Taylor Swift’s fans got a blast from the past over the weekend when a new parody cover of her recently announced 1989 recording was created featuring her ex-boyfriend Harry Styles.
The 29-year-old former One Direction member — who recently confirmed his romance with a different Taylor — was photoshopped into a version of the blue-tinted cover, which had previously featured Taylor smiling ear to ear while seagulls soared above her.
The new photo showed Harry lying down on a beach with the shore in the background and the same gulls flying above.
But the artwork was styled like a single release, with text reading: ‘Style (feat. Harry Styles).’
Although Taylor’s fans were once entranced by her relationship with Harry, many commenters were turned off by the fake song excerpt, which they found ‘corny’ and out of touch with Taylor’s tastes.
Awkward: Taylor Swift’s fans got a blast from the past over the weekend when a new parody cover of her recently announced 1989 recording was created featuring her ex-boyfriend Harry Styles.
Old flame: Taylor and Harry briefly dated from 2012 to 2013, and some of her songs on 2014’s 1989 are believed to reference him, including Style; seen in December 2012 in NYC
Style has been rumored among fans to be inspired her Taylor’s short-lived relationship with Harry, whom she was with from 2012 to 2013.
The fake single artwork was apparently created to go along with an AI-crafted update to Style that now featured a fake guest verse from Harry, as well as a brief skit between him and Taylor, which never took place.
The computer-created version that was featured in the original tweet included a fake conversation between AI-generated voices mimicking Taylor and Harry that was filtered so as to sound like a recorded phone call.
‘Are you ready, Mr. Styles?’ fake Taylor asks.
‘I’m always ready, Taylor,’ replies fake Harry.
‘Wow, good, then let’s start,’ she continues, before launching into the unauthorized version of the electropop song.
It then featured the first verse of Style, which included fake Harry and Taylor both taking some lines solo and sing together on others.
The new song appeared to use Taylor’s original Style vocals, while AI-generated lines from Harry were added on to it.
Despite the number of Taylor’s fans who have long hoped for a reunion between her and Harry, Twitter users weren’t especially enthused about the made-up song.
Surprise! Taylor recently announced her next re-release would be her hit LP 1989. She unveiled the Polaroid-style cover featuring her smiling while framed by seagulls on Wednesday
Thumbs down: Several users were negative on an AI-created duet between Taylor and Harry for Style, which was included with the photoshopped image
Terrifying: It opened with an awkward faux-phone conversation between the two, which one fan joked was a ‘jumpscare’
Yikes! Others thought the corny script was ridiculous
Lost time: It was a total waste of time for other people who were unfortunate enough to listen to it
No more, please: Others were negative on AI-generated songs in general
Pass: And despite the fans who pine for Harry and Taylor to get back together, others weren’t interested in having Harry show up on 1989 (Taylor’s Version), even in an authorized capacity
The way to do it: Another listener summed up many opinions by calling the AI song ‘cringe,’ and they compared it unfavorably to Taylor’s Folklore duet Exile, where she sings with Bon Iver frontman and mastermind Justin Vernon.
‘This is like if Hitler and Osama Bin Laden teamed up,’ joked one user who must have been particularly upset by the creation.
‘The jumpscare at the beginning,’ wrote another person, referencing the awkward spoken intro.
That section came in for particularly criticism from some of her fans.
‘”good then let’s start” making her sound like a tutor preparing this man for multiplication flash cards,’ joked another poster.
It was a total waste of time for other people who were unfortunate enough to listen to it.
‘i’m gonna need those 37 seconds that i spent listening to this back,’ complained one person.
Another was even harsher: ‘I’m so tired of it the people who make this stuff need their wifi taken.’
And despite the fans who pine for Harry and Taylor to get back together, others weren’t interested in having Harry show up on 1989 (Taylor’s Version), even in an authorized capacity.
‘This may be an unpopular opinion but i don’t want him anywhere near 1989 tv,’ admitted another fan, referencing the Don’t Worry Darling actor.
Silly: Katy Perry also got a humorous version that showed her smiling in a white off-the-shoulder dress, with the title changed to ‘1989 (Katy’s Version)’
Wishful thinking: Several fans were tickled by the parody cover, with one joking that it was ‘Giving hollister made in California vibes,’ while another person claimed it ‘Ate the original’
K-pop version: The Chinese singer Wen Junhui, who performs as Jun in the South Korean boy band Seventeen, also earned a cover from fans
Another listener summed up many opinions by calling the AI song ‘cringe,’ and they compared it unfavorably to Taylor’s Folklore duet Exile, where she sings with Bon Iver frontman and mastermind Justin Vernon.
The fake Harry Styles version of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) wasn’t the only photoshopped cover.
Katy Perry also got a humorous version that showed her smiling in a white off-the-shoulder dress, with the title changed to ‘1989 (Katy’s Version).’
The Chinese singer Wen Junhui, who performs as Jun in the South Korean boy band Seventeen, also earned a cover from fans.