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The old Taylor comes to the phone: Swift is America's sweetheart again in whimsical 'ME!' video

Apparently the old Taylor can come to the phone right now. Judging from just-premiered video for her brand-new single “ME!,” Taylor Swift has shaken off the dark and edgy villainess vibe of her 2017 “Look What You Made Me Do”/Reputation era, and she is reclaiming her rightful title of America’s sweetheart ahead of her forthcoming seventh studio album.

The Old Hollywood “ME!” romp, which was co-directed by Swift and Dave Meyers and co-stars Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco, is all neon rainbows and pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, green clovers, and blue diamonds. It’s a sherbet-shaded Lisa Frank fantasy, with Swift in full Disney-princess mode.

Brendon Urie and Taylor Swift in "ME!" (Photo: YouTube)
Brendon Urie and Taylor Swift in "ME!" (Photo: YouTube)

Swift and Urie start off by starring in a subtitled French film (featuring cameos by Swift’s Insta-famous cats, Olivia Benson and Meredith Grey), then they do the frog in a Shindig!-style British Invasion variety show, sail through marmalade skies on Mary Poppins umbrellas, and parade in pastel marching-band suits through Emerald City streets lined with ice cream castles. There’s a fleeting nod to Swift’s reptilian Reputation past in the form of a hissing snake at the beginning of the video, but even that snake is a very pretty shade of candyfloss-pink.

Brendon Urie and Taylor Swift in "ME!" (Photo: YouTube)
Brendon Urie and Taylor Swift in "ME!" (Photo: YouTube)

The whimsical, springtime-fresh video matches the girly Instagram aesthetics of Swift’s recent album teasers/clues and Kelsey Montague-painted butterfly mural, and it’s a cavity-inducingly confectionary complement to this shiny happy new single. In a Thursday interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts during the NFL Draft, Swift explained “ME!” is “about embracing your individuality and really celebrating it and owning it. …With a pop song, we have an ability to get a melody stuck in people’s heads, and I just want it to be one that makes them feel better about themselves.”

As of this writing, Swift has yet to confirm a title or release date for album number seven, but the 29-year-old pop star’s 116 million followers will surely be poring over her Easter-colored Instagram feed in search of future Easter eggs.

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

· Taylor Swift calls out haters, thanks fans in feisty iHeartRadio Awards speech

· Taylor Swift makes a surprise appearance at her Nashville mural

· Taylor Swift steps out in NYC seemingly rocking TS7 merch

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