Taylor Swift has brought the conversation back to her music, and fans are clearly here for it.
The singer released the long-awaited music video for Opalite this week, and online reactions suggest it’s already becoming one of the most talked-about images of The life of a showgirl was.
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 a ’90s aesthetic, celebrity cameos, and self-aware humor, Opalite has sparked an avalanche of responses from fans praising both its creativity and 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. It brought me some joy today.”
Another added: “Dare I say this is probably his best video yet?”
Others were quick to point out the cast, with one comment saying: “I wasn’t expecting to see a cameo from Lewis Capaldi and Cillian Murphy. Plus the music video is really fun 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 alongside Swift during her October 2025 guest appearance. The Graham Norton Show.
Swift later explained that she came up with the idea during that appearance, calling the scenario “one of my favorite shows.”
In an Instagram post, he wrote: “The idea for Opalite’s music video came to my imagination when I was doing promotion for The life of a showgirl.”
He went on to describe how Domhnall Gleeson joked about appearing in one of his videos and sparked the concept.
“I remember thinking I got really lucky with the group I was paired with…I instantly had an idea,” Swift shared.
“And so, a week later [Gleeson] I received an email script I had written for the Opalite video, where he played the leading role.”
Fans clearly loved discovering the connection.
One Reddit user wrote: “My jaw dropped when I realized halfway through the video that all the people she included were in her interview with Graham Norton. Very fun 80s style game.”
Another commented specifically on Norton’s cameo, referencing the host’s on-screen moment saying: “The Graham Norton ending! Where he jokes ‘yeah, I’m trying to be in Taylor’s next MV’ and she says.”
In the video, Swift plays a lonely character who befriends a pet rock, while Gleeson’s character forms an equally strange bond with a cactus.
A fictional “Opalite spray” unites the characters by magically transforming objects into people.
Graham Norton appears as a salesman promoting a reverse 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 shopping mall photographer. Cillian Murphy does not act on screen, instead appearing as a billboard image and providing a voiceover.
Norton later shared her own excitement, posting online: “The thrill of a lifetime and the hardest secret I’ve ever had to keep!! Thank you, thank you.”
On the Reddit forum “TaylorSwift,” fans echoed similar enthusiasm. One wrote: “She really knocked it out of the park with this video, bravo!”
Another added: “This is my favorite MV so far.”
Several comments focused on Swift’s style, with one fan admitting, “I didn’t recognize her with brown hair at first,” while another praised the look and said they loved how it leaned into her “hopeless romantic awkwardness.”
Others highlighted the technical choices, with one fan commenting: “Love this video, so fun! I also love the choice of aspect ratio which fits perfectly with the old 90s TV.”
Another reaction read: “Absolutely not what I expected but I LOVED IT. It’s so much fun and I love how it was filmed.”
Taylor Swift in ‘Opalite’ music video
Swift herself seemed to enjoy the experience. Reflecting on the process, she wrote: “I had more fun than I ever imagined: making new friends, metaphors, and fashion choices. It was absolutely thrilling to create this story and these characters.”
opalite, which is about love and makes a fitting nod to opals, the birthstone of Swift’s fiancé 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 available exclusively on Apple Music and Spotify Premium, with a wider release on YouTube scheduled for Sunday.
Judging by fan reactions so far, Swift’s return to playful storytelling has landed exactly where she needed it to, and viewers are more than happy to go along with her.
Lyrics to the song ‘Opalite’ by Taylor Swift
[Verse 1]
I had a bad habit
From the past of missing lovers
My brother used to call him
“Eat out of the garbage”
It will never last
I thought my house was haunted
I used to live with ghosts
And all the perfect couples
He said, “When you know, you know”
And “When you don’t do it, you don’t do it”
[Pre-Chorus]
And all the enemies, and all the friends (Ha ha)
They’ve seen it before, they’ll see it again (Ha ha)
Life is a song, it ends when it ends.
I made a mistake
[Chorus]
But my mom told me: “It’s okay
You were dancing through the rays
Sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh
oh my lord
I never made anyone like you before
You had to make your own sun
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh”
[Verse 2]
You couldn’t understand it
Why did you feel alone?
You were in this for real
she was on her phone
And you were just a pose
And don’t we try to love love? (Love, love)
We give everything we have (We give everything we have)
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)
They’ve been wrong before, they’ll be wrong again (Ha ha)
Life is a song, it ends when it ends.
you keep going
[Chorus]
And that’s when I told you: “It’s okay
You were dancing through the rays
Sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh
oh my lord
I’ve never met anyone like you before.
You had to make your own sun
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh”
[Bridge]
this is just
A storm in a teacup
But take refuge here with me, my love.
Thunder like a drum
This life will beat you up, up, up, up
this is just
A temporary obstacle
But failure brings you freedom
And I can bring you love, love, love, love (Love)
[Chorus]
Don’t worry, baby, it’s okay
You were dancing through the rays
Oh, so sleepless in the onyx night
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh
oh my lord
I never met anyone like you before (No)
You had to make your own sun
But now the sky is opalite, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
