Taylor Swift Pays Tribute to Beloved Screen Icon in 'Elizabeth Taylor' Music Video

Michael NiedTue, March 31, 2026 at 6:30 PM UTC

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Taylor Swift, Elizabeth TaylorCredit: Kevin Mazur/Getty; Spotify/Taylor Swift -

Taylor Swift surprised fans with a music video for "Elizabeth Taylor," which will be released as the third single off her 12th album studio album, The Life of a Showgirl

The video is an ode to Elizabeth Taylor, featuring clips of the iconic actress and Hollywood star over the course of her career

"Elizabeth Taylor" is currently only available to stream on Spotify or Apple Music, though it's likely the video will appear on YouTube in the coming days

Taylor Swift rolled out a nostalgia-inducing music video for "Elizabeth Taylor," the third official single from her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl.

On Tuesday, March 31, the 36-year-old pop titan surprised fans with the visual for the anthem, releasing it first exclusively to subscribers on Spotify and Apple Music.

While she's orchestrated intricate visuals for the entirety of her latest era, including the music videos for lead single "The Fate of Ophelia" and its successor "Opalite," Swift instead used her latest project to pay tribute to the song's titular inspiration, screen icon Elizabeth Taylor.

The video features footage of Taylor over the years, including clips of her out in public alongside moments from her celebrated screen roles, including Cleopatra, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and more.

Taylor Swift in a promo image for 'The Life of a Showgirl'Credit: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot

Swift hasn't commented on the drop yet, and it is unclear when it will be available for fans to stream on YouTube. The release strategy mirrors what the "Bad Blood" singer did with the visual for "Opalite" earlier this year. If she follows a similar timeline, the project should premiere on the streaming platform within the next few days.

Though she hasn't specifically stated a reason for the release plan, Swift's move comes after YouTube announced that streams on the platform would no longer count toward Billboard chart placement.

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Both "The Fate of Ophelia" and "Opalite" topped the Billboard Hot 100, with the former holding the pinnacle position for 10 weeks. "Elizabeth Taylor" has already charted and has peaked so far at the No. 3 spot.

While promoting The Life of a Showgirl, Swift revealed that she'd reached out to Taylor's estate to get permission to release the song, which features multiple lyrical references to the actress. While speaking with Scott Mills on Radio 2’s Breakfast Show, she said that the estate was "lovely" and gave their approval.

Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Taylor's son Christopher Wilding made it clear he was a fan of the song, saying he listened "the day it became available."

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Elizabeth Taylor in a portrait from the '50sCredit: API/GAMMA/Gamma-Rapho via Getty

“She and my mom do seem like kindred spirits. They are both the very embodiment of female empowerment," he added. "The way [Swift] has deftly captured the similarities and parallel tracks in their careers and personal lives is delightful."

Taylor died at the age of 79 in March 2011. Years after her death, she remains an iconic figure in Hollywood, with songwriter Carol Bayer Sager going as far as to compare her to "the closest thing we have in America to royalty" while speaking to PEOPLE.

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”