Taylor Swift's Fans Have Already Figured Out the Secret Words in the 'End Game' Video
When Taylor Swift releases a new music video, social media pretty much implodes. Fans comb through each frame, looking for clues and hidden messages, and then write elaborate theories about them on Twitter and Reddit—which more fans then gobble up. It’s madness, really; Swift’s music videos are more like cultural events than they are actual, well, music videos.
And a new one is about to drop, so get ready to see nothing but Swifties on your timeline for the next 24 hours. “End Game,” Swift’s song with Ed Sheeran and Future, is her next single off Reputation, and the video for it will be released at midnight on Thursday, January 11. The singer teased a short trailer for “End Game” on Instagram this morning, and fans are already flipping out.
Here’s what we know from the few seconds Swift previewed: Sheeran and Future are in it. There’s a lot of drinking happening, too. And yacht dancing. And neon lights. Basically, everyone is lit as hell in this music video—which is on brand for all the turn-up references found in Reputation. (Seriously, Swift talks about alcohol a lot on the album.)
But the most interesting part of the teaser is what’s behind Swift. In one quick frame, you see her walk down a road lined with neon signs in Japanese. Eagle-eyed fans took a screen-shot of the signs and did a little translation work—and what they say isn’t that surprising.
According to Tumblr user chansukcatsmile, Swift is referencing the following words on those neon signs: “End Game,” “A-Team,” Your first string,” “Reputation,” Meredith,” and “Olivia.” The first four phrases are lyrics in “End Game.” The last two, of course, are the names of Swift’s cats. Check it out for yourself, below:
Swift is nothing if not consistent. She pulled a similar move in the “Ready for It” video, and her cats are all over her Instagram. We’re here for it, though. Is it midnight yet?
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