Taylor Swift has revealed her upcoming album, «The Life of a Showgirl», during an appearance on New Heights, the podcast hosted by her boyfriend Travis Kelce and his brother Jason. It will be her first new record since regaining the rights to her full music catalogue.
So far, little is known about the project. Swift has yet to share the release date or album cover, but hints had already been spotted by her fans. On August 11, Taylor Nation, part of her official social media team, posted 12 images of Swift in different orange outfits with the caption, «Thinking about when she said ‘See you next era…’ ❤️🔥.» Just 12 minutes earlier, the New Heights podcast teased a «VERY special guest» for August 13, with a silhouette against an orange backdrop that many believed was Swift. Later that night, a countdown clock appeared on her official website, ending at 12:12 a.m. ET on August 12.
Colour Orange and Early Merchandise
The number 12 seems to be a recurring theme, suggesting a nod to this being her 12th studio album. The colour orange is also emerging as a key visual element. Alongside the social media posts and podcast teaser, Swift’s online shop has listed «Pre Pre-Order» merchandise for the album. This includes a vinyl, cassette and CD with a poster, each featuring a glittery orange padlock over a blurred green background. The vinyl is described as «portofino orange glitter vinyl» — translucent orange with gold glitter.
While the website confirms these items will ship before October 13, 2025, it also states that this is not the release date, which will be announced later.
Clues in a Curated Playlist
Alongside the countdown, Swift also released a playlist titled «And, baby, that’s show business for you ❤️🔥», according to NBC Los Angeles. The 22-track, one hour and 22-minute playlist starts with the song «22» and includes tracks from her 1989, Red and Reputation albums. Interestingly, all the songs were produced by Max Martin and Shellback, with no appearance from Jack Antonoff, her long-time collaborator. This has led fans to wonder whether Martin and Shellback will be key figures on the new album, although nothing is confirmed.
Fan Theories and ‘Clowning’
Speculation is nothing new for Swifties, who are known for interpreting her social media activity, outfits and stage moments as «easter eggs» about future projects. Within the fandom, this habit is often called «clowning» — investing fully in a theory even if it turns out to be wrong.
Kaeli Dance, a fan and content creator with almost half a million followers, told USA Today that the comments section is where fan culture thrives. She says clowning gives fans the feeling of «being performers on stage with Taylor». Her own theory is that «The Life of a Showgirl» might explore how Swift’s performances both support and challenge her mental health.
With many questions still unanswered, Swift’s followers will be watching closely for any further hints before «The Life of a Showgirl» makes its debut.
Kursiv also reports that Sharon Stone once again proved her timeless glamour on August 11, 2025, as she graced the Los Angeles premiere of Nobody 2.
