Taylor Swift offers rare insight about her Opalite music video… and the inspiration behind the star-studded cast

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Taylor Swift has shared the inspiration behind her star-studded music video for Opalite.

The Grammy-winning singer, 36, debuted a new 90s-inspired video on Friday, available on Spotify and Apple Music. The video features actor Domhnall Gleeson as a man connecting with the singer’s character, a woman who also feels alone.

Lewis Capaldi, the singer, plays a mall photographer in the film, and actresses Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith appear in TV commercials alongside actor Cillian Murphy.

Swift shared in a recent post on Friday that she got the idea for her video while she was on The Graham Norton Show in October.

The pop star was promoting her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, when she appeared alongside Gleeson, Lee, Turner-Smith, and Capaldi on the show’s iconic red sofa.

During the live broadcast, Domhnall playfully mentioned he’d like to appear in one of my music videos, as I shared in a longer post on Instagram.

He’s Irish, and he was just kidding! But during that moment in the interview, I suddenly had a brilliant idea.

A week after the performance, Swift shared a script with Gleeson – it was for the “Opalite” video, and she’d written it specifically for him to star in.

She continued, explaining she’d imagined it would be amazing if everyone who was on the Graham Norton show that night – even Graham himself – could participate too.

‘Like a school group project but for adults and it isn’t mandatory.’

Taylor Swift expressed her happiness that everyone involved in the television episode – including talk show host Graham Norton, age 62 – was able to participate in the photoshoot.

Swift said she had an unexpectedly amazing time, making new friends and exploring her creativity through both imagery and style.

 ‘It was an absolute thrill to create this story and these characters.’

Opalite is a hit song from the 2025 album The Life of a Showgirl. 

As a lifestyle expert, I always pay attention to how artists launch their work, and Taylor Swift’s recent album release was a perfect example of strategic timing! Her album, Life of a Showgirl, dropped on October 3rd, and she celebrated by appearing on The Graham Norton Show the very same day. It was a brilliant way to get everyone talking about the new music!

She displayed her engagement ring on the show and talked about wedding plans with her fiancé, Travis Kelce.

She explained to Norton that she wants to focus on the album first, and then start planning the wedding.

‘I think it will be fun to plan.’

She shared that the album was a personal project she worked on quietly while she was on her record-breaking Eras Tour.

As a longtime fan, I was curious about where Taylor draws her songwriting inspiration from. She explained that while she’s always been honest in her music, she’s recently started approaching it differently. She prefers to tell stories with a little distance now, rather than laying everything bare – she doesn’t want to overanalyze her own life in that way. It’s a more nuanced approach, and honestly, I really appreciate it!

When reminded of a previous statement about writing only singable songs, she explained that her range and abilities have expanded since then.

After the tour, I feel incredibly empowered and capable. Running in heels has surprisingly given me a boost of confidence, and I’m now excited to push my creative boundaries – writing more complex songs, hitting higher notes, and experimenting with vocal techniques like falsetto.

Taylor Swift shared that her father especially loved the song ‘Opalite,’ and that it’s also a favorite of Travis Kelce’s.

She explained that creating opals in a lab is a good way to think about finding your own happiness. It’s about overcoming challenges and feeling good about living life your own way.

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2026-02-06 17:04