Move over, Cyndi Lauper — Taylor Swift is here to take your ’80s throne. Kind of.
On Monday, the 24-year-old singer revealed a new single and music video called “Shake It Off” and announced an ’80s-influenced album, appropriately titled “1989” — the year of Taylor’s birth.
Swift announced the news during a Yahoo live stream, saying that this would be her first “official” pop album. Granted, critics have been documenting Swift’s transformation for years, most notably with her last album “Red,” which was more pop princess than country diva. But at least now Swift is ready to admit it.
Swift says the album, her fifth, took two years to make and is her favorite album yet.
“I really loved the chances they were taking [in the ’80s]. I loved how bold it was, how ahead of its time it was” Swift said. “It was, apparently, a time of limitless potential. The idea of endless possibility was kind of a theme in the last year of my life…. The album is a bit of a rebirth for me.”
The “Shake It Off” single, Swift says, is a reaction to her haters.
“People can say whatever want about us, at any time and we cannot control that. The only thing we can control is our reaction to that.”
And the video is quintessential Taylor, featuring her goofy and enthusiastic dance moves that have made the singer a must-see at awards shows. It features several professional dancers alongside Swift’s fans, chosen from Instagram, Twitter and other fan sites.
“1989” is currently available for pre-sale and will be released on Oct. 27. The deluxe version of the album will also include voice memos from her phone, revealing her thoughts and songwriting processes.
And before we go, here’s a select quote from Taylor’s live stream: “All I think about are metaphors and cats.”
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