Taylor Swift’s ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ Video Was Inspired by Lana Del Rey’s ‘Ride’
Taylor Swift‘s “I Knew You Were Trouble” was a massive success. The music video for Lana Del Rey’s “Ride” inspired Swift’s video. Subsequently, the director of “I Knew You Were Trouble” discussed Swift’s acting.
Lana Del Rey’s ‘Ride’ was directed by someone who loved Americana as much as Del Rey herself
Anthony Mandler is a music video director. He directed videos for hits such as Rihanna’s “Diamonds” and Nicki Minaj’s “Starships.” In 2012, he directed the music video for Del Rey’s “Ride.” During a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Del Rey explained the origin of the video.
“After years of staying true to my own artistic visions, I met Anthony Mandler, who shared my love of all things dark and beautiful and understood my passion and revery for the country that America used to be,” she said. “He’s helped me to bring the visions of my imagination to life and tell my different life stories through film.”
A director named some of the videos that inspired Taylor Swift’s ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’
During a 2012 interview with MTV News, Mandler discussed directing the video for Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble.” He said he drew inspiration from his previous videos, including “Ride,” The Killers’ “When You Were Young,” and Muse’s “Madness.” Notably, “Ride” and “I Knew You Were Trouble” open and close with dramatic monologues.
Mandler praised Swift’s acting in “I Knew You Were Trouble.” “She really stepped into this character, she became this girl,” Mandler said. “She was able to embrace this journey and let go of Taylor Swift for a couple days and be somebody else. She was 100% in.”
Mandler discussed how the monologues from “I Knew You Were Trouble” came together. “At the end of the shoot, we sat in the car and kind of riffed lines back and forth,” he recalled. “I wanted to do it right after the shoot was over so she was in that headspace, and just let her talk free-form, and then I organized it later on and cut it together. And I was amazed by just how well she understood this character.”
How Lana Del Rey’s ‘Ride’ and Taylor Swift’s ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ performed on the pop charts in the United States
“Ride” did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Its parent EP, Paradise, became far more popular. It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 55 weeks.
“I Knew You Were Trouble” became a massive hit. It hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining on the chart for 36 weeks. Swift included it on the album Red. The album reached No. 1 for seven of its 185 weeks on the Billboard 200.
“Ride” wasn’t a chart juggernaut — but its video influenced the video for “I Knew You Were Trouble.”
