LISTEN: Taylor Swift drops new song ‘Carolina’ for Reese Witherspoon film

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the 36th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Oct. 30, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio. Image: Getty Images/Michael Loccisano via AFP

Taylor Swift has released the full version of her song “Carolina,” the latest newly written track she put out since her late 2020 album “evermore.”

The singer dropped the official lyric video and visualizer for “Carolina” on her YouTube channel at noon today, June 24. “Carolina” can also be streamed on various streaming platforms such as Spotify.

The song was first teased last March through the trailer of the upcoming film “Where the Crawdads Sing,” produced by American actress Reese Witherspoon. “Carolina” is part of the movie’s soundtrack, reportedly as its end credits theme.

Witherspoon called Swift’s song for the movie “the greatest gift,” as per a statement obtained by Variety yesterday, June 23.

“Taylor Swift writing a song for the film based on these characters was the greatest gift that we could have received. We got a call from Taylor and her team to tell us she had written a song, ‘Carolina,’ that incorporates so many of the haunting elements of the movie,” she was quoted as saying.

Witherspoon also recalled talking to Swift about her inspiration and process for writing the song, calling the “Lover” singer a “beautiful songwriter who understands so much about folk and country music.”

Meanwhile, Swift revealed that “Carolina” took some time before getting released as she wrote it more than a year ago, as per her Twitter page today.

“About a year and half ago, I wrote a song about the story of a girl who always lived on the outside, looking in. Figuratively and literally,” she said. “The juxtaposition of her loneliness and independence. Her curiosity and fear all tangled up. Her persisting gentleness and the world’s betrayal of it.”

“I wrote this one alone in the middle of the night and then @AaronDessner and I meticulously worked on a sound that we felt would be authentic to the moment when this story takes place,” she added. Swift was referring to producer Aaron Dessner with whom she collaborated for her previous albums “folklore” and “evermore.”

I wrote this one alone in the middle of the night and then @AaronDessner and I meticulously worked on a sound that we felt would be authentic to the moment when this story takes place. I made a wish that one day you would hear it. ‘Carolina’ is out now 🥺 https://t.co/2xqE0fEr10

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 24, 2022

After releasing “evermore” in December 2020, Swift focused on re-recording her old albums, with “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” being released in April 2021 and “Red (Taylor’s Version)” in November 2021.

“Where the Crawdads Sing” is based on American author Delia Owens’ novel of the same name. It tells the story of an girl who raises herself in the marshlands of North Carolina.

Other songs that Swift has written or co-written for films include “Safe and Sound” for “The Hunger Games,” “Today Was a Fairytale” for “Valentine’s Day” and “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” featuring Zayn Malik for “Fifty Shades Darker,” among others.  /ra

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