Here’s why everyone is talking about that suspicious Taylor Swift cover song

We know all too well that Taylor Swift loves starting a good internet mystery, and she may have just led fans down her best rabbit hole yet. On Sunday, May 24th, viewers of the TV series Killing Eve were treated to a cover of Swift’s song “Look What You Made Me Do.” The “cover”—note the quotes—rang in the title sequence, and it was such a unique take on the fast-paced pop number Swift produced under her former record label, Big Machine. Swift even shared the “cover” on Twitter, but, here’s the gag: Fans think this isn’t a cover at all.

Instead, fans believe Swift produced the new take on her old classic herself, under a different name, in order to send yet another message to Scooter Braun while preventing him and Big Machine from making any money off the song’s use in Killing Eve. This is big-brain stuff, people. So pay attention to stay on track.

The theories started flying in when Swift tweeted on the 24th, “VERY STOKED about this cover of lwymmd on by Jack leopards & the dolphin club!!”

VERY STOKED about this cover of lwymmd on @KillingEve by Jack leopards & the dolphin club!! pic.twitter.com/fhkLfOssfm

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 25, 2020

After a quick Google search, Swifties found that the band Swift gave kudos to—Jack Leopards & The Dolphin Club—does not exist.

Well, it does, and it doesn’t. The only song Jack Leopards & The Dolphin Club has released is this cover of “Look What You Made Me Do.” The crude album cover, which definitely gives off indie band vibes, looks like it was thrown together in Microsoft Paint.

It’s the album cover that sparked more speculation that Swift was behind this whole thing.

Diehard Swift fans immediately connected this illustrated drawing of a little boy to a childhood photo of Swift’s brother Austin Swift, in which he wore a striped shirt with a “Dolphin Club” logo printed on the front. What’s more is that, years ago, Austin actually changed his Twitter name to “Dolphin Club,” most likely as a joke pertaining to this exact photo.

Therefore, it’s believed that Austin provided his vocals for the new version of the song.

Jack Leopards & The Dolphin Club 🐬 pic.twitter.com/TUQxizZ7n5

— Taylor Swift News 🕛 (@TSwiftNZ) May 25, 2020

Things get even more interesting when we look at who produced this “cover.”

When fans looked for who was credited for the song, they found out that Jack Antonoff was one of the people behind the mysterious track. Antonoff is a longtime friend of Swift’s who has produced many of her prior albums, including her most recent, Lover.

And then we see that Nils Sjöberg is also listed as a producer of the cover. If Nils Sjöberg rings a bell, then you’re a true Swifty.

so this band doesnt exist past the look what you made me do cover and one of the producers is…NILS SJOBERG https://t.co/sk6ZGribrN

— Sara (@stateoftay16) May 25, 2020

Swift used the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg as a producer/writing credit on other performers’ songs, such as ex-boyfriend Calvin Harris’s “This Is What You Came For.” Using this name helped Swift fly under the radar, avoid dating rumors, and let her create with some anonymity. false

By sidestepping royalty rules, Swift prevented Scooter Braun—who now heads up Big Machine and owns all of Swift’s masters pre-Lover era—from making any money from this cover.

Can we just take a second to recognize this A-team?

legends support legends pic.twitter.com/9Cf232iMe5

— Brian A. Hernandez (@BAHjournalist) May 25, 2020

With Braun relenting to give Swift back the rights to her music, we can definitely expect more plays like this in the future. And TBH, if Austin is the voice behind Jack Leopards, we kind of want more of what he’s dishing out. This “cover” is beyond good.