Taylor Swift is seemingly putting a Met Gala twist on Cinderella for her next music video—and she’s using Midnights‘ “Bejeweled” as its soundtrack. The singer announced that the second video from the new album would feature one of its sassiest love songs—one that seems to document her real-life experience at the 2016 Met Gala where she danced with Tom Hiddleston shortly before her breakup with her then-boyfriend of a year Calvin Harris. It was also the night she met her now-boyfriend of six years Joe Alwyn, something she sang about in the album’s later track, “Mastermind.”
Swift’s “Bejeweled” lyrics seem to be directed toward Harris though, addressing her feelings at the very end of their relationship (“Baby love, I think I’ve been a little too kind / Didn’t notice you walking all over my peace of mind” and “They ask, ‘Do you have a man?’ / I could still say, ‘I don’t remember’”). A source close to Swift told E! at the time of their split (June 2, 2016) that Swift did not feel very supported by her DJ partner. “[She] was really disappointed in Calvin and felt like he wasn’t there for her,” the source said. “The relationship wasn’t progressing the way she wanted it to. She felt like he wasn’t taking it seriously enough and wouldn’t come through for her when she needed him most.”
Genius users also noted that Swift wore a silver Louis Vuitton snakeskin dress to the Met Gala, and her references sparkle in the song could be a reference to that look: “Best believe I’m still bejeweled / When I walk in the room / I can still make the whole place shimmer.” And the singer could have been referring to Hiddleston and their viral dance-off when she sang, “But some guy said my aura’s moonstone / Just ’cause he was high / And we’re dancing all night.” Hiddleston and Swift went on to have a summer fling, dating immediately following her Calvin Harris split. It was an all-in, 0-to-60 romance—one full of drama as Harris tweeted about their split and Kim Kardashian also released her Snapchats of Swift and Kanye West that summer.
While that relationship didn’t last (Swift went on to secretly start dating Alwyn in the fall), Hiddleston would later admit to GQ in February 2017 that it was very real for him. “I only know the woman I met,” he said of Swift. “She’s incredible. A relationship in the limelight… A relationship always takes work. A relationship in the limelight takes work. And it’s not just the limelight. It’s everything else.” He added later that he had no regrets “because you have to fight for love. You can’t live in fear of what people might say. You know, you have to be true to yourself.”
Here, the full lyrics to Swift’s track “Bejeweled.” You can listen to the song below, too.
Baby love, I think I’ve been a little too kind
Didn’t notice you walking all over my peace of mind
In the shoes I gave you as a present
Putting someone first only works when you’re in their top five
And by the way
I’m going out tonightBest believe I’m still bejeweled
When I walk in the room
I can still make the whole place shimmer
And when I meet the band
They ask, “Do you have a man?”
I could still say, “I don’t remember”
Familiarity breeds contempt
Don’t put me in the basement
When I want the penthouse of your heart
Diamonds in my eyes
I polish up real
I polish up real nice
NiceBaby boy, I think I’ve been too good of a girl
Too good of a girl
Did all the extra credit then got graded on a curve
I think it’s time to teach some lessons
I made you my world
Have you heard?
I can reclaim the land
And I miss you
But I miss sparkling(Nice) Best believe I’m still bejeweled
When I walk in the room
I can still make the whole place shimmer
And when I meet the band
They ask, “Do you have a man?”
I could still say, “I don’t remember”
Familiarity breeds contempt
Don’t put me in the basement
When I want the penthouse of your heart
Diamonds in my eyes
I polish up real
I polish up real nice
NiceSapphire tears on my face
Sadness became my whole sky
But some guy said my aura’s moonstone
Just ’cause he was high
And we’re dancing all night
And you can try
To change my mind
But you might have to wait in line
What’s a girl gonna do?
A diamond’s gotta shineBest believe I’m still bejeweled
When I walk in the room
I can still make the whole place shimmer
And when I meet the band
They ask, “Do you have a man?”
I could still say, “I don’t remember”
Familiarity breeds contempt
Don’t put me in the basement
When I want the penthouse of your heart
Diamonds in my eyes
I polish up real (Nice)
I polish up real niceAnd we’re dancing all night
And you can try
To change my mind
But you might have to wait in line
What’s a girl gonna do?
What’s a girl gonna do?
I polish up nice
Best believe I’m still bejeweled
When I walk in the room
I can still make the whole place shimmer
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.