The song is partially inspired byOphelia, a character who drowns due to madness from grief and romantic rejection inWilliam Shakespeare's playHamlet. It addresses an honorable soulmate who redeems Swift from a destiny of death like that of Ophelia. Music critics generally selected "The Fate of Ophelia" as one of the strongest songs onThe Life of a Showgirl, praising its composition,hook, and vocal performance. Commercially, the track broke the global records forthe most streamed song in a day anda week on the streaming platformSpotify. It peaked atop theBillboard Global 200 and the charts of over 30 territories, becoming Swift's first number-one single in Austria, Denmark, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands. In the United States, "The Fate of Ophelia" has spent six weeks atop theBillboard Hot 100.
Swift wrote and directed the song's music video, which premiered as part of the promotional filmThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl. The video draws on various historical, cultural, and artistic inspirations of female performers, portraying Swift asshowgirls throughout different periods of time and incorporating hints at other songs ofThe Life of a Showgirl. She worked with the cinematographerRodrigo Prieto, the choreographerMandy Moore, and the production designerEthan Tobman on the video, and cast her band and dance crew fromthe Eras Tour—the tour that inspired the album. Both the song's lyrics and video feature references to Swift's fiancé, the football playerTravis Kelce.
The American singer-songwriterTaylor Swift created her twelfth studio album,The Life of a Showgirl, to reflect her triumphant state of mind amidst the success ofthe Eras Tour and her romantic relationship with theAmerican football playerTravis Kelce throughout 2024.[1] She announced the album during the August 13, 2025, episode of Travis andJason Kelce's podcastNew Heights; "The Fate of Ophelia" was revealed as the opening track.[2] During the episode, Swift referencedWilliam Shakespeare's playHamlet, specifically the descent into madness and death by drowning of the characterOphelia, which influenced the album's cover artwork.[3][4][5]
"The Fate of Ophelia" was released as the lead single fromThe Life of a Showgirl. On October 3, 2025, concurrently with the album's release,Universal Music Group released the song toradio airplay in Italy,[6] and its music video premiered as part of the filmTaylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.[7] In the US,Republic Records released the song tohot adult contemporary radio on October 6 and tocontemporary hit radio on October 7.[8] An acoustic version, subtitled "Alone in My Tower", was released as part of a limited-time deluxe album edition on October 4,[9] before being released separately fordigital download on October 28,[10] and tostreaming services three days later.[11] Throughout October, "The Fate of Ophelia" was released on limited-timeCD singles and download (including the original, acoustic, and instrumental versions).[12][13][14][15] On November 6, an official remix byLoud Luxury was released for digital download and streaming,[16] with an extended version of the remix being released to digital download on November 21.[17]
The song includes numerous references to Swift's relationship with Kelce.[29] Swift pledges loyalty to an honorable and deserving man for saving her from a death similar to that Ophelia.[29][30]
Throughout the song, Swift recalls moments when Kelce supported her, drawing a parallel to how Ophelia might have been saved if she had received help. She also reflects on the period before they got to know each other. References include his career as atight end for theKansas City Chiefs, his public declaration with intent to court Swift on his podcast through comparison to a megaphone, nods to his team, and his frequent use of the phrase "keep it one hundred".[31] The number 100 also symbolizes the sum of the couple's signature numbers, 13 and 87, both of which were referenced onInstagram and theNew Heights podcast ahead of the release.[32] She credits Kelce with saving her from "insanity, drowning, deception, and purgatory" brought on by past relationships and the isolation of fame, naming him as the reason she avoided an Ophelia-like fate.[33] Thebridge of the song is an almost direct quotation fromHamlet (act 1 scene 3), where Ophelia says "Tis in my memory locked, and you yourself shall keep the key of it."[34]
Music journalists have compared the song to Swift's "Love Story" (2008), which was lyrically inspired by another Shakespeare tragedy,Romeo and Juliet. Both songs have been described as a "reimagining" of Shakespeare's plays, with Swift switching the element oftragedy with a pleasant, favorable plot.[35][36][37] Serena Trowbridge ofThe Conversation believed many lyrics of "The Fate of Ophelia" was also inspired by thePre-Raphaelite model and poetElizabeth Siddal, who was the muse for Millais'sOphelia. Trowbridge drew parallels between the song and Siddal's life, career, and death.[5]
"The Fate of Ophelia" received a positive critical response, with plaudits for its melodic and catchy composition across reviews. Maya Georgi ofRolling Stone commended the song's "tantalizing" melody and "wondrous"mix.[24] TheBBC's Mark Savage called it a "crisp" pop song with clever production details.[29]Variety's Chris Willman hailed the throbbing, "gleeful" production delivered by Martin and Shellback.[38] Calling it a "glittering single", Ed Power ofThe Irish Times said the song exemplifies the "classic Swiftian manoeuvre of cramming in not one chorus but two against a cascading synth groove".[39] Wood and Nicole Fell ofThe Hollywood Reporter also praised thegroove; Wood found it "irresistible",[22] while Fell described it as "mellow but catchy".[40]PopMatters's Mathew Dwyer described it as a dynamic and slow-burning tune with a "glamorous tension".[41]
Maria Sherman of theAssociated Press,[21] Anna Gaca ofPitchfork,[42] and Carl Wilson ofSlate named it a standout track fromThe Life of a Showgirl.[43] In his list ranking the album's songs,Billboard editor Jason Lipshutz ranked "The Fate of Ophelia" second, calling it a masterclass in pop composition, featuring a "star-crossed" chorus and "a pensive piano line that builds into squelched drums, chewy keys, siren-cry harmonies, and plenty of clap-along opportunities".[44] Powers praised the "commanding" drums, the "dreamy" keyboard, and the "buoyant" bass.[26] Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of theFinancial Times admired the smooth transition from the piano to the upbeat bassline.[19]
Swift's vocals were also a subject of praise. Savage appreciated Swift's "lingering" vocal delivery in the song, as though she were "too swept up in her feelings to continue".[29] Hague remarked that Swift's "purring lower-register vocal" enhanced the song.[25] Hunter-Tilney characterized her vocals as committed and charismatic.[19] Powers opined that Swift had never sounded better than she does on "The Fate of Ophelia".[26] Critics also praised the lyricism.The Independent's Roisin O'Connor dubbed it a sublime song, appreciating its "literary flair".[45] According to Barsha Dutta ofThe Times of India, the song acknowledges Ophelia's archetype but subverts the narrative for Swift, who has "been candid about her struggles with heartbreak and isolation".[46]
There were less complimentary reviews. Spencer Kornhaber ofThe Atlantic commented that the song is "relatively strong, if unexpectedly downcast."[47]Will Hodgkinson ofThe Times claimed that while the production is catchy and the lyrics poetic, the analogy comparing Swift to Ophelia "doesn't really work".[48] Similarly, Hunter-Tilney thought the lyrics conflating "doomed Ophelia with aRapunzel-style figure waiting in a tower for a heroic lover" feel misplaced.[19] Tom Breihan ofStereogum disagreed, finding the lyrics effective. He argued that Swift is not changing the plot ofHamlet in the song, as Swift and Ophelia are two different characters: "Ophelia still loses her mind and drowns herself. There but for the grace of Travis Kelce, apparently, goes Taylor Swift. She sings that she didn't go out like Ophelia because you saved her."[35]
On the streaming platformSpotify, "The Fate of Ophelia" broke the records forthe highest single-day streaming figure, becoming the first song to accumulate 30 million streams in a single day,[49] and the highest single-week streaming figure.[50] The single topped theBillboard Global 200 chart for two weeks[51] and debuted atop the record charts of at least 26 territories,[52] including BelgianFlanders,[53] Canada,[54] Singapore,[55] Portugal,[56] New Zealand,[57] the Philippines,[58] and the United Arab Emirates.[59]
"The Fate of Ophelia" marked Swift's first number-one song on the official singles charts of Austria,[60] Denmark,[61] Germany,[62] Spain,[63] and the Netherlands.[64] In the United Kingdom, the song became Swift's fifth number-one single and opened with 132,000 units, which became the largest first-week sales of the year and the highest in Swift's career.[65] In France, "The Fate of Ophelia" debuted at number four and became her highest-charting solo single since "Shake It Off" (2014).[66] It spent seven weeks at number one in Austria, Germany, Ireland and Norway; six weeks at number one in Australia, Canada, Switzerland and Belgium; and five weeks at number one in the Netherlands and the UK.[67][68][62][69]
In the United States, "The Fate of Ophelia" became Swift's thirteenth number-one single on theBillboard Hot 100, debuting atop the chart with 92.5 million official on-demand streams.[70] It spent six consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot 100.[71] After being made available for digital downloads, the single became Swift's record-extending 13th number-one song on theDigital Song Sales.[72] On the USairplay charts, "The Fate of Ophelia" debuted in the top 10 ofPop Airplay,Adult Pop Airplay, andAdult Contemporary. On Pop Airplay, it became the first song in history to debut in the top 10 region and subsequently became Swift's record-extending 14th number-one single.[73][74]
The video for "The Fate of Ophelia" depicts Swift in variousshowgirl attires.
The music video for "The Fate of Ophelia" premiered on October 3, 2025, as part ofThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl, which was screened in cinemas worldwide for three days as part of the album's promotional rollout. It was released onYouTube on October 5. Written and directed by Swift, the video sees her working again with dancers fromthe Eras Tour, choreographerMandy Moore, and production designerEthan Tobman.[75][76][77] The music video is played twice duringThe Official Release Party of a Showgirl, which also features behind-the-scenes footage from the production process.[76] The video was made in collaboration with cinematographerRodrigo Prieto and rehearsals took place over three weeks.[78][79] Filming for the music video's opening scene and the dressing room scenes took place at theLos Angeles Theatre.[80]
Later on, Swift wears a dress made of rope and resemblesElizabeth Taylor before the scene transitions to aBob Mackie-style showgirl routine, and finally a pop star at an afterparty in a hotel room.[79][81] The end of the video features Swift half-submerged in a bathtub, an image which is featured on the album cover forThe Life of a Showgirl.[78] Danielle Pascuale fromBillboard identified severalEaster eggs in the video, including choreography with chairs similar to that in "Vigilante Shit" during the Eras Tour, as well as Swift catching a football and 87 being the hotel room number, both references to Kelce.[79] In addition,Vancouver'sScience World makes a brief appearance near the end of the video; Vancouver was the location of the last show on the Eras Tour.[83] Visual references to other songs from the album include a chihuahua in a purse ("Actually Romantic"), anOscar statuette on the bathroom floor ("Wish List"), a piece ofopalite by the bathtub ("Opalite"), and a table with a peach and a pearl necklace ("The Life of a Showgirl").[81][84]
Journalists described the release and success of "The Fate of Ophelia" as a cultural phenomenon. Sunil Thomas ofThe Week opined that "The Fate of Ophelia" has become an "unprecedented" global phenomenon, spurred by its "high art" references, inspiration from 1960s stage productions, and itsadult contemporary musical composition. He also highlighted its viral dance on Instagram, YouTube, andTikTok.[52] Anthony Palomba, professor ofbusiness administration at theUniversity of Virginia Darden School of Business, said that the song's success did not rely on fan-driven pre-coordination or extensive advertisement, suggesting it came from "organic fan behavior, natural curiosity and mainstream media amplification."[85] Jenna Anderson ofThe Mary Sue said that the dance routine is a tribute to "the heyday of the 60sgirl group", such as the American girl groupthe Ronettes or the works of the choreographerBob Fosse—a part ofmusic history that "a lot of people doing the dance are probably discovering for the first time."[86]
OnPsychology Today,psychotherapist Whitney Coulson opined that the lyrics of "The Fate of Ophelia" captures the "emotional alchemy" of female pain in the context of thepatriarchy and popular culture, providing psychological insight on "how easily a woman's pain is rewritten as instability" with the help of literaryarchetypes.[87] Trowbridge opined that a song about "a woman waiting for someone to save her" is not very progressive, but within the context, it explores the "pain behind the facade" of female public figures, such as Siddal,Elizabeth Taylor, andClara Bow.[5]
The music video trended at the number 1 spot on YouTube, receiving 25 million views within three days.[88] Publications reported that, following the release of the video, hundreds of fans flocked to theMuseum Wiesbaden inWiesbaden,Germany, to view the paintingOphelia.[89][90] The museum director Andreas Henning stated "We are surprised and delighted that Taylor Swift used this painting from the museum as inspiration for her video [...] This is, of course, a great opportunity to attract people to the museum who don't know us yet."[91]Timon Gremmels, theminister of higher education, research and the arts of the German stateHesse, expressed his delight over the attention the painting has received: "When a music video gets people to visit a museum, it shows that culture works - on all levels", and extended an official invitation to Swift to visit Wiesbaden.[92] On November 2, 2025, the museum hosted an event featuring a guided tour ofOphelia, for which tickets sold out in a few hours.[93][94] Attendees wearing outfits inspired by Swift or Ophelia received free admission.[95]
On November 4, the officialWhite House TikTok account posted apatriotic video of the U.S. presidentDonald Trump'sadministration with "The Fate of Ophelia", featuring images of theUS flag andmilitary, despite Trump's anti-Swift stance. Responding toVariety's request for comment, a White House official said "We made this video because we knewfake news media brands likeVariety would breathlessly amplify them. Congrats, you got played." The video received backlash from social media users andSwifties.[98][99] The official social media accounts ofNATO[100] and theBritish royal family also used "The Fate of Ophelia" in their video posts.[101] ThePrime Minister of Australia since 2022,Anthony Albanese, attempted the viral dance trend of the song on theMelbourne radio stationNova 100.[102][103]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 44. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 41. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
^"מדיה פורסט – המצעד הבינלאומי השבועי – Week 42 – 12/10 – 18/10/2025" [Media Forest – International Weekly Chart – Week 42 – 12/10 – 18/10/2025] (Select the year 2025 and the option "42 12-10-25 18-10-25" from the stretched lists, then click "שירים מובילים - רדיו - בינלאומי" to see the chart.) (in Hebrew).Media Forest. October 19, 2025. RetrievedOctober 19, 2025.
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