Taylor Swift sent shockwaves through her fandom by announcing her 12th studio album during her debut appearance on boyfriend Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast.
“This is my brand new album,” the Grammy winner shared in a teaser clip for the Aug. 13 episode of Travis and Jason Kelce’s show.
Leading up to the announcement, Swift’s website featured a countdown to 12:12 a.m. on Aug. 12.
Here’s everything we know about the new album so far.
Album Name
Swift titled her highly anticipated album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which features an orange and green color scheme.
In the Kelce brothers’ podcast sneak peek, the “Lover” songstress pulled the album out of a mint green briefcase with the letters “T.S.” monogrammed on the front.
During the preview she revealed the name of the upcoming album.
Album Cover
Swift revealed the album cover art for “Life of a Showgirl” at the same time as the podcast aired on Aug. 13.
The cover shows the singer submerged in water while wearing a crystal bustier and a stack of matching bracelets, including a diamond bangle by Zydo Italy.
The title of the album is lit up in the orange glitter that was teased on her site before the cover reveal.
Track List
There will be 12 tracks on the upcoming album, all of which she wrote while on the Eras Tour in Europe.
“It just comes from, like, the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic, place I was in, in my life. And so that effervescence has come through on this record … this is the record I’ve been wanting to make for a really long time,” she said during her “New Heights” appearance.
“Every single song is on this album for hundreds of reasons. You couldn’t take one out and it be the same album, you couldn’t add one; it’s just right. That focus, and that kind of discipline with creating an album and keeping the bar really high is something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time.”
Song titles include, “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” “Opalite,” “Father Figure,” “Eldest Daughter,” “Ruin the Friendship,” “Actually Romantic,” “Wi$h Li$t,” “Wood,” “CANCELLED!,” “Honey,” and the titular song, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Major Clues
Fans took to social media to share their theories that Swift had been hinting at TS12 for years.
One Swiftie pointed out that the “Love Story” singer wore a showgirl costume in her 2022 “Bejeweled” music video and was seen sitting on a massive clock pointing to 12.
It was suggested that the songwriter was referencing her album announcement set for 12:12 a.m. on Aug. 12.
Fans also speculated that the pop star dropped an Easter egg when she shared via Instagram in October 2024 that she was heading “back in the office” for her Eras Tour stop at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
At the time, Swift shared a video of herself walking out to section A12 in the stadium.
During her Miami performance, she also wore an orange bodysuit while performing her 2019 album “Lover” and an orange and green outfit during her “1989” album set.
Both colors are represented on the cover art for “The Life of a Showgirl.”
In Swift’s Eras Tour book, she also wrote about her “showgirl’s dressing room routine” and attached a photo of herself wearing an orange and green outfit, per a fan.
Release Date
“Mean Girls” day has now been rebranded as “Life of a Showgirl” day.
Swift announced on the podcast the new album would be released on Oct. 3.
Fans can pre-order the album on Taylorswift.com
Max Martin and Shellback Producing
Swift also confirmed that producers Max Martin and Shellback worked with her on “The Life of a Showgirl.”
“The three of us have made some of my favorite songs that I’ve ever done before,” Swift said of the producers on the podcast. “They were my main collaborators on my ‘Red’ album … we’ve made songs that I’m so proud of … [and doing this] felt like catching lightning in a bottle, honestly.”
The “So High School” singer hinted at the reunion when she created a Spotify playlist with 22 songs titled “And, baby, that’s show business for you.”
The curated playlist included songs produced by Martin and Shellback, born Karl Schuster, including “Blank Space,” “Bad Blood,” “All You Had To Do Was Stay,” “Wildest Dreams,” and “I Knew You Were Trouble.”
Collaborations
Taylor Swift confirmed the titular song on the album, “The Life of a Showgirl” would feature Sabrina Carpenter during the “New Heights” podcast.
The song will be the last track on the album, according to the track list.
Rumors were running high that Sabrina Carpenter might be featured on the new album ahead of the confirmation.
Fans noticed the “Manchild” songstress’ website featured an announcement entry for Aug. 12, though she didn’t include a description.
One also pointed out on X that Carpenter was in a Taylor Nation picture shared on Aug. 11.
Carpenter opened for several of Swift’s Eras Tour concerts and performed alongside the record-breaking artist at her New Orleans tour stop in October 2024.
Alternate Covers
Swift announced this album would have multiple covers for fans to chose from.
All of them feature the singer in showgirl and burlesque clothing.
One of the covers, titled “It’s Frightening Edition,” shows the singer crawling over seats in a black outfit, while the “Rapturous Edition” shows Swift covering her face with her hands while donning a black wig and feathered fit.
The “Beautiful Edition” shows the singer in a bejeweled outfit as she bites her nail in a seductive pose.
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