Swift directed themusic video for "You Need to Calm Down" with Drew Kirsch and executive-produced it withTodrick Hall. The video features anensemble cast and many LGBT celebrity cameos. Music critics were divided on "You Need to Calm Down", some praising the catchy production and pro-gay message, while others found it confusing and cynical. Despite the polarized reaction, media publications generally regard "You Need to Calm Down" as agay anthem. The single reached number one in Scotland, number two in the United States, and the top five in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Upon finishing her 2018Reputation Stadium Tour,Taylor Swift wrote songs for her seventh studio album,Lover. She felt moved by the connections withher fans on tour,[1] which inspired her to channel the vulnerability into her songwriting.[2]
On June 13, 2019, via anInstagramlive stream, she announced her seventh album,Lover, which was slated for release on August 23 viaRepublic Records.[3] She also announced "You Need to Calm Down" as the album's secondsingle, following the lead single "Me!".[4] Swift revealed that she had contained an "old-timey, 1940s-sounding"instrumental of "You Need to Calm Down" in a scene of the "Me!" music video.[5] "You Need to Calm Down" and itslyric video were released forstreaming on June 14, 2019.[6][7] A vertical video premiered exclusively onSpotify on June 24, 2019,[8] and a remix by the Britishelectronic music bandClean Bandit was released on August 20, 2019.[9]
According to Swift, the main inspiration for "You Need to Calm Down" came when she felt "dismayed" after a friend of hers told her that she was not obvious on her political stance regardinggay rights, specifically when that friend asked her what she would do if she had a gay son; that conversation made her realize that she was not adequately "educated" on the matter.[10] The lyric video changes the word "glad" in the lyrics toGLAAD, and highlighting "EA" letters as a reference to theEquality Act. The references followed Swift's donation to GLAAD in support ofPride Month,[11] and Swift'sChange.org petition for theUnited States Senate to pass the Equality Act.[12] The petition attracted more than 500,000 signatures,[13] including fromDemocrats such asCory Booker,Elizabeth Warren,Beto O'Rourke, andKirsten Gillibrand.[5] Following the release of the song, GLAAD reported an "influx" of donations in the amount of $13, a reference to Swift's favorite number.[14]
The lyrics tacklehomophobia and expresses support for theLGBT community[21] and denounceInternet trolls,cancel culture, andcyberbullying.[5] Swift organized the song such that eachverse addresses a theme: the first is about trolls and cancel culture ("You are somebody that I don't know/ But you're taking shots at me like it'sPatrón"), the second is about homophobes and protestors outside her concerts ("Sunshine on the street at the parade/ But you would rather be in the dark ages/ Making that sign, must've taken all night"), and the third is about "successful women being pitted against each other" ("And we see you over there on the internet/ Comparing all the girls who are killing it/ But we figured you out/ We all know now, we all got crowns").[5][22] Swift explained that the song's LGBT theme could fit in withLover's concept about love because it addresses "how certain people are not allowed to live their lives without discrimination just based on who they love".[23]
"You Need to Calm Down" divided critics.[24] Dan Stubbs fromNME called the song "withering in its measured response", concluding it was "an infectious, bite-sizepop package".[19] Gwen Ihnat ofThe A.V. Club wrote that the song "clearly and refreshingly combats homophobia andanti-gay bias".[25] Maeve McDermott and Joshua Bote, writing forUSA Today, considered the song "an improvement" over the previous single "Me!", and "a more promising example of what fans can expect" fromthe album.[26] Mikael Wood of theLos Angeles Times also concurred that the song was "a big creative improvement" over "Me!", while commenting the "explicitpro-gay message is certainly welcome, but it also feels just the slightest bit cynical".[18]Time's Raisa Bruner wrote that the song is "bright,bubbly and unabashedly vying forearworm status", and that it is a "colorful clapback that works as a warning to homophobes, trolls andbullies". She added that Swift is "sing-talking her way through a series of quotable lyrics, over a "juicy, unhurried"synthbeat. Bruner further stated that, at this song, Swift is "at her most pop-forward" onLover, owing to its cascadingchorus echoes.[20]
Michelle Kim ofPitchfork wrote that, while the song is "well-intentioned" and theallyship deserved some praise, it is also "bewildering and underwhelming at the same time".[27] Justin Kirkland ofEsquire wrote the song "misses the point of being an LGBTQ ally" by "equatingonline haters with the personal and societal struggle of LGBTQ+ people".[28] Similarly, Spencer Kornhaber fromThe Atlantic criticised the song's "breathtaking argument... that famous people are persecuted in a way meaningfully comparable toqueer people."[29] Music criticTodd Nathanson described it as "a very trivializing song," specifically criticizing the line "shade never made anybody less gay" as minimizing the impact of homophobia.[30] Will Gottsegen ofSpin wrote the song's "easy, inoffensive lyrics... feel engineered to appeal to the broadest possible demographic", and that the song "plays it too safe" and "feels a little like a cop out".[7] Constance Grady ofVox called the song "exhausting", comparing the song unfavorably to "Mean" (2011), another single from Swift.[31] TheHerald-Tribune named "You Need to Calm Down" as the second-best song of 2019.[32]
In the United States, "You Need to Calm Down" debuted and peaked at number two on theBillboard Hot 100, becoming the second top two hit fromLover.[33] Like in the case of lead single "Me!", "Old Town Road" byLil Nas X featuringBilly Ray Cyrus blocked "You Need to Calm Down" from reaching the top spot on the chart. However, the song garnered several chart records for Swift: with six songs reaching the number-two spot, Swift tiedMadonna as the female artist with the most number two hits on the chart, having previously reached the spot with "Me!", "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" (2017), "I Knew You Were Trouble" (2013), "Today Was a Fairytale" (2010) and "You Belong with Me" (2009). The song became Swift's twenty-fourth top 10 hit, which is the fifth-most among female artists in the chart's history, behind Madonna (38),Rihanna (31),Mariah Carey (28) andJanet Jackson (27). The single is also Swift's sixteenth song to debut inside the top 10 of the chart, which is the second most top-ten debuts in the chart's history, only behindDrake, who has 20 top-ten debuts, making Swift the first and only female artist with 16 top-ten debuts in the Hot 100 history.[34]
The song debuted at number-one on theBillboard Digital Song Sales charts, selling 79,000downloads, becoming Swift's record-extending seventeenth number-one hit on that chart.[34] The track started at number 33 on theMainstream Top 40 chart, based on three days of airplay, and eventually peaked at number nine.[35][36]
In Canada, the song entered theHot AC chart at number 40 based on three days of radio tracking.[37] It debuted at number four on theCanadian Hot 100, becoming the second top five hit from the album in the country.
In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number five on theUK Singles Chart, becoming Swift's thirteenth top 10 in the UK.[38] In Scotland, the song debuted at number one on the singles chart, becoming Swift's fifth chart topper in the country, as well as her second consecutive number-one hit in Scotland fromLover.[39] In Ireland, the song debuted at number five, tying Swift's previous single, "Me!", which peaked in the week ending May 3, 2019.[40] In Germany, the song debuted at number 37 on theOfficial German Charts later peaking at number 36.[41] In the Netherlands, the song debuted at number 28 on theSingle Top 100 chart.[42] In Belgium, the song arrived at number 11 on the BelgianUltratip chart later peaking at number three.[43] In Sweden, the song entered at number 55 on theSverigetopplistan chart later peaking at number 35.[44] It was less successful in France, where the song debuted at number 154 and spent only one week.[45]
In Australia, the song debuted at number three in theARIA Charts, becoming the second top three hit from the album in the country.[46] In New Zealand, the song entered theRecorded Music NZ singles chart at number five, becoming Swift's fifteenth top 10 single in the country.[47] The song also topped New Zealand Hot Singles chart.[48]
The video is set in a colorfultrailer park. Swift awakens in her trailer, wearing a bathrobe over a swimsuit, with an embroidery containing theCher quote "Mom, I am a Rich Man" hanging on a wall.[58] Swift throws her phone onto her bed, which then gives off sparks and starts a fire in the trailer. She nonchalantly walks to a pool, ignoring her burning trailer. She goes into the pool, lying on a float, while looking at the camera and singing. The camera then switches to other residents in the trailer park and their activities, including Mayfield dancing, Hart weightlifting aboombox and Cox watering her yard ofplastic flamingoes and greeting Lockhart, who promptly faints.
The scene cuts to Swift walking and dancing down a street with Hall, interspersed with scenes of Kiyoko shooting an arrow into a target with the number "5" (a clue to Swift's next promotional single "The Archer", the fifth track on the album), protesters holding placards with anti-gay slogans (a reference to a real-life religious group that picketed Swift's concerts),[5] Ciara officiating a wedding between Ferguson and Mikita, and Rippon servingsnow cones to customers from a stall. Swift also holds a tea party with the Fab Five and Hall. In another trailer, Lambert tattoos the words "Cruel Summer" (later revealed to bea song on the album) onto DeGeneres' right arm. In the next scene, Swift and other residentssun tan while ignoring the heckling protesters, followed by Porter walking down the middle of the two crowds wearing a dress.
The scene shifts to a "pop queen pageant" with the contestants dressed as numerous female singers. RuPaul walks down the lineup with a crown decorated withemeralds andfleur-de-lis motifs,[58] but instead of crowning a winner, he throws it in the air. A food fight begins, with Swift appearing in a french fries costume and Perry in a hamburger suit. The two see and walk towards each other. Elsewhere, Reynolds is portrayingNorman Rockwell working on a painting of theStonewall Inn.[58][59] Swift and Perry smile, dance and share a hug. A message at the end of the video urges viewers to sign Swift's Change.org petition for the United States Senate to pass the Equality Act.
The music video received mixed reviews.[60] It received praise for Swift'sactivism, while criticism was levelled at the execution, particularly the depiction of the anti-LGBT protesters.[61] Many publications includingThe New York Times,[60]The Washington Post,[62]CNN,[63] andThe Irish Times[64] have noted that the song and music video was Swift's most political move yet.Jon Caramanica fromThe New York Times applauded the inclusion of LGBT celebrities and drag queens as "a worthy celebration", but also wrote it was "plausible cover".[60] Writing in the same review,Wesley Morris questioned the video's release in June to coincide with Pride Month as "tired, tardy or tidily opportunistic", but concluded the video was "a fine thing".[60] Craig Jenkins ofVulture wrote the song and video "has great intentions", but opened up Swift to accusations ofqueerbaiting and profiting from Pride Month.[65] Dave Holmes fromEsquire praised the celebrity cameos, but noted the "ugly and poorly-educated" look of the protesters and the "sexless" portrayal of gay life.[66]
In an opinion piece forNBC News, Michael Arceneaux agreed that Swift "meant well", but criticized the depiction of the anti-gay protesters as "poorer bumpkins", and that the scene between Swift and Katy Perry detracts from the overall pro-gay message.[67] Spencer Kornhaber fromThe Atlantic stated that "in real-life, Pridecounterprotests feature yet-uglier slogans", and "writing off bigotry as negativity... isn't helpful".[29] Nathan Ma fromThe Independent wrote the protesters could have included politicians who voted for anti-LGBT legislation.[68]
Some publications and LGBTQ+ personalities have defended Swift. Emma Grey Ellis fromWired wrote "the song has spawned more opinions than it has words", and continued "people claimed to despise Swift's lack of politics, and now she is overtly political and they still hate it."[69] De Elizabeth fromInStyle opined "a lack of outright activism allowed Swift to become a punching bag".[70] Actor Brian Jordan Alvarez praised the video in an interview withIndieWire, stating that he is "completely grateful anytime anyone, especially someone with a huge platform, expresses positivity, love, and support for the LGBTQ community."[59] ActorBilly Eichner praised Swift's activism, saying "[the LGBT community needs] all the allies we can get."[71] Fashion designer and television personalityTan France, who appeared in the video, called Swift a "powerful ally" and remarked that while LGBT people are often encouraged to take their time tocome out, the same is not extended to allies.[72]
The song was nominated for nine awards at the2019 MTV Video Music Awards, including the categoryVideo of the Year, becoming the most nominated video of the night. It is also Swift's second victory for Video of the Year following "Bad Blood" in 2015, joining Beyoncé and Rihanna as the only female acts to win the category twice and the fourth artist overall.[73][74] It also wonVideo for Good.[75] The song was nominated forBest Pop Solo Performance at the62nd Annual Grammy Awards, becoming her third nod in the category, following "Shake It Off" (2015) and "Blank Space" (2016).
On June 1, 2019, Swift initiated a petition on Change.org, titled "Support the Equality Act", in favor of the United States Senate's support in passing the pro-LGBT "Equality Act" in the country'sCongress; the act bansdiscrimination "on the basis of thesex,sexual orientation,gender identity, orpregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition of an individual, as well as because ofsex-based stereotypes".[85] A message urging the viewers to sign the petition appears at the end of the "You Need to Calm Down" music video; it states: "Let's show our pride by demanding that, on a national level, our laws truly treat all of our citizens equally. Please sign my petition for Senate support of the Equality Act on Change.org".[86] As of April 12, 2020, the petition had over 704,000 signatures, including those from Democraticsenators andpresidential candidates like Elizabeth Warren,Amy Klobuchar,Ed Markey, Kirsten Gillibrand,Tim Kaine, Cory Brooker and Beto O'Rourke. Swift also addressed a letter toRepublican senatorLamar Alexander ofTennessee, her home state, asking him and the other senators to support the act:[87] "For American citizens to be denied jobs or housing based on who they love or how they identify is un-American and cruel".[88]
The release of "You Need to Calm Down" further led to a spike in individual donations to GLAAD, an American LGBTnon-governmental organization, as the lyrics of the song namechecks the organization: "why are you mad when you could be GLAAD?". In response, GLAAD started aFacebook fundraiser for fans to support the advocacy work for Pride Month, with $1300 as a goal since 13 is Swift's lucky number.[89] Anthony Ramos, Director of Talent Management at GLAAD, stated that Swift "is one of the world's biggest pop stars; the fact that she continues to use her platform and music to support the LGBTQ community and the Equality Act is a true sign of being an ally. 'You Need to Calm Down' is the perfectPride anthem, and we're thrilled to see Taylor standing with the LGBTQ community to promoteinclusivity, equality, and acceptance this Pride month". Ramos also highlighted that many of the individual donations were made in the amount of $13.[88][90]Sarah Kate, the CEO and President of GLAAD, stated: "Taylor Swift continues to use her platform to speak out againstdiscrimination and create a world where everyone can live the life they love. GLAAD is so thankful for her donation to support our advocacy efforts and for her ongoing work to speak out for what is fair, just, and LGBTQ inclusive. In today's divisive political and cultural climate, we need more allies like Taylor, who send positive and uplifting messages to LGBTQ people everywhere".[90]
I just want to say that this is a fan-voted award, so I first want to say thank you to the fans, because in this video several points were made, so you voting for this video means that you want a world, where we're all treated equally under the law, regardless of who we love, regardless of how we identify. At the end of this video, there was a petition and there still is a petition for theEquality Act, which basically just says we all deserve equal rights under the law. I want to thank everyone who signed that petition because it now has a half a million signatures, which is five times the amount that it would need to warrant a response from theWhite House.
On August 26, 2019, Swift won the Video of the Year award for the "You Need to Calm Down" music video at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards; in her speech, Swift urged the audience and the viewers to sign her petition, and pointed out that theWhite House has not responded to the petition despite having "five times the amount of signatures that it would need to warrant a response".[85] The televised speech led to a surge in the number of signatures on the petition.[91] The next day, the White House issued a statement.Judd Deere, theWhite House deputy Press Secretary, stated that "theTrump administration absolutely opposes discrimination of any kind and supports the equal treatment of all; however, theHouse-passed bill in its current form is filled with poison pills that threaten to undermineparental and conscience rights".[92] "You Need to Calm Down" went on to become agay anthem.[93]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 25. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 42. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 26. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
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