Remember when Taylor Swift introduced us to her “dorky” song categorization system at the Nashville Songwriter Awards back in September 2022? That quirky classification method may have stolen the headlines, but what we should’ve focused on was her undeniable passion for her craft. And now, with the release of her latest album, Midnights, that passion shines through more than ever.

On Midnights, Tay’s tenth LP and fourth in as many years (not even counting those rerecorded albums with all their bonus tracks), Swift dives into her “never-ending thrill” for songwriting. She’s teamed up with long-time collaborator Jack Antonoff to share “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout [her] life.”

True to the theme, the album sports a nocturnal palette, filled with slower tempos, hushed atmosphere, and plenty of negative space that evokes the night sky. The sound is entirely modern (think synths so plush you’d want to nap in them), while the aesthetic takes cues from the mid-century – just take a gander at that Mad Men-inspired opener, “Lavender Haze.”

Midnights is, in large part, an album of interiors. It gives us a peek into the chaos inside Swift’s mind (“Anti-Hero,” anyone?) and the calm stillness of her relationship with Joe Alwyn (“Sweet Nothing,” co-written by Alwyn himself under the pseudonym William Bowery). And let’s not forget the magical collab with Lana Del Rey on “Snow on the Beach,” which captures the ethereal vibe of Christmas morning.

But the pièce de résistance? “Bejeweled,” a late-album highlight that calls back to the pop sound of 1989. It’s the kind of unapologetic, extroverted fun that would’ve felt out of place in the lockdown indie era of folklore and evermore. Yet, on Midnights, nestled among songs that indulge Swift’s inner wordsmith, it’s right at home. And if that doesn’t convince you that “singer-songwriter” and “universal pop star” can coexist in one fabulous artist, then I don’t know what will.

So, to answer the question posed at the climax of “Bejeweled”: “What’s a girl gonna do? A diamond’s gotta shine.” And shine Taylor Swift does, with every lyric and melody she crafts. Here’s to many more nights of musical magic.