Warning: Swifties probably won’t like this. In lieu of Taylor Swift’s newest single release “ME!”, the music community and die-hard fans of the beloved pop star are taking in the reveal. Following instructions from Taylor herself via Instagram and Twitter, fans took to YouTube to watch the live premiere of the single last Friday. Featuring lead singer Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco, the single exhibits a sharp deviation away from the themes expressed in Swift’s recent music. Quite frankly, it deviates in a bad direction.

While posting a series of cryptic hints on her social media that featured images of candy hearts, neon painted nails and butterfly wings, Swift kept the public holding their breath awaiting her newest surprise. Unfortunately, the grand anticipation resulted in an uncomfortably obnoxious song of childish lyrics and what seems to be a cheap rip-off of “ABC” by The Jackson 5.

If Taylor Swift is attempting to break into the business of children’s shows, this single provides her an immediate segway. Aside from the somewhat overwhelming production of the song, a characteristic firmly rooted in Swift’s new music since her last album “reputation,” her lyrics are just plainly unoriginal. Swift originally arrived on the music industry’s doorstep primarily because of her virtuosic songwriting ability. This single completely lacks that fundamental piece of her talent. Though she may have attempted to dial back her lyrical poetry in order to achieve the desired musical essence of simplicity, she instead used the most eye-rolling clichés that one may see in the halls of an elementary school (“There ain’t no I in ‘team’”, “You can’t spell ‘awesome’ without ‘me’”).

But even aside from the song itself, the music video and the overall branding of this new Taylor are concerning. Keeping with her theme of re-branding herself with every new album, this venture into rainbows and unicorns is certainly surprising based off her previous endeavors. The much-anticipated music video is also so blinding in color and special effects that one can hardly even listen to the song, which may have been the visuals’ purpose. The idea of starting the video with a playful argument between Swift’s and Urie’s characters proved promising. Then, the rest of the video becomes a progressively worsening visual cluster of pastels, special effects and random scenery. The song and video package seems to be implementing classic marketing strategies used to appeal to children under eight. She journeyed past a possibly well-done, fantastical video to watercolor waterfalls that seem to visually mimic the single’s musical composition.

Swift’s last album “reputation” also highly controversial for a world so used to innocent, country-singing Taylor, actually displayed solid pop music. She originally deviated to pop explicitly with the 2014 release of 1989. A well-crafted album, she refused to fall into the trend of handing over her expertise in songwriting to a fully pop sound. “reputation”, though tough to digest at first, was exceedingly refreshing because it showed a brand-new side of Swift that was angry, sexual and powerful. The album was also just as tender and emotional. While she controlled her music in her last album, the music in this single appears to control her. Her new era presents a 29-year-old, grown woman branding herself with butterflies and sparkles, telling her just as grown fanbase that “spelling is fun.”

But naturally, with the genius of producers behind her, the song is an earworm that can get stuck in anyone’s head. The public will hopefully find out soon what Swift has in store for her upcoming album. If the single does anything, it further reinforces that the old Taylor really can’t come to the phone right now.