"The intern gets it": Internet reacts to The Empire State Building turning orange in anticipation of Taylor Swift's new album

The Empire State Building in New York City turned orange in celebration of pop sensation Taylor Swift announcing her next album on August 12, 2025, at 12:12 am ET. The singer hinted at a green and orange color theme for her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl.

On August 11, 2025, the official X account of the Empire State Building posted an image of the iconic building turning orange in anticipation of Taylor Swift's next album. The color matched Swift's announcement, as she teased a lock-and-key image with the same color scheme. The caption hinted at Swift's next era, as it read:

"See you next era."

The Empire State Building turns orange in anticipation of TS12 (Image via X/@EmpireStateBldg)

Fans took to X to react to the Empire State Building's post, with Swifties applauding the gesture. One X user joked about an intern being responsible for the idea and wrote:

Some other netizens also showed excitement:

Fans continued to share their thoughts on the Empire State Building's tease:

Taylor Swift has not yet announced an official release date for her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl. However, the album is available for pre-order on her official website as of now.

Taylor Swift curates Spotify playlist with 22 songs from her discography following announcement of TS12

Swift | The Eras Tour - London, UK (Image via Getty)

On Tuesday, August 12, Taylor Swift released a playlist featuring 22 songs from her discography to celebrate the announcement of her next album, The Life of a Showgirl. Multiple billboards appeared across the United States, displaying QR codes that fans could scan to access her Spotify playlist.

The playlist, titled And, baby, that’s show business for you, includes 22 tracks from various albums. Swift's fans, known as Swifties, have speculated that these tracks contain Easter eggs about her upcoming album. Some tracks included in the list are 22, Bad Blood, Blank Space, Delicate, Don't Blame Me, Gorgeous, Shake It Off, New Romantics, Style, and Wonderland.

The playlist is dominated by tracks from Taylor Swift's 2014 album, 1989, and 2017 album, Reputation. Moreover, all tracks in the playlist are produced by Max Martin, who last worked with Swift for Reputation. However, the playlist does not include tracks produced by Jack Antonoff, a frequent collaborator of Swift over the past few years, including on her recent album, The Tortured Poets Department.

Taylor Swift's official announcement came on her boyfriend and NFL tight end Travis Kelce's podcast, New Heights. Kelce confirmed on Monday night that Swift would be a special guest on this week's Wednesday episode. On Tuesday, August 12, at 12:12 am ET, Swift shared a clip from her upcoming podcast appearance, announcing The Life of a Showgirl.

In the clip, Swift shows a blurred image of her new record with a green and orange theme.

"So I wanted to show you something. This is my brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl," Swift said.

The album is also available for pre-order on Swift's official website. While the website states that the vinyl, CD, and cassette editions will be delivered before October 13, that is not the official release date.

In her announcement clip, fans also noticed a distinct orange theme, with multiple book covers of the same color visible behind the singer. Some authors, as listed by PEOPLE, include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Marc Chagall, and Ruth Asawe. All of these figures are typically associated with the modernist or neo-expressionist movement in literature.

Taylor Swift's discography is known for containing numerous literary references, including artists, poets, and thinkers. For example, the title track from her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, references poet Dylan Thomas and singer Patti Smith.

Scholars have also interpreted songs like Mad Woman and Cassandra as reminiscent of works such as Jane Eyre, which explores the theme of madness in literature.

A football and a silver microphone are also visible in the background of Taylor Swift's announcement video, seemingly teasing the subject of her next project. However, the singer has yet to release more details about her upcoming album.

Taylor Swift is expected to share more about the album's artwork and other specific details about The Life of a Showgirl during her full podcast appearance on Travis Kelce's New Heights, set to be released on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.

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 Shreya Das