Taylor Swift's new Era is here. And fans were so ready for it that Spotify apparently crashed upon its release.
Her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl," dropped Friday.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am to share this with you, an album that just feels so right,” Swift wrote in an Instagram post tied to the album’s release. “If you thought the big show was wild, perhaps you should come and take a look behind the curtain...”
Swift has spoken at length about how this album is a reflection of what it was like to be on her mammoth Eras tour, which spanned continents and years.
Here's what to know.
Swift released “The Life of a Showgirl” on Oct. 3.
Fans, particularly those on the East Coast, stayed up late to stream each track with hopes of later-night (or early-morning) surprises from the artist, but unlike her last two albums, nothing new came in the early hours of Friday.
New music typically releases on Fridays, in part to maximize how well a song or an album does on the charts.
How are fans reacting to 'Showgirl'?
Swifties around the world gathered for release and listening parties, dressing up in the orange and mint green pomp that goes hand in hand with this era.
Songs like “Eldest Daughter” and “Wood” got immediate fan attention on social media, whereas “Actually Romantic” stirred some drama online as fans put together that some of the lyrics might be a hit at fellow pop princess Charli XCX.
Overall, it’s clear listeners are impressed with the album’s sound. It’s reminiscent of some of Swift’s pop music highs, as she reunited with producers Max Martin and Shellback, with whom she worked on “1989” and “Reputation.” Swift, while announcing the album on the “New Heights” podcast, credited the producers with having worked on some of her favorite songs.
She also said that the trio has never made an album with just the three of them. She told Martin during her Eras Tour show in Stockholm that she felt they could “knock it out of the park.”
“It felt like catching lightning in a bottle, honestly,” she said. “We hadn’t worked together in like seven or eight years. ... There’s something about these guys. They’re just geniuses in different avenues, in different ways.”
Swift parted ways with longtime friend and producer Jack Antonoff for “Showgirl.” The pair has worked together for years and on Swift’s most recent releases.
The new album garnered critical favor, with outlets like Rolling Stone, Variety and The New York Times praising its infectious pop beats and joyful lyrics.
Sabrina Carpenter, who is featured on the album’s title track, shared photos of Swift to her Instagram story overnight, letting her fans know the album was out and sharing the song she is featured on. She also posted a photo of Swift kissing her on the cheek with the caption “I love you Taylor.”
Swift’s fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, has yet to make a public statement on “Showgirl” since it dropped, but Swift said he has been supportive through the whole process.
What does this era look like?
It’s clear that the “Showgirl” era will be defined by the colors orange and mint green. The album cover includes Swift seemingly submerged while wearing a jeweled top with her face slightly above water. “The Life of a Showgirl” is emblazoned in orange glitter.
How did Swift announce the album?
Swift revealed the album during an episode of the “New Heights” podcast, hosted by Kelce and his brother, Jason.
“This is my new brand-new album, ‘The Life of a Show Girl,’” Swift said, as the retired Philadelphia Eagles center screamed in excitement.
Her website updated at the same time the podcast debuted to show the new album, as well as three variations.
She told the brothers that she worked on the album while touring in Europe, flying to Sweden on her three days off after having played three shows in a row.
“And actually, like, working on this, I was physically exhausted at this point in the tour, but I was so mentally stimulated and so excited to be creating.”
How many tracks are on the album?
There are 12 tracks on the album, which she revealed by going through them one by one on the podcast.
In order, the tracks are: “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” “Opalite,” “Father Figure,” “Eldest Daughter,” “Ruin the Friendship,” “Actually Romantic,” “Wi$h Li$t,” “Wood,” “CANCELED!” “Honey” and “The Life of a Showgirl (Feat. Sabrina Carpenter).”
Kelce, who was thrilled he knew so much about the album, described “CANCELED!” as a “banger.” On a later podcast, he revealed “Opalite” is his favorite track and that “Showgirl” is a great album to work out to.
Is Swift heading back out on tour anytime soon?
Swift’s most devoted fans can breathe a sigh of relief for their wallets — the pop star said she’s not quite ready to hit the road again.
When asked about touring, and whether she has “the itch for another something soon,” Swift told BBC Radio 1 host Greg James that another tour is not in the cards just yet.
“No, no I’m going to be really honest with you,” she said. “Like, I am so tired when I think about doing it again. Because I’d want to do it really, really well again.”
On another British radio appearance, she discussed the pressure to perform constantly on her Eras Tour, a demanding experience.
The clip from Magic Radio features the pop star chatting with journalists Gok Wan and Harriet Scott about her approach to the record-breaking tour.
“Every one of us on that tour operated from a standpoint of like, the crowd is your king,” the singer said.
“I think that’s sort of the manifesto of how I approached this tour. There wasn’t the option of, if I’m sick, I’m not going on stage. There wasn’t an option of I’m feeling terrible, I’m not doing the show tonight. The crowd is your king. It’s not the other way around.”
What’s going on at the movies?
Moviegoers should prepare for a Swiftie takeover of their local theaters after Swift announced that she would be having release parties across the country.
Swift posted to her social media accounts on Sept. 19, inviting fans to “The Official Release of a Showgirl,” which she described as a “dazzling soiree.” Theaters will premiere her music video for “The Fate of Ophelia,” as well as new lyric videos, explanations of what inspired the songs and exclusive behind-the-scenes video.
The feature will be available only in theaters for the release weekend, according to Swift’s post.
Anyone at the cinemas that weekend can probably expect to see Swifties dressed up, sharing friendship bracelets, and they could even hear them singing along.
“Dancing is optional but very much encouraged,” Swift wrote.
Swifties were sleuthing, as always
With so little — but so much — to go on, fans have been in a tizzy trying to decipher what clues Swift may have dropped about the new album.
Many believe she might announce a tour documentary alongside the album’s release. Cameras were seen following Swift around during multiple dates of the Eras Tour.
Fans have already reflected on the most obvious Easter eggs Swift left behind. Her tour performance of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” had a showgirl theme.
There were also many instances when she wore orange throughout the Eras Tour. Fans also pointed out that the last show of the tour was Dec. 8, or 12/8, and that the album was announced Aug. 12, or 8/12
Swift's team also shared a release week schedule, and fans were quick to notice a large chunk of Saturday night on the calendar with no plans other than the word "standby."
Might she be making a surprise appearance on "Saturday Night Live"? Will the suspected documentary be announced? Is it finally time for "Reputation (Taylor's Version)"?
Fans have been speculating online that Swift, Martin and Shellback might have spent a little extra time in the studio together while making “Showgirl,” and that the “Reputation” vault tracks — songs that she wrote during the initial album creation but were ultimately left off of the final project — will be released Saturday night, since she would have worked with the same producers for both releases.
