If you're a human person with an internet connection and even just a passing interest in pop culture, then you have certainly heard about the new collection of music that has taken over the world. Grammy Award winner Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl on Oct. 3, and once again, the singer-songwriter began to shatter all kinds of music records.
Swift's music always gets placed under a microscope as fans, critics, and supposed haters attempt to figure out her muses and who she's singing about. She's explained that The Life of a Showgirl was written during the European leg of The Eras Tour and was inspired by the behind-the-scenes happenings in her personal life during that nomadic and extraordinary time in her life.
Much of the songs on the album were clearly written about her whirlwind romance with fiancé Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end she began dating in September 2023 to intense media interest. The song "Opalite" was especially written about their love story, but fans have also drawn parallels between the song and a best-selling fantasy romance novel series.
The Fourth Wing fans see inspiration in Taylor Swift's Opalite
"Opalite," the third track on The Life of a Showgirl, has been explained by Swift as realizing that happiness can be man-made, like the gemstone the song and title references. Opalite is a man-made version of opal, which happens to be the birthstone of Swift's fiancé. Kelce has also claimed the song as his favorite from the new set, according to Swift. But The Fourth Wing fans see some parallels.
Swift hasn't name-checked the book series by Rebecca Yarros as an inspiration for "Opalite" in the various interviews she has given about the new album, but fans have noticed that there could be some references to The Fourth Wing in the lyrics that fit Violet and Xaden's arc. Obviously, one of Yarros' books is titled Onyx Storm, and Swift sings, "Sleepless in the onyx night."
The song also references "dancing through the lightning strikes," which again aligns with parts of Violet's story throughout the novels. More than likely, Swift was using metaphors and symbols that connect to the overall theme of the gemstones and opalite and wasn't directly referring to The Fourth Wing. But it's super exciting that book fans can engage with her music in this way.
When Prime Video's The Fourth Wing series adaptation finally comes to fruition, fans will have "Opalite" by Taylor Swift ready to use in all of their video edits of Violet and Xaden. The song has already been going viral on TikTok following the release of Swift's album, and it will surely get a second life once the series gets released (whenever that may be).