Fans Think Taylor Swift Is Releasing A Video For “Father Figure”

Taylor Swift just landed her 14th number one hit, but Swifties are already looking towards her next single. On Feb. 22, the singer took to Instagram to celebrate her Life of a Showgirl song “Opalite” topping the Billboard Hot 100 following the release of her ‘90s-inspired music video, which marked a surprising achievement that Swift hasn’t completed in over a decade.

“I can’t even sum up my excitement and I’m so blown away by the love you’ve shown this song and video,” she wrote. “To put this into perspective… This is actually the first time I’ve had two Hot 100 #1s off of one album since my album 1989 came out in 2014, nearly twelve years ago! Just wanted to say THANK YOU, might go buy a giant pretzel at the mall to celebrate, iykyk.”

In true Swiftian fashion, she filled the “Opalite” video with tons of Easter eggs, including cameos from every celebrity she met on The Graham Norton Show in October. But of course, what Swifties truly care about are the Easter eggs that may point toward her next project, and some fans think she’s hinting at another music video from The Life of a Showgirl.

The “Father Figure” Theory

Some fans suspect that her next Showgirl single will be “Father Figure,” given how many hints she incorporated into the “Opalite” clip. In her bedroom, she hung up a poster of George Michael, who is credited as a co-writer on “Father Figure” since she interpolates his track of the same name. One of his vinyls can also be seen on the floor below her.

When she puts a friendship bracelet on her BFF Rock (which is itself an Easter egg), it’s sitting next to a CD copy of Michael’s debut album, Faith. One fan even interpreted this as an Easter egg for the potential release of Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version), which is an ongoing Swiftie theory, though it’s likely a more overt nod to Michael and the early ’90s.

When she goes to a mall with her unexpected soulmate (Domhnall Gleeson), all of the stores are named after different Showgirl lyrics, with old-school neon logos. “Dear Protegé” is a line from “Father Figure,” which adds even more suspicion.

Given how “Father Figure” centers on the shifting dynamics of a new artist and their mentor, there’s lots of rich visual inspiration to pull from for a potential music video. It’s only a matter of time to find out if Swift will make that happen.