From references to past lyrics to recreating notable films, here are all the Easter eggs fans have pointed out so far
Fans are already noting a few Easter eggs in Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight” music video.
Ahead of the release of The Tortured Poets Department on April 19, Swift revealed that the song featuring Post Malone would be her first lead single from the album before sharing a brief (though predictably chaotic) first look.
The six-second clip filmed in black and white contains various shots of Swift, including her writing at a typewriter, throwing a chair into a window while wearing a wedding-esque white gown and staring mysteriously into the camera.
Though the full music video doesn’t premiere until 8 p.m. April 19, that hasn’t stopped Swifties from getting out their magnifying glasses and searching for Easter eggs.
Just as the singer’s recent Spotify exhibit included subtle clues about her lyrics and personal life, the short clip further paints a picture.
Here are the biggest Easter eggs fans have picked up on ahead.
Recurring words on a typewriter
One of the first shots in the clip is a typewriter writing out the phrase “I love you, it’s ruining my life” over and over again, which is a lyric from “Fortnight.” While a typewriter has been a recurring theme for the album, which some believe is a nod to her musician ex-boyfriend Matty Healy, others have noted that the shot could be a reference to The Shining.
In the 1980 psychological horror film, Jack Nicholson’s character Jack obsessively writes on the typewriter “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” over and over again as his character slowly goes mad.
A glimpse of colors
In another scene, Swift and Post Malone are seen typing across from each other as bursts of color emerge from their typewriters. As the rest of the music video appears to be in black and white, some fans have theorized that this could be a nod to her lyrics from “Illicit Affairs” in which she sings about her past lover showing her colors she’s not able to see with anyone else.
Shock therapy
Going with the opening lyrics of “Fortnight,” in which Swift sings about being “sent away,” the majority of the video appears to show Swift in an asylum. In one chilling scene, Swift receives shock therapy, which brings to mind films like Frankenstein and Poor Things (which stars her friend Emma Stone).
Burning all the files
Another scene in the video shows Swift frantically going through files in a drawer before setting them ablaze around her. Some believe this could be a reference to her closing track from Midnights, “Dear Reader,” in which she tells listeners to “Burn all the files, desert all your past lives.”
Additionally, fans have called out Swift’s Emily Dickinson-esque attire, noting that she appears to be wearing a Victorian mourning dress like her dancers wear during “My Tears Ricochet” for the Eras Tour — perhaps a reference to mourning an old flame?
A wedding gown
In another scene, Swift is shown throwing a table into a window all while wearing a white gown that bears a striking resemblance to the one she wore at the 2024 Grammys earlier this year. Swift herself has already confirmed that her attire at the award show was meant to be an Easter egg for the video, by liking a fan’s post about it on X.
Keeping in mind the asylum theme of the video, fans have also drawn parallels to the clip and Swift’s “Champagne Problems” in which she sings, “She would’ve made such a lovely bride / What a shame she’s f—ed in the head.” Notably, marriage is a big topic throughout Swift’s Tortured Poets Department album.
Clara Bow makeup
Another striking reference fans have caught on to is Swift’s Clara Bow makeup in the video. Just like the 1920s silent film actress, who was notably dubbed the “It” girl, Swift can be seen donning pencil-thin eyebrows and dark lipstick (along with a clock necklace like Bow).
Bow’s family even caught onto the reference, telling PEOPLE, Swift has “the same sultry stare that was signature of Clara Bow,” adding that “there’s no denying the precise application of the lipstick.”
