von Teese's influence on performances. Joseph Cassell, a stylist of Swift, studied Von Teese's collection and subsequently made recreations ofCatherine D'lish original costumes for the video. Von Teese filmed her scenes in August 2022, and the giant martini glasses used came from her personal performance collection.[61] Swift and her team collaborated with make-up artist McGrath, who also had a cameo as the Queen character, to design the looks for the video.[62]
Media publications pointed out manyEaster eggs possibly referencing songs and memorabilia from her 2010 album,Speak Now.[63][64][65] Swift portrays aCinderella-like character, named "House Wench Taylor". Taylor endures mockery from her wicked stepmother (Dern), and the evil stepsisters (Haim), one of whose vomit Taylor is forced to clean up.[64] The stepmother and the stepsisters eagerly plan to compete in the ball, where the winner of the talent competition is to receive her own castle and a proposal from "Prince Jack" (Antonoff); whilst reminding Taylor that she is in exile and not allowed to attend. As they leave for the ball, Taylor opens a fob watch signifying the end of her exile and wears her cloak as she enters a golden elevator on her way to the ball in 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, representing the then-forthcomingSpeak Now (Taylor's Version) (2023).[63][65]
On the third floor, Taylor walks into an environment filled with falling gemstones before taking her cloak off, revealing a blackAmerican 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 the fifth floor, Taylor meets her "fairy goddess" (Von Teese), both wearing silver burlesque-style outfits.[64] After peeling off their stockings, they perform a dance number in a pair of giantmartini glasses.[65]
Finally, Taylor 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" (McGrath), who forces Jack to propose to Taylor. Taylor rejects Jack's marriage proposal andghosts him, though he shrugs it off and accepts her decision. The music video ends with Taylor enjoying the view from her newly-acquired castle as three dragons fly around it. The music video features orchestral versions of twoSpeak Now songs: "Enchanted" in the beginning and "Long Live" at the end.[63]
| Organization | Year | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards | 2023 | Short Format: Music Video or Web Series | Nominated | [66] |
| Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards | 2023 | Best Hair Styling in Commercials or Music Videos | Nominated | [67] |
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | 2023 | TikTok Bop of the Year | Won | [68] |
| Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | 2023 | Favorite Song | Nominated | [69] |
| BMI Pop Awards | 2024 | Most Performed Songs of the Year | Won | [70] |
Credits are adapted from theliner notes ofMidnights.[8]
| Chart (2022–2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[18] | 7 |
| Belgium (Billboard)[71] | 25 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[19] | 7 |
| Croatia (Billboard)[72] | 21 |
| Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[73] | 38 |
| France (SNEP)[74] | 145 |
| Global 200 (Billboard)[12] | 8 |
| Greece International (IFPI)[75] | 16 |
| Iceland (Tónlistinn)[76] | 29 |
| Ireland (Billboard)[77] | 9 |
| Lithuania (AGATA)[78] | 38 |
| Malaysia (Billboard)[79] | 15 |
| Malaysia International (RIM)[80] | 11 |
| Netherlands (Single Tip)[81] | 1 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] | 9 |
| Philippines (Billboard)[17] | 4 |
| Portugal (AFP)[82] | 22 |
| Singapore (RIAS)[20] | 8 |
| Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[83] | 43 |
| South Africa (RISA)[23] | 20 |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[84] | 65 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[85] | 44 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[86] | 63 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[15] | 6 |
| Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100)[22] | 19 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[24] | 3× Platinum | 210,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[25] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[26] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| Mexico (AMPROFON)[29] | Gold | 70,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[27] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[30] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[31] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[28] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format | Version | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | October 25, 2022 | Digital download | Original | [9] |
| October 27, 2022 | Instrumental | [10] |
