Delicate

"Delicate" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her sixth studio album, Reputation (2017). Swift wrote the song with producers Max Martin and Shellback. Inspired by events surrounding Swift's celebrity and personal life, the lyrics depicts a narrator's vulnerability when she ponders if her reputation would affect the blossoming romance. "Delicate" is an electropop and synth-pop ballad that features vocals manipulated with a vocoder. Its production incorporates dense synthesizers and beats that evoke tropical house and dancehall. The song's music video, directed by Joseph Kahn and filmed in Los Angeles, premiered on March 11, 2018, at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. In the video, after becoming invisible upon receiving a mysterious note, Swift dances barefoot through public places, and ultimately becomes visible again after dancing in a pouring rain. Critics interpreted the video as Swift's autobiographical reference to her personal life, as she had retreated herself from the press while promoting Reputation. A day following the video's release, "Delicate" was released to US radio stations by Big Machine and Republic Records, as the fourth mainstream radio single from the album. "Delicate" received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised Swift's songwriting and the song's mellower production compared to the album's overarching brash sound. It featured in 2018 year-end lists by Billboard, Slant Magazine, and Rolling Stone. A sleeper hit in the United States, "Delicate" peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped Billboard airplay charts: Mainstream Top 40, Adult Contemporary, and Adult Pop Songs. It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The single peaked within the top 40 of singles charts in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Norway, and received platinum certifications in Australia and Brazil. Background American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her fifth studio album, 1989, in October 2014. 1989 synth-pop production transformed Swift's sound and image from country-oriented to mainstream pop. The album was a commercial success, selling over five million copies in the United States within one year, and spawning three Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles. The BBC asserted that the success solidified Swift's status as a global pop star.