Taylor Swift’s next era is here, but it’s already dividing her fanbase. Shortly after she announced her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, social media lit up, not just with excitement, but also confusion and frustration.
Featured VideoInstead of the moody monochrome of The Tortured Poets Department, Swift’s new aesthetic is awash in orange and teal. Some fans embraced the splash of color. Others thought it clashed with the singer’s more recent aesthetic.
Even though this will be Taylor Swift’s fifth album in as many years (excluding her re-recordings), not all listeners felt ready to pivot so quickly.
“A Taylor Swift announcement followed by a 48-hour wait for the cover & release date should actually be considered psychological warfare,” one fan posted on X.
AdvertisementEaster eggs or overkill?
As usual, Swifties began combing through past videos for clues. Some pointed to 2022’s “Bejeweled” music video, where Swift plays a glamorous showgirl. They noted the orange elevator buttons marked “2” and “10,” which now seem like nods to her twelfth album. Others cited props from the Eras Tour, including orange burlesque feather fans in the “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” segment.
AdvertisementThe Spotify billboards teasing the album fueled even more debate. A hidden playlist titled “And baby, that’s show business for you” featured only Swift tracks produced by Max Martin and Shellback, prompting speculation that the singer had sidelined her frequent recent collaborator, Jack Antonoff.
Fans react to Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” album announcement
There were even grumbles about the announcement method itself. Instead of a direct social media drop, Swift revealed the title in a teaser for boyfriend Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast.
AdvertisementSome online felt like it was a shameless cross-promotion rather than a fun teaser on its own for her new album.
@zoenone0none tweeted, “Announcing your album via a clip out from your boyfriend’s podcast is just. so unchic.”
AdvertisementAnother Swift fan wrote, “Congrats to The Tortured Poets Department, no longer the worst title in her discography.”
Advertisement“Something so unsettling about an album announcement being made on her boyfriend’s podcast tho… No post from her just a retweet… We used to be a country…” said another person who wasn’t impressed with how the album was announced.
Others seemed to think that there was something more sinister at play with the announcement.
AdvertisementDespite the criticism, the hype train is still running. Fans are sharing parallels to fictional showgirls like Lucy Gray Baird from The Hunger Games and Carrie Bradshaw during her Paris storyline. Yet, the prevailing mood online is one of weary anticipation.
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