Taylor Swift has shifted the conversation back to her music, and fans are clearly here for it.
The singer dropped the long-awaited music video for Opalite this week, and reactions online suggest it’s already becoming one of the most talked about images from The life of a showgirl era.
The video, written and directed by Swift herself, arrived just before Super Bowl weekend and leans heavily into playful nostalgia.
Fan reactions to Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ music video
Packed with 90s aesthetics, celebrities and self-aware humour, Opalite has elicited an outpouring of fan response praising both its creativity and its light-hearted tone.
On Reddit’s “popheads” forum, one fan summed up the mood by writing, “This was HILARIOUS! I actually laughed while watching. It gave me some joy today.”
Another added: “Dare I say this is probably her best video yet?”
Others were quick to point out the cast, with one comment reading: “I didn’t expect to see a Lewis Capaldi and Cillian Murphy cameo. The music video is also very funny and Taylor looks like she’s having fun in the music video.”
Much of the excitement centers on the fact that almost everyone featured in the video appeared with Swift during her October 2025 guest spot on The Graham Norton Show.
Swift later explained that the idea came to her during that performance, calling the setting “one of my favorite shows.”
In an Instagram post, she wrote: “The idea for the Opalite music video came into my imagination when I was doing the promo for The life of a showgirl.”
She went on to describe how Domhnall Gleeson, who joked about appearing in one of her videos, sparked the concept.
“I remember thinking I was ridiculously lucky with the group I was paired with … I was instantly struck with an idea,” Swift shared.
“And then a week later [Gleeson] received an email script I had written to Opalite video in which he starred.”
Fans clearly loved discovering the connection.
One Reddit user wrote: “My jaw dropped when I realized halfway through the video that everyone she included was in her Graham Norton interview. Very funny 80s style romp.”
Another specifically commented on Norton’s cameo, referencing the presenter’s on-screen moments by saying: “The closing bit from Graham Norton! Where he jokes ‘yeah I’m trying to be in Taylor’s next MV’ and she’s like.”
In the video, Swift plays a lonely character who befriends a pet rock, while Gleeson’s character forms a similarly strange bond with a cactus.
A fictional “Opalite spray” brings the characters together by magically transforming objects into people.
Graham Norton stars as a salesman promoting a reversal serum called “Nope-alite,” while Jodie Turner-Smith plays a fitness instructor, Greta Lee appears as a fictional MTV singer-songwriter, and Lewis Capaldi appears as a mall photographer. Cillian Murphy does not appear on screen, but appears as a billboard image and provides a voiceover.
Norton later shared her own excitement, writing online: “The thrill of a lifetime and the hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep! Thank you, thank you.”
Over on the “TaylorSwift” Reddit forum, fans echoed similar enthusiasm. One wrote: “She really knocked it out of the park with this video, bravo!”
Another added: “This is my favorite of her MVs so far.”
Several comments focused on Swift’s styling, with one fan admitting, “I didn’t recognize her with the brown hair at first,” while another praised the look, saying they loved how she leaned into her “hopeless romantic awkwardness.”
Others highlighted the technical choices, with one fan noting: “Love this video, so funny! Also love the choice of aspect ratio, perfect for the old 90s TV.”
Another reaction read: “Definitely not what I expected but I LOVED it. So much fun and I love how it was shot.”
Taylor Swift on ‘Opalite’ music video
Swift herself seemed to enjoy the experience. Reflecting on the process, she wrote, “I had more fun than I ever imagined—I made new friends, metaphors, and fashion choices. It was an absolute thrill to create this story and these characters.”
Opalite, which is about love and fittingly nods to opals, the birthstone of Swift’s fiance Travis Kelce, had already reached No. 2 in the UK charts before the video’s release and is expected to climb again.
For now, the video is exclusively available on Apple Music and Spotify Premium, with a wider release on YouTube planned for Sunday.
Judging by fans’ reactions so far, Swift’s return to playful storytelling has landed exactly where she needed it to, and viewers are more than happy to come along for the ride.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Opalite’ lyrics
[Verse 1]
I had a bad habit
Of lost lovers in the past
My brother used to call it
“Eating out of the trash can”
It’s never going to last
I thought my house was haunted
I used to live with ghosts
And all the perfect couples
Said, “When you know, you know”
And, “When you don’t, you don’t”
[Pre-Chorus]
And all the enemies and all the friends (ha, ha)
Seen it before, they wanna see it again (ha, ha)
Life is a song, it ends when it ends
I was wrong
[Chorus]
But my mom told me, “It’s okay
You danced through the lightning strikes
Sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, my Lord
Never done anyone like you before
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opal, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh”
[Verse 2]
You couldn’t understand it
Why you felt alone
You were in it really
She was on her phone
And you were just a pose
And don’t we try to love love? (Love, love)
We give it all we got (Give it all we got)
You finally left the table (Uh, uh)
And what a simple thought
You’re starving until you’re not
[Pre-Chorus]
And all the enemies and all the friends (ha, ha)
Messed up before, they mess up again (ha, ha)
Life is a song, it ends when it ends
You move on
[Chorus]
And that’s when I said to you, “It’s okay
You danced through the lightning strikes
Sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, my Lord
Never met anyone like you before
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opal, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh”
[Bridge]
This is just
A storm in a teacup
But shelter here with me, my love
Thunder like a drum
This life will beat you up, up, up, up
This is just
A temporary speed bump
But failure gives you freedom
And I can bring you love, love, love, love (Love)
[Chorus]
Don’t sweat it baby, it’s okay
You danced through the lightning strikes
Oh, so sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, my Lord
Never met anyone like you before (No)
You had to make your own sunshine
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
