Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has waded into the world of viral TikTok challenges – and perhaps discovered that choreography is harder than policymaking.
In a clip filmed at Nova 100 in Melbourne, Albanese gamely joined hosts Clint Stanaway and Lauren Phillips in a condensed version of a dance trend set to Taylor Swift’s latest hit, The Fate of Ophelia, the lead single from her new album The Life of a Showgirl.
Facing a whirlwind tutorial from a young instructor, the Prime Minister – equal parts determined and perplexed – followed a sequence of arm swoops and nifty gestures as the group attempted to nail the routine.
When the music cue hit, he threw his arms up, only to stop mid-move, realise the error, and recalibrate into a delayed but earnest synchronicity with the others.
Moments later, the instructor shouted, “Turn around!” prompting what can only be described as an enthusiastic but entirely incorrect twirl.
The laughter that followed was immediate.
“That was embarrassing. I don’t know who’s the most embarrassed … we nailed it,” one of the hosts quipped, as the studio dissolved into giggles.
The song, inspired by Ophelia – the ill-fated character who drowns after heartbreak in Shakespeare’s Hamlet – pulls on themes of emotional rescue and redemption.
Swift has described it as a narrative of being pulled back from “insanity, drowning, deception, and purgatory” by a soulmate.
Many fans see it as a love letter to her fiancé, NFL star Travis Kelce, with whom the singer has been in a highly publicised relationship since 2023.
The pair recently made headlines when Kelce proposed with a stunning engagement ring – an eye-watering, multi-million dollar piece that’s been described as fit for pop royalty.
Images: TikTok
