Taylor Swift and Post Malone Unleash Madness and Mystery in "Fortnight" Music Video

In this visual, which Swift both wrote and directed, she stars alongside Post Malone, the featured artist on the track. It portrays Swift within what appears to be a facility resembling an asylum. She is depicted bound to a bed and compelled to consume pills in the surreal setting of the video, which adopts the style of an antique silent film complete with title cards.

Our protagonist escapes the clutches of this strange place and finds herself in a new, seemingly artistic environment - the "Tortured Poets Department." Their minds intertwine in a captivating exchange.

The video also includes a scene where Swift and Post Malone exchange tattoos — at one instance, she wipes her face, revealing what appears to be his tattoos on her skin, while later in the video, he is briefly shown without them. Amidst these moments, there are tender memories shared between the two: Swift running towards him, followed by an embrace.

"The video returns to the asylum setting, where a surprise awaits. We see familiar faces from Dead Poets Society, Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles, transformed into mad scientists conducting bizarre experiments on Swift. Post Malone observes from the sidelines, adding a layer of mystery reminiscent of the film Poor Things.

In a behind-the-scenes glimpse, Swift shared on Instagram, 'While writing the 'Fortnight' video, I aimed to bring the worlds from my imagination to life, the very worlds that inspired the music. Every detail holds metaphorical significance, connecting to different aspects of the album. For me, this video perfectly captures the essence of the record and the stories it tells.'

She continued, 'Post Malone delivered an exceptional performance as our tortured hero, and I'm incredibly grateful for his dedication to this collaboration. Working with Ethan Hawke and Josh Charles was an absolute blast. And to top it all off, collaborating with the incredibly talented cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto, remains a dream come true.'"

Hawke and Charles both shared their excitement about the collaboration on their respective Instagram accounts, highlighting its connection to the 1989 film.

In his own Instagram post, Charles expressed, "I've long held admiration for Taylor, but meeting her in person elevated my fandom to new heights." He continued, "Genuine, kind, approachable, and simply an exceptional human being - Not to mention, an outstanding director as well!"

Hot on the heels of the music video's release, Swift dropped a companion YouTube short titled "#ForaFortnightChallenge." This behind-the-scenes treat offers fans a glimpse into the magic of creating the video.The fun doesn't stop there – viewers can also catch glimpses of delicious homemade cinnamon rolls, cameos from her beau Travis Kelce, and Swift's cats.

"Fortnight" marks the opening track of Swift's freshly unveiled 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," serving as its inaugural single.

The day before releasing her new album, Swift took to Instagram to laud Post Malone. "I've been an avid admirer of Post because of his prowess as a songwriter, his daring musical explorations, and those infectious melodies that linger in your mind endlessly," she penned. "I had the privilege of witnessing that enchantment firsthand when we collaborated on 'Fortnight.'"

In a recent interview for the iHeartRadio Album Premiere Special, Taylor Swift delved into the thematic core of "Fortnight," the lead single from her new album. She described the song as a microcosm of the album's overarching narrative, exploring themes of fate, yearning, unfulfilled desires, and the sting of lost dreams.

"There's a definite sense of fatalism woven throughout the album," Swift explained. "The lyrics are packed with dramatic pronouncements about life and death, love and its devastating power. It's a very heightened, theatrical exploration of love and loss."

Swift went on to reveal her inspiration for the song's setting. "I envisioned the story unfolding in a small town where the protagonist's vision of the American Dream crumbled," she said. "They didn't end up with the person they loved, and now they're left to navigate a life filled with 'what ifs' and the possibility of encountering that lost love. It's a truly tragic scenario, and that's the emotional space I inhabited while writing the song."