Taylor Swift has officially announced her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. The revelation came during a teaser for her upcoming appearance on the "New Heights" podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, and his brother Jason Kelce. In the clip, Swift unveiled a mint-green briefcase adorned with her initials in orange lettering, stating, "This is my brand-new album, The Life of a Showgirl." (vocal.media)
Prior to the announcement, Swift's website featured a countdown timer that expired at 12:12 a.m. on August 12, 2025, leading to a brief crash due to high traffic. The site was subsequently updated to offer pre-orders for the album in various formats, including vinyl, CD, and cassette. Notably, a special limited vinyl edition will be released in "Portofino orange glitter." While the exact release date remains unconfirmed, the website indicates that vinyl editions will ship before October 13. (stamfordadvocate.com)
Fans had been speculating about a new album following a series of hints. On August 11, Taylor Nation, Swift's official marketing team, posted a TikTok slideshow featuring 12 images of Swift in orange outfits, captioned, "Thinking about when she said 'See you next era…'." Additionally, the "New Heights" podcast teased an upcoming episode with an orange-themed image and a silhouette believed to be Swift. (vocal.media)
The Life of a Showgirl follows Swift's 2024 release, The Tortured Poets Department, which was announced during the 2024 Grammys and achieved record-breaking success. This upcoming album also marks her first release since regaining control over her entire catalog, having purchased the master recordings of her first six albums from their previous owner. (stamfordadvocate.com)
Further details about the album, including its official cover art and tracklist, are expected to be revealed during Swift's full appearance on the "New Heights" podcast, set to air on August 13. (vocal.media)