"Speak Now 2.0 era incoming" - Fans react to Taylor Swift's Apple Music glittering in purple following a new countdown on her website

Taylor Swift's Apple Music profile displayed a purple glitter effect after the singer started a new countdown on her official website. The countdown is set to end on August 18 at 2 PM ET.

On August 18, Taylor Swift unveiled a new countdown on her official website, featuring a glittery purple theme. Once the countdown was over, she finally revealed the reason behind it as she announced a new vinyl edition for her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl. The new Shiny Bug edition will feature a violet shimmer marble vinyl, explaining why her Apple Music profile had purple glitter.

Fans took to X to react to her countdown, with many sharing their own theories ahead of Swift's official reveal. One X user compared the theme to that of her 2010 album, Speak Now, which also had a purple theme. They wrote:

"Speak Now 2.0 era incoming, let's goooo!"

Fans continued to share their speculation about the countdown:

Some of the other guesses were as follows:

Despite multiple fan theories, Taylor Swift did not announce any lead single or hint at another era. According to her official website, her new Shiny Bug vinyl edition of her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, will be available for pre-ordering for the next 48 hours. Moreover, it will be an opaque violet vinyl with black and gold marbling and gold shimmer.

The limit for ordering is four per customer, open to those in the United States only. It will also come with a customized gatefold jacket, a gatefold image of Swift, and album sleeves with exclusive images and album lyrics. The pop icon also unveiled a new album cover alongside this announcement.

Everything we know so far about Taylor Swift's upcoming twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour - Toronto, ON - Source: Getty

On August 12, Taylor Swift shared a clip from her appearance on the New Heights podcast, where she announced her upcoming twelfth studio album. The podcast is hosted by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, an NFL tight end, and his brother, Jason Kelce.

The announcement came after multiple teasers, including her official fan club, Taylor Nation, sharing 12 images as hints. Finally, the countdown came to an end with Swift announcing The Life of a Showgirl. The popstar revealed more details about the album, including its theme, during her full podcast appearance, which was released on August 13.

The Life of a Showgirl will include 12 tracks. The title track will be a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter. Swift revealed the complete tracklist during her announcement, including The Fate of Ophelia, Elizabeth Taylor, Opalite, Father Figure, Eldest Daughter, Ruin the Friendship, Actually Romantic, Wish List, Wood, Cancelled!, Honey, and The Life of a Showgirl.

Taylor Swift confirmed on the New Heights podcast that fans should not expect more tracks in subsequent deluxe editions. The album will only have 12 tracks. She said:

"This is 12. There's not a 13th. There's not a 14th. There's not other ones coming."

For the upcoming album, Taylor Swift is collaborating with producers Max Martin and Shellback. The popstar last worked with Martin for her 2017 album, Reputation. For the last few years, she has frequently collaborated with Jack Antonoff, who is not a producer in the upcoming project.

Speaking further on the New Heights podcast, Swift discussed the album's theme in more detail, explaining how she worked on it while traveling the world for her record-breaking Eras Tour.

"This is the record I've been wanting to make for a very long time. This album is about what was going on behind my scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant. I'm so proud of it, and it just comes from the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life. That effervescence has come through on this record," she said.

During the episode, Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, also shared his thoughts on the album. He mentioned that it will be a major turnaround from her previous album, The Tortured Poets Department, including fun pop and upbeat tracks. The initial promotional material of The Life of a Showgirl popularized a fun, energetic orange and green theme, with Taylor Swift's main album cover also following the same theme. It shows the singer drowning in a bathtub.

Taylor Swift's upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, will be released on October 3, 2025. It is available for pre-order on her official website.

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