Is Calvin Harris throwing shade at Taylor Swift with his ‘Olé’ music video?

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Back in the first flush of The Glorious Tiddlebanging of 2016, Taylor Swift’s very recent ex-boyfriend Calvin Harris had no chill. As soon as the first Tiddlebanging photos came out (the ones of Tiddles making out on a rock in Rhode Island), Calvin started running to TMZ to tell variations of the “she did me wrong” story. One of those stories seemed to be that Calvin’s newest song, “Olé,” was some kind of diss track about Taylor. Perhaps even a creepily specific diss track as told through the perspective of Tom Hiddleston. At the end of the day, the receipts didn’t really add up and “Olé” was written before Calvin and Taylor even split. Of course the lyrics are a bit creepy and prophetic from certain angles, but it’s far more likely that Calvin just wrote a vague song about several different ladies.

On Friday, Calvin released the music video, and people are speculating anew about whether there’s shade being thrown in Swifty’s general direction. While the lyrics are messy – sung by silver-throated John Newman – the vibe of the music video is supposed to be just two guys hanging out with some attractive brunette ladies. John Newman is really channeling his inner douche-bro with the styling, and it does involve both John and Calvin sitting on some suspicious rocks. JUST LIKE TIDDLES.

Shade or no shade? The shot of Newman walking on the beach feels like a Tiddles reference too, but mostly people are pointing to the rock-sitting. Because Tiddles invented sitting on rocks, apparently. I can’t decide if I think Calvin was telegraphing a certain message or throwing shade or whatever. I think the bigger message is that Calvin’s type is “busty brunette.”

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Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, The Sun, video screencap.

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73 Responses to “Is Calvin Harris throwing shade at Taylor Swift with his ‘Olé’ music video?”

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  1. Sara says:

    The fonts in that music video hurt.

  2. lilacflowers says:

    Why do I feel like I’ve heard 87 different variations of this song by other artists?

    • Miss Jupitero says:

      Because you have. Every thought, every emotion, is right out of the can. I feel the same way about the music of… Pretty much everyone in this whole crowd. Tay Tay, Selena etc.

  3. PatriotsPower27 says:

    These comparisons are a stretch but since a story with Taylor Swift sells, it’ll make the header. Plus, it’ll help Calvin sell his music and gain exposure for the video. Still can’t believe people are Team Hobbes buy whatever…

    • susiecue says:

      Yeah, that’s a long reach. But I think no matter what was in his music video, this would be a headline. People are looking for it.

  4. Sixer says:

    I made it through 20 seconds or so. BORING. SNORING. Sixer almost nodded off then pressed stop. People buy this pap?

    My bestie friend in the village loves John Newman and I think his tone is lovely but his diction is very peculiar and it puts me off. As does the font in that video. Who did that? The take-your-kid-to-work-day kid? It looks like Pokemon Go in front of my tellybox, but words not Pokemon.

    I’m in a grotty mood today. Someone cheer me up.

    • lilacflowers says:

      Boring, right? Derivative, right? Like he ripped off dozens of other songs, right?

      Here’s some lemon drizzle cake, now come and look at Oiled-Up Tonga Olympic guy because he just makes me laugh uncontrollably.

      • Sixer says:

        Cake! Ta!

        Very, very boring.

        I have commented. I think I am just child-fatigued because it is very hot and sticky today, the children are like triffids and I don’t think there’s one in the village who ISN’T here, and I just want A LIE DOWN!

      • lilacflowers says:

        Start loudly perving over the athletes. That might drive them away.

      • spidey says:

        @ lilacflowers – or give them some chores to do, then they willl quietly fade into the distance.

      • Liberty says:

        Sixer, a hot day here and we have six nieces and nephews staying. ages 4 to 12ish, so I feel your pain. My solution: telling them about the fun to be had having a water balloon fight with Mr l.

        I somehow neglected to tell Mr L. But he figured it out after he was struck square by the 7 year old.

        All are out there cool, having fun, now forming into squads by balloon color, and I can sip an icy tea w Celebitchy for maybe another 15 minutes. 🙂 THEN I get to tell them about picking up all the exploded bits, which buys me another 20 minutes, as a garden hose fight will certainly ensue.

      • Sixer says:

        I also recommend water fights, Liberty! They love them AND it means they go away from your living room! Unfortunately, this lot are Olympic-watching. I’m just going to have to bear it.

      • Liberty says:

        LOL! ours kept peering through a large window of a rear room to view the Olympics on that screen (while hiding behind some lilac, I think) then back to the water war.

        Flaw in my plan: I have had to wash and dry alllllll the clothes, even though it’s so hot out.

    • spidey says:

      Well no new pics of Tom and Taylor in almost a week. That must be a plus.

      Poldark is back next month. (Don’t know if that will help you, but others will be pleased)

      • spidey says:

        Oh, and you need a seriously alcoholic beverage to go with the cake.

      • Sixer says:

        I saw the trailer for Poldark. I don’t mind it but Mr Sixer LOVES it. He is a slave to period drama.

        I think Tiddles must be building up to a mega-crescendo. I’m still holding out hope for the Build-a-Bear proposal.

      • spidey says:

        I’m hoping for it to quietly die a death now they are (we hope) separated by the width of the Pacific Ocean. Oh, and Tom to get together with someone more suitable (to him and us!) 🙂

        Oh and to his team to announce a new project for him more suited to his talents that will keep him busy and out of her clutches.

      • Sixer says:

        I’m not hoping for that, spidey, sorry! I’m hoping for Tiddles to last forever and to take us to new heights of Tiddlesbanging on a regular basis!

        Plus, you are just going to have to consider the possibility that he likes her more than she likes him. Painful, I know, but entirely possible.

      • spidey says:

        No need to apologise Sixer, But wouldn’t you get bored eventually?

        And if he likes her more than she likes him then he deserves all he gets.

      • Liberty says:

        We must all think bigger. Much bigger.

        So, in my wildest dream, they stay together, marry, and make a movie — TayTay in her first starring role — about the story of King and Mrs. Simpson.

        Then she buys the French chateau in Monts as a wedding gift for TH.

        Please oh please oh please god. I will go without the boots I want for fall if this you promise me.

      • lilacflowers says:

        @Sixer, I considered that when I first saw the beach pictures. Sitting all prim and proper sitting forward with her hands in front of her. I would have been tearing off his shirt.

      • Sixer says:

        I feel Tiddles should employ you, Liberty. This is exactly the sort of thing I am looking for.

      • Miss Jupitero says:

        I want Tiddles to last and provide us with more comedy. I want to see Sonny and Cher covers. And more paper knickers….

      • Liberty says:

        Sixer, I think a few of us could form a very solid Tiddles Advisory Board to help the dears step away from the water slides and matching shoes, and instead, seem to be on a serious and deep trajectory resulting in nothing less than Liz’n’Dick bruised-lips with big jewels destiny moments. Watching a weather girl date her third cousin has no traction.

      • kibbles says:

        Can’t wait for Poldark! I’d rather see more of Aidan Turner than Tom Hiddleston any day.

    • Miss Jupitero says:

      I wish there were real tea. I can’t bring myself to give such dreadful music and lyrics any attention. I did read somewhere that Tay Tay is hard at work on songs about TommyAnnE, who an unnamed source says is her muse as well as her True Love.. Make way for hallmark card songs! Maybe they will sing a duet?

    • I Choose Me says:

      I feel so old. Prior to this terrible video, I had no idea that a John Newman existed.

  5. NewWester says:

    At the end of the day everyone involved in this mess( Taylor,Calvin, Tom) are not coming across very well. It will be interesting to see how the “Taylor and Tom takes the World” ongoing saga affects their careers.

    • spidey says:

      It will probably be forgotten about when the next REAL scandal comes along.

      Basically a couple split up (who did the splitting is open to dispute) she gets together with another guy and they are seen posing for the paps and being very silly at a party. Oh, and Tom kept wearing the same grey suede shoes. And the rest is a lot of rags making up a lot of things to make them “more interesting”.

      I know, I’m being sensible again.

      • lilacflowers says:

        You do need to stop with that sensible thing.

      • spidey says:

        @lilacflowers

        Tee hee. I represent the age of reason. 😆

        Or something.

      • Sixer says:

        Spidey. I love you. But this is not “sensible”. This is how you like to imagine the reality behind the pictures. It’s no less (or more, for that matter) sensible to imagine the reality as “actor makes himself look desperate and ridiculous in last ditch attempt at achieving A list celebrity status after all other efforts ended in vain”.

        I’ve no idea which reality is real. I want it to be the latter because I get more amusement that way and I am a snarky old boot. You want it to be the former because you are a dedicated fan of LEGS. Neither or us is more “sensible” than the other. We simply have different desires vis a vis the motivation of LEGS.

      • Snarkweek says:

        With what we have seen from Tommy Anne I’m not comfortable with the angle that Swift has her ‘claws’ into him. Whether for PR or actual romance or a combination of the two both parties went into this with their eyes wide open. Perpetuating the woman as grasping harpy trope makes me uncomfortable. And before anyone trots out the examples galore of Swift’s clingy behavior the point remains, imo, that TH is no hapless victim or sacrificial lamb.

      • spidey says:

        @ Sixer, I like Tom as an actor but actually I’m not as dedicated a fan of LEGS as you may think. Often in interviews I have thought “for goodness sake either lighten up or shut up, you are getting above yourself.” But I do have an aversion to the press making things up I would feel that way if it was anyone else. Some of the stories have been ridiculous. Yes, he has been daft over the last month or two, but I still believe that in a while the press will have moved on. Yes he as succumbed to the idea of “being seen will help his career”, and chosen the wrong vehicle, apparently. But a lot of other actors, and not all well known, have survived more than this.

        And I love you too. 🙂

  6. Ariel says:

    Ugh. How long must we feign interest in this dull dj?

  7. Annieb says:

    I didn’t like the song when I first heard it online, but I changed my mind after I listened to it on the radio. It’s a relaxing summer tune with reggae vibes.

    • Millennial says:

      I have to agree. I went into this song expecting to hate it and I was pleasantly surprised. Nice and chill. Good vacation song.

    • MP says:

      I quite like the song too. I just don’t understand why it’s called Calvin Harris’ song when everywhere (Vevo, spotify) it’s listed as John Newman’s song? Not Calvin Harris featuring John Newman.
      There is also very little EDM in the song so maybe Calvin will do a remix or something. Maybe he co-wrote it but it’s obviously not his song.

    • Matchday says:

      I could take it or leave it. It’s Harris’ song because he wrote it and produced the single. That’s what EDM is all about – the EDM artist usually writes the song (music and lyrics) and produces it but someone else sings it as EDM people don’t usually have the vocal talents to sing their own songs.

  8. Zuzus Girl says:

    Snoozefest. They all need to get over themselves. Calvin, you lost the golden ticket, move along.

  9. Snarkweek says:

    Hate Tiddles or love Tiddles I can’t believe how few people are calling out Harris for severely contradicting his own dumping narrative. I mean, did he, himself, forget the post break-up story about how he could no longer stay in a relationship with frigid, mousy, clingy Taylor and the thought of procreating with her made his Armani undies bunch up?

    • Gena says:

      That was Taylor’s team putting that out there though. They were trying to hide the fact that she cheated on him.

    • Snarkweek says:

      You may or may not be correct in your interpretation but officially, Harris and his team released that information. Swift is too image conscious to intentionally spin a story in which she looks like a desperate stage 5 clinger who was not perfect enough to keep her man interested. If you think back you may remeber that Swift’s first statement was that the split was mutual and friendly and no one cheated. Odd wording, for sure, but nowhere near as nasty as Harris’ first assertions.

  10. Sarah says:

    So repetitive, so boring. Swifty, calvin … How do these talentless “artists” even have a carrer?

  11. Mltpsych says:

    I got to a minute and a half and I can’t. That song is awful and that guy has nothing, no charisma, not attractive on camera ugh.

  12. oo1 says:

    never did, never will @ariel
    he is not that interesting.

  13. Kate says:

    I feel about this song like I feel about that ridiculous Kent Jones song. It sounds like some loser wrote and recorded it to YouTube in his basement.

    There is zero musical talent involved. It’s boring, monotone, and simple, but not in a good way.

  14. browniecakes says:

    Was the bar closed or the beach closed when they got there? Why the sad faces on the girls? Well, it looks like an island, so there’s rocks, beach, water, horses, a cabana, more water. All islands kinda have those same characteristics.

    Anyway since this post is really Kaiser giving us a forum to discuss Hiddleswift,: It occurs to me Tom may not be away filming Ragnarok for a long time. He may done in a week or two. Mark Ruffalo is done. Loki is not a lead character. In fact I would guess that Hulk’s role was bigger from what I know about the plot. Taylor is off having fun in the Hamptons for Karlie’s birthday. Apparently moving house isn’t that hard when you are rich. Maybe Tay didn’t go to AU because he’ll back soon.

  15. Ryan says:

    This song is horrible, and the singer looks like he’s never been in front of a camera before. There’s no way this video was meant to put anyone to shame.

  16. crictorrun says:

    Holy balls that video is awful and that guy can’t sing for shit.

    • Erinn says:

      Watching him is even worse than listening to him. He looks like SUCH a mega creep. He really gives me the creeps.

  17. Sue says:

    WTAF was this? 😀 With this video clip I do actually believe this is a prank on TH+TS 😛 Calvin can effort it to record “hit” like this 😉

  18. elise says:

    Is it too far fetched to think that TS probably saw this music video (or at least a storyboard) and opted to proceed with her rock kissing display with Hiddles knowing we would all be talking about this when the video dropped? Normally, I would say this is too calculated and orchestrated for a normal celeb….but not TS.

  19. Donna Martin says:

    I didn’t get through all the comments so I’m not sure if someone else noticed but I think they used the same filter as the photos that Taylor posts

  20. Joanie says:

    I wonder what will happen now that Benedict Cumberbatch was offered – and turned down – Bond? Will Hiddles be offered Cumby’s sloppy seconds?

    • juliawillc says:

      P.S. Did anyone notice that most comments on the Calvin Harris story were about Tom and Taylor? How yesterday’s news does that make Calvin? He can only get play by shading Taylor and the story still turns out to be about T&T.

      • Joanie says:

        If Calvin had acted like a grown up and taken the high road, things would have panned out very differently.

  21. juliawillc says:

    Also, I don’t believe for a minute BC turned down the part. He is great as Sherlock, but soooo
    wrong for Bond. If I were TS I wouldn’t take the part anyway. It’s a boring role, one dimensional, not exactly someone who is as good as TS would want. Type casts you. Daniel Craig hates the character and that’s why he wants out of the franchise.

    • Joanie says:

      At this point, with a Marvel multi film deal, Cumberbatch couldn’t do Bond. Marvel owns you until your contract is up – he couldn’t do two franchises at once.

      • lilacflowers says:

        RDJ has been doing both Iron Man and Sherlock. Renner took on the Bourne franchise with hopes that would go somewhere for him (it didn’t but it is a multipicture deal) and he is in the Mission Impossible franchise while in Marvel. And Samuel L. Jackson is in everything. That said, I very much doubt the role was offered to Cumberbatch.