Taylor Swift dons heavy prosthetics to turn into a bearded man for the music video for her new single about gender inequality.
In the video for The Man the singer is unrecognisable with short hair as she points out imbalance in the workplace, in parenting and in her own career.
It opens with âThe Manâ looking out of the window of his office before walking among his employees shouting and fist-bumping.
It also shows him on the subway âmanspreadingâ, opening his legs wide, and spreading out his newspaper to crowd out the women around him.
He can also be seen urinating in the subway station, with the trickle left behind spelling out The Man.
The video also shows Swift in character on a yacht surrounded by gyrating women in bikinis, while an attendant rolls his eyes in disgust, and in a park with a child.
When he briefly shows attention to the girl, the people around him swoon and applaud and a banner appears reading âWorldâs Greatest Dadâ.
He can also be seen taking part in a womenâs charity tennis match and, 58 years later, marrying a much younger woman.
The video, which marks Swiftâs solo directorial debut, finishes with a shot of the singer in the directorâs chair as she gives feedback to âThe Manâ on his performance.
Voiced by Dwayne Johnson, he can be heard asking if the last take of the video was alright. She replies: âPretty good. Could you try and be sexier? Maybe more likeable this time?â
It finishes with photographs documenting her transformation into the character and credits that point out that the video was directed, written and owned by her.
It comes after Swift was engaged in a high-profile dispute over ownership of her masters with talent manager Scooter Braun.
Braunâs company, Ithaca Holdings, bought Swiftâs first record label in a deal reportedly worth more than 300 million dollars, about ÂŁ222 million.
The deal â which Swift furiously opposed â gave Braun the rights to Swiftâs first six albums.
She hints at the dispute in a scene on the subway in which a âNo Scootersâ sign is visible next to one reading âMissing. If found return to Taylor Swiftâ.
Ahead of the videoâs release, Swift took part in a Q&A on YouTube in which she detailed working on it, saying: âI loved the months of prep, meetings, location scouting, set design, mood boards, deciding every detail down to the wardrobe each actress/actor wore and working with them on set.â
Asked if there would be Easter eggs or hints for her fans to find, she replied: âLots and lots. More than in any kidâs yard on Easter morning.â
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