Beyonce fans were quick to note the resemblance between Taylor Swift's new video and Beyonce's 'Lemonade'. Photo / Screenshot
The director of the upcoming music video for Taylor Swift's new single has denied copying the visuals from Beyonce's Formation.
After Swift dropped a teaser for the Look What You Made Me Do video, Beyonce fans were quick to compare the imagery with the video and performances of Beyonce's single from her 2016 album Lemonade.
Joseph Kahn, the director of LWYMMD took to Twitter to deny the claims, saying Swift's video is "not in her art space".
It's the latest in a rough few days for Swift after the first song from her upcoming album Reputation was released. Reviews are decidedly mixed, with some slamming the song and others praising Swift's change of direction.
Look What You Made Me Do finds Swift declaring that "the old Taylor" is "dead," with lyrics that appear to take aim at her much-publicised feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.
The Guardian called the songwriting "sloppy," while Billboard magazine says the "imperfect" song "slams a ton of different sonic ideas on the table".
Pitchfork was far more scathing in its criticism, calling the track a "half-rapped, half-assed airing of grievances" that "aims for menace but feels more like a salty Fergalicious".
Spin magazine called the song are "hard, cheerless left turn," saying Swift's fluctuation from victim to villain "drains her lyrics of their usual charm and self-deprecation".
Vulture declared the song "dead on arrival".
"For all the serpent-themed hype leading up to the launch of the song, Swift's words lack venom, fangs, and smoothness. They have the consistency of wet flour, and their meaning could be converted into a series of impotent hisses without any loss in translation," wrote reviewer Frank Guan.
Others were kinder, however; Variety magazine praised Swift's tough-sounding delivery. "There's also the undeniable element of Swift being a girl who just wants to have fun," reviewer Chris Willman wrote.
The Daily Telegraph gave the track four stars, saying: "Swift has painted herself as a villain, and triumphed".
Swift's new album Reputation is due for release on November 10.00%
The NZ International Comedy Festival is under way in Auckland and Wellington.