"Karma" is the 11th song from Taylor Swift's album "Midnights" (2022), co-produced by Swift herself, Jack Antonoff, Sounwave, Keanu Beats, and Jahaan Sweet. In May 2023, Swift released a remix version with Ice Spice Rapper. "Karma" climbed to the 2nd spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and took the 5th place on the Adult Top 40 chart. Let's dive into the song together!
Swift has long believed in karma, a theme she expresses in her new single, "Karma". Her endorsement of karma can be traced back to her 2016 Vogue feature "73 Questions with Taylor Swift," where she asserted that "karma is real." She delves deeper into this concept in her three-and-a-half-minute song.
The Meaning Behind "Karma"
The first verse scolds a person addicted to betrayal, warning that all those you have hurt for your own gains will eventually catch up with you. However, when the chorus starts, her tone lightens as she likens karma to something as sweet as honey and as soothing as the weekend breeze running through her hair.
Swift shared, "This song was actually written from a happy place, viewing karma as a reward system for living a good life. It was written from a place of feeling really happy, being extremely proud of my own life, and thinking that this must be the reward for doing the right thing." She explained further in her Zane Lowe program on Apple Music (quoted from Movin' 92.5), "This is a song I really love because I think we all need moments like this. We can't always be beating ourselves up. You have to have these moments where you say, you know what, Karma is my boyfriend, and that's that."
She added, "This song resonates strongly with the theme of 'Midnights.' One of the themes about 'Midnights' is how you feel in the middle of the night, dealing with our complex thoughts and emotions at that hour, which might be intense self-loathing." She continued, "When you wake up in the middle of the night, your brain starts swirling... it can spiral down or spiral to the top, where you can truly feel yourself."
Who is Swift's "Karma" Targeting?
Fans, of course, have been buzzing about who this song might be referencing. Swift hasn't explicitly said who, but we all know there are a few individuals she's had public feuds with over the years.
Swifties quickly shared their speculations, thinking "Karma" is most likely aimed at Scooter Braun and Kanye West. Looking at the lyrics, Swift's song might be more directly hinting at Braun, who bought the rights to her first six albums' songs from Scott Borchetta of Big Machine Records. In a June 2019 Tumblr post, Swift wrote, "This is my worst-case scenario. This is what happens when you sign a deal at 15 with someone whose 'loyalty' is contractually based. The 'value' of music means it belongs to the people who didn't create it."
She further stated, "When I left my music with Scott, I made peace with the fact that he would eventually sell them. Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter. Every time Scott Borchetta has heard the words 'Scooter Braun' escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to. He knew what he was doing; they all did. Controlling a woman who didn't want to be associated with them. Forever. That's what it means."
As for Kanye West, his feud with Swift started when he interrupted her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV VMAs. Over time, his public image didn't improve. "Karma" reflects the tranquility that comes from watching those who hurt her receiving their deserved punishment, echoing her belief in karma.
Analysis of the "Karma" Music Video
The "Karma" music video is replete with symbolic references and Easter eggs scattered throughout its runtime. Starting with a vintage vinyl record from Midnights playing on the turntable, it is a pastel blue shade, reminiscent of the 1989 era, and encased within a magical vortex of purple and teal butterflies. This can be seen as a homage to Swift's albums from 1989, Speak Now, and her debut album.
Taylor Swift first appears poised on a pedestal, dressed as the Greek goddess of retribution, Nemesis, surrounded by numerous references from the 1989 era. This scene carries significant implications as she stands on a literal pedestal, akin to her metaphorical pedestal during most of 1989 when she enjoyed the zenith of critical and commercial success.
The transition is also noteworthy as the scene turns upside down, signifying the upheaval in Swift's world/life/reputation following the Twitter incident where she was branded a snake and subject to mass cancelation. After the transition, we plunge into a myriad of sharp reputation imagery and references, beginning with Swift donning a full devil mask, alluding to her vilification by the public during this period.
Next, we see a saccharine (possibly artificial) depiction of the joyous Lover era.
Rapidly followed by Swift turning back to see her colorful world being engulfed in darkness, thanks to the looming presence of three menacing grim reapers in the distance. These three, conjecturally, represent her biggest professional adversaries: Scooter Braun, Scott Borchetta, and Kanye West.
The narrative version of Swift fights back against these grim reapers with kisses imbued with purple magic dust. Purple, of course, is synonymous with the Speak Now era, and this is significant as it's her next re-recorded album. Re-recording all her old albums is her way of retaliating against Borchetta and Braun in her fight for her masters.
Swift ultimately falls into a giant hourglass, a replica of merchandise from the Folklore era, known as the 'August Slipped Away' hourglass.
Some fans have noted on Twitter that the shell Ice Spice is sitting in bears resemblance to one from the "Bejeweled" video.
In the scene where Swift and Ice Spice are about to lasso the moon and Saturn, Ice Spice has a gold string while Swift's is silver. Apart from the moon and Saturn references from Folklore, this also incorporates "Invisible String," where Swift compares destiny tying her to her current boyfriend, Joe, to a "golden string." Now, it seems Swift doesn't want anything to do with the golden string.
This draws from the lyrics of "Seven," where Swift tells a childhood friend, "I love you to the moon and to Saturn."
The lightbulbs possibly hint at 1989 being the next re-recorded album after Speak Now. Firstly, there are three lightbulbs (Speak Now being Swift's third album), followed by five lightbulbs (1989 being her fifth album).
Apart from the striking visual, Swift in the form of a literal mountain could be referencing lyrics from "Bejeweled"
- "I held you as my world, haven't you heard? / I could regain the land."
When Swift sings the particular lyrics about Joe in "Karma" - "Karma's the man on the screen / Straight back to me" - she plunges the oar into the water, disrupting the image on the screen.
Swift's left thumbnail is blue (1989), and her right thumbnail is black (Reputation). Most fans consider this a clear hint that 1989 will be the next re-recorded album, followed by Reputation. Some are also speculating that the positions of her thumbs could carry meanings (for instance, 1989 releasing in August as her blue thumbnail is at the 8 o'clock position, and Reputation in the following February as that thumbnail is at the 2 o'clock position).
The video concludes with the latte art clock striking midnight, seemingly hinting that the Midnights era ends with the "Karma" video, and we are now entering the era of Speak Now (Taylor's Version).
Source：Cosmopolitan
"Karma" Lyrics
[Verse 1]
You’re talking shit for the hell of it
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Addicted to betrayal, but you’re relevant
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You’re terrified to look down
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‘Cause if you dare, you’ll see the glare
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Of everyone you burned just to get there
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It’s coming back around
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[Pre-Chorus]
And I keep my side of the street clean
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You wouldn’t know what I mean
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[Chorus]
‘Cause karma is my boyfriend
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Karma is a god
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Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend
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Karma’s a relaxing thought
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Aren’t you envious that for you it’s not?
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Sweet like honey, karma is a cat
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Purring in my lap ’cause it loves me
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Flexing like a goddamn acrobat
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Me and karma vibe like that
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[Verse 2]
Spiderboy, king of thieves
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Weave your little webs of opacity
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My pennies made your crown
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Trick me once, trick me twice
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Don’t you know that cash ain’t the only price?
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It’s coming back around
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[Pre-Chorus]
And I keep my side of the street clean
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You wouldn’t know what I mean
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[Chorus]
‘Cause karma is my boyfriend
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Karma is a god
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Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend
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Karma’s a relaxing thought
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Aren’t you envious that for you it’s not?
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Sweet like honey, karma is a cat
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Purring in my lap ’cause it loves me
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Flexing like a goddamn acrobat
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Me and karma vibe like that
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[Bridge]
Ask me what I learned from all those years
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Ask me what I earned from all those tears
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Ask me why so many fade, but I’m still here
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(I’m still here, I’m still here)
[Breakdown]
‘Cause karma is the thunder
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Rattling your ground
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Karma’s on your scent like a bounty hunter
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Karma’s gonna track you down
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Step by step, from town to town
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Sweet like justice, karma is a queen
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Karma takes all my friends to the summit
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Karma is the guy on the screen
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Coming straight home to me
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[Chorus]
‘Cause karma is my boyfriend (Karma is my boyfriend)
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Karma is a god
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Karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend (Weekend)
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Karma’s a relaxing thought
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Aren’t you envious that for you it’s not?
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Sweet like honey, karma is a cat
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Purring in my lap ’cause it loves me
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Flexing like a goddamn acrobat
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Me and karma vibe like that
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[Outro]
And karma is a thief in the night (in the night)
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Leaving you stripped of your pride (of your pride)
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Karma’s a comforting light (comforting light)
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‘Cause karma’s my boyfriend for life (for life)
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