Taylor Swift has finally dropped her music video for “Lavender Haze” after teasing it for months. The song is the first track from her Midnights album and is clearly one of the singer’s favorites, as she's talked about how Mad Men inspired the song. The music video is a stunning visual accompaniment for the track and features trans actor Laith Ashley as the pop star’s love interest in the video. The actor was seemingly over the moon to perform with Swift in the video, and he shared a cute message for Swift to mark the release.
In a recent Instagram post, Laith Ashley celebrated the music video and couldn't contain his excitement over it. The actor shared a series of moments between him and Taylor Swift from the short and excitedly posted a cute caption. With that, he praised the singer for her talent and her decision to include him in such a high-profile project. Ashley wrote:
Thank you @taylorswift for allowing me to play a small part in your story. You are brilliant and this is an experience I will never forget. It was truly magical. Your storytelling abilities through your music and visuals continues to leave me in awe, inspired, and hopeful. Thank you for being an ally and for continuously using your platform for good. Representation matters. AND LOVE WILL ALWAYS WIN! Now go check it out if you haven’t already! 🤪💫
The star, whose full name is Laith Ashley De La Cruz, is a model as well as an actor. He's performed in several projects previously including the acclaimed FX series Pose, the reality series Strut, and a music video for drag queen Manila Luzon's song "That's a Man Maury." He also made history by becoming the first transgender model to participate in a campaign for Diesel. Prior to his entertainment career, Ashley was a counselor for homeless youth in New York City, according to CBS News. Clearly, the actor has used his own influence for good, and it’s so great to see him achieving such success. Check him out in the music video below:
“Lavender Haze” is the third music video from Taylor Swift’s Midnights album. The singer previously released videos for her songs “Anti-Hero” and “Bejeweled.” The latter was particularly a fan favorite, as it featured plenty of cameos easter eggs for fans. The Grammy winner directed all of the music videos for the album and is currently preparing to helm her first feature film for Searchlight Pictures. (That development has sparked theories amongst Swifties). She also previously received praise for directing the visual component for her “All Too Well (10 minute version)," which she made into a short film.
But it's fair to say that "Lavendar Haze" is particularly significant. Laith Ashley’s inclusion represents a major instance of representation and will hopefully serve as a positive step forward for the music industry. Taylor Swift has historically been a supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, with her hit song, “You Need to Calm Down,” even criticizing bigotry towards individuals who identify as such. The proceeds from its music video also went towards The Trevor Project, which supports LGBTQ+ youth, and the production itself features prominently queer performers. All in all, the notions of Swift's continued activism and Ashley's hiring make this latest collaboration that much sweeter.
To learn more about the singer's creative process, you can check out the Miss Americana documentary, which is currently streaming for Netflix subscribers. Also for information on her projects that are coming down the road, make sure to consult our feature on upcoming Taylor Swift music and other projects that fans can look forward to.
