- Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Taylor Swift debuts the first track from Reputation (Taylor’s Version) in The Handmaid’s Tale, blending her personal battle for music rights with a dramatic moment of female defiance onscreen.
By: Vibhuti Pathak
Taylor Swift has thrilled fans by debuting the first track from her highly anticipated Reputation (Taylor’s Version)—a reimagined version of her 2017 hit Look What You Made Me Do—in a powerful and unexpected way. The song premiered during a pivotal scene in the latest episode of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, drawing widespread attention for its symbolic resonance.
The episode, released on Monday (19), features protagonist June Osborne, played by Elisabeth Moss, leading a rebellion against Gilead’s oppressive regime. As the scene unfolds with rising tension and fury, Swift’s fierce anthem underscores the action, fusing pop culture with political allegory. Fans immediately took to social media to praise the moment, calling the song the “perfect soundtrack for rage and rebellion.”
“Taylor soundtracking rebellion? As she should!” wrote one fan on X (formerly Twitter), echoing widespread appreciation for the musical placement. Others highlighted the poetic justice in using this track—centered on themes of power and retribution—amid a female-led uprising.
A new snippet of ‘Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version)’ by Taylor Swift premieres in the newest episode of The Handmaid’s Tale.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) May 20, 2025
The move is especially significant given Swift’s ongoing battle for ownership of her master recordings. In 2019, Swift lost the rights to her first six albums after her former label, Big Machine Records, was sold to music executive Scooter Braun. Along with the label’s sale, Braun acquired rights to Swift’s master recordings, a move she publicly condemned. Swift revealed she had long sought to purchase her work but was denied the opportunity.
In response, the singer launched a bold initiative to re-record her first six albums, starting with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and followed by Red (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version). Each project has not only restored her ownership of the music but also allowed fans to relive their favorite tracks with new emotional depth and improved production.
Reputation, originally released in 2017, marked Swift’s sharp pivot into darker pop aesthetics and addressed the media controversies surrounding her personal life. With Look What You Made Me Do, she presented a version of herself rising from betrayal, powerfully reclaiming her narrative. Its return in 2025, amidst a televised story of women overthrowing tyrants, serves as a pointed commentary on resistance—both personal and political.
Not all reactions were enthusiastic, however. Some critics dismissed the re-release as “reheated nachos,” claiming it lacked novelty. But Swift’s fans pushed back, arguing that the symbolism and timing gave the song renewed meaning.
One viral post summed up the sentiment: “Taylor: Reclaims music rights. Taylor again: Soundtracks a rebellion. Us: Standing, clapping, crying.”
As the world awaits the full release of Reputation (Taylor’s Version), Swift continues to turn her personal fight for artistic autonomy into a cultural moment—one powerful song at a time.
