"HOW LONG HAS SHE HAD THIS PLANNED" - Fans speculate Taylor Swift has planned her new album to be a lock and her Eras Tour stage to be the key

Taylor Swift fans, popularly known as Swifties, are speculating that the pop star has had her upcoming twelfth studio album planned since the Eras Tour. The singer announced her much-awaited next album on August 12, titled The Life of a Showgirl.

Following her announcement, Taylor Swift's fans shared multiple theories online about the album, including one connecting it to her record-breaking Eras Tour that concluded last year in December. One fan on X claimed the Eras Tour stage was designed like a key, while her next album was the lock, as her latest announcement includes the symbol of a lock. They wrote:

"THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL BEING A LOCK WHEN THE ERAS TOUR STAGE WAS A KEY???"

A fan's theory about Swift's new album and the Eras Tour (Image via X/@sillysnorin)

Fans took to X to react to the theory, with many showing excitement about the upcoming album. One user wrote:

"HOW LONG HAS SHE HAD THIS PLANNED"

Some other reactions agreeing with the theory were:

Fans continued to share their thoughts on the theory, with some also disagreeing with it:

Taylor Swift has yet to announce a release date for The Life of a Showgirl as of writing. Her last album, The Tortured Poets Department, was released in April last year with a black and white color scheme. However, her latest announcement includes a green and orange theme, continuing the tradition of each of her albums having a specific color theme.

Taylor Swift announces her twelfth studio album in a podcast appearance with boyfriend Travis Kelce

AFC Championship Game: Buffalo Bills v Kansas City Chiefs - Source: Getty

More than a year after the release of her last studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, Taylor Swift has announced her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. The pop sensation shared the news on her boyfriend, NFL tight-end Travis Kelce's podcast, New Heights.

On August 12, Travis Kelce confirmed that Taylor Swift will be a guest on the Wednesday (August 13) episode of his podcast. Swift shared a clip of her appearance on the podcast at exactly 12:12 pm ET, where she comes up with a briefcase representing her new album.

"So I wanted to show you something. We got--- [Kelce: A briefcase?] Yeah. This is my brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl," Swift said.

Her announcement was followed by cheers from both Jason and Travis Kelce. Subsequently, Swift also changed her display icon on Instagram and X, including an orange lock behind a green background. She has yet to officially release the album cover or the release date.

Taylor Swift's official website also includes an option to pre-order the album. Per the website, the record will be delivered before October 13, but that is not when the album will be released. The singer's website mentioned that the release date will be made public later.

This marked the first time Taylor Swift announced her album through her partner's podcast. She previously announced the release of The Tortured Poets Department after receiving her fourth Grammy for Album of the Year (AOTY).

It all began on Monday (August 11), when Taylor Swift's official fan page, Taylor Nation, teased a "new era" for the pop star while sharing 12 specific images from the Eras Tour. Swifties caught the hint, speculating about the announcement of her next album.

"Thinking about when she said 'see you next era'," the caption said.

Following the post, Swift's official website also began a countdown to 00:12 ET (05:12 BST), further increasing the anticipation. The pop sensation has yet to release more details about the album. However, she has seemingly left multiple Easter eggs for her eagle-eyed fans to figure out with a playlist.

Alongside her new album announcement, Taylor Swift also released a new Spotify playlist including her songs from her previous albums. It was titled "And, baby, that’s show business for you". Notably, all the tracks in her playlist were produced by Max Martin, who last worked with her during her 2017 album, Reputation. The playlist notably does not include any tracks produced by Jack Antonoff, who has been a frequent collaborator of Swift over the last few years.

The playlist featured 22 tracks, with multiple Billboard also teasing it using a QR code across the United States. Fans could scan the code leading to her album. Swifties speculate that the 22 selected tracks include hints or easter eggs about Swift's upcoming album.

The singer is expected to reveal more details about the project during her full podcast appearance on Travis Kelce's New Heights on Wednesday, August 13.

About the author

Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.

Pratyasha is an ardent admirer of Lionel Messi and has followed his journey since she was a kid; he inspires her with his dedication and humility. She has grown up watching, living, and breathing Satyajit Ray's cinema, which she believes is timeless. She loves Taylor Swift’s music and thinks she's a lyrical genius, and also admires Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Deepika Padukone.

When Pratyasha's off the clock, she enjoys reading books and listening to music. During the football season, she is usually busy watching football matches late at night when Barcelona are playing.

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Edited by Bharath S