UPDATE at 9:15 on August 27, 2017: After getting word of the backlash, director Joseph Kahn tweeted about the controversy.
I've worked with Beyoncé a few times. She's an amazing person. The #LWYMMDvideo is not in her art space. Love and respect to Bey.
@JosephKahn
Also there's something to that "formation" shot I painted out and you haven't seen yet. Stay tuned Sunday :)#LWYMMDvideo#SneakyAsian
@JosephKahn
Original story below:
Beyonce stans are coming for Taylor Swift over the latter's new music video for "Look What You Made Me Do," which won't even be released until Sunday's VMAs.
After a :20 teaser was unveiled on "Good Morning America" on Friday morning, Twitter erupted with comparisons between one shot from the clip and Knowles' "Lemonade" visual album.
Pointing to her fishnets and leotard and the way her backup dancers flanked her, many compared the lineup to Bey's "Formation" music video. Others criticized her for appearing to separate her black and white dancers on either side of her.
Joseph Kahn, the man behind Swift's "Blank Space" and "Bad Blood" videos, directed this one as well. So far, he hasn't commented on the controversy, but tweeted that he loved "collaborating with @taylorswift13. She's as awesome as it gets. I am one lucky dude (who tweets too much).'
See some of the memes the video sparked below. The full video will debut during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday night.
when he fuck me good i take his ass to panera pic.twitter.com/lBUszSpiol
@sailorfemme
"Okay ladies now let's gentrification." pic.twitter.com/B8xL0oxrKl
@karyewest
The song is a poor man's Britney, the video's gonna be a poor man's Beyonce. Taylor Swift wants to be anyone but Taylor Swift. pic.twitter.com/Krar1JFuNJ
@FeitsBarstool
"My daddy Pennsylvania,
@MarciaBelsky
momma from Pennsylvania,
You mix that Pennsyl with a Vania I am from Pennylvaniaaaa" pic.twitter.com/uJZ2K9fJX7
I like my Caucasian nose with Robert Lee nostrils pic.twitter.com/ScUXXabh50
@ira
Lemonade and Minute Maid pic.twitter.com/onBLP9pHvR
@nealcarter
"Ok, what's the theme for this video?"
@XLNB
Taylor Swift: "...segregation."
"Excuse me, what?"
Taylor Swift: pic.twitter.com/832V4e7t6Z
My daddy Trump supporter, Momma Starbucks drinker,
@_MatthewBoomin_
You mix the mayonnaise with the privilege make a country singer (singer) pic.twitter.com/FE0bPhGOHk
When Beyoncé did Taylor Swift we got "Daddy Lessons" but when Taylor Swift did Beyoncé we got "Look What You Made Me Do." #ReturnToSender
@IsaacFitzgerald
*goes to Hot Topic once* pic.twitter.com/acu29USiE8
@bycycle
Umm @taylorswift13 sweetie, you're great & all & Imma let you finish but Beyoncé had the best Formation ever. https://t.co/YU30rjgfRb
@TeraBeljo
Still from this music video look like very bad rip offs of Lemonade. https://t.co/PfcfivgLr0
@TheNeueJohn
"When he fucks me good, I take his ass to a Whole Foods." pic.twitter.com/bEaia83T6r
@TheAuracl3
Not everyone was a total hater though, see some who tweeted in her defense below:
I'm not one to come to the defense of Taylor Swift, but Beyonce does not own the rights to wearing a black leotard.... Taylor is allowed lol
@averyoftheshire
Am i the only person doesnt care about "taylor is copying beyonce" like it's like saying she wore same shade of lipstick so she copied #wtf pic.twitter.com/B6PiIKXTtp
@jiffer87
How dare Taylor stand that way, doesn't she know Beyoncé already stood that way No one should stand that way again.
@Reputationss13
That's how y'all sound🤔
