Director of Taylor Swifts Music Video Defends the Singer From Critics
Joseph Kahn  who directed Taylor Swift's new music video for the revenge single "Look What You Made Me Do"  has some choice words for those who are putting down his and Swift's vision, calling out what he sees as a gendered double standard. "If I plan something as a man I'm a genius.' If Taylor as a woman plans something she is manipulative.' Double standards. This is wrong," Kahn said in a tweet on Wednesday. The music video for "Look What You Made Me Do" debuted at Sunday night's MTV Video Music Awards to much hype. In it, Swift battles with a number of past versions of herself, drawing attention to the many different personas she's crafted over the years  and making tongue-in-cheek references to rival stars, and to those who have attempted to bring her down. Kahn is a regular Swift collaborator, having helmed her eye-catching videos for "Bad Blood," "Blank Space," and "Wildest Dreams." He's also behind classics like Britney Spears's "Toxic" and Destiny's Child's "Say My Name"  and even worked with erstwhile Swift rival Katy Perry on the video for "Waking Up in Vegas." This is not the first time Kahn has come to Swift's defense regarding a video the pair collaborated on. He released a statement, in 2015, explaining their creative vision after many said the "Wildest Dreams" video glamorized African colonialism. While breaking a number of records, the "Look What You Made Me Do" video has also been a lightning rod for intense conversation since its debut. Some see Swift standing firm against critics of her success, while others are skeptical of the way she adopts a narrative of victimization. Swift's long-anticipated next album, Reputation, is out Nov. 10.