Even before Taylor Swift took the stage to accept the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights, Swifties felt that something was brewing, that something was in the water tonight. The fan theories ran rampant: was her white Schiaparelli gown and black opera gloves a teaser for a forthcoming Reputation (Taylor’s Version) album? Was the fact that one of Swift’s necklaces—which happened to be a watch—being set to midnight a code for something deeper than the fact that the album of the same name was Grammy nominated this evening?
Swift’s dedicated (read: enamored) fan base felt the Swiftie ESP, and they were right—Swift did have a bombshell up her sleeve (er, opera glove?). It might not have been what anyone was expecting, but perhaps was more: Swift has a new album coming out, titled The Tortured Poet’s Department, complete with a risqué album cover and a release date that is relatively soon—April 19.
The new album is set for release almost one year to the day from when Swift split with her boyfriend of six years, Joe Alwyn; fan speculation has turned from Reputation to Midnights to “is the name of the album a dig at Alwyn?”
Swift’s surprise announcement coincided with her thirteenth Grammy award—a number long established as her “lucky number.”
“I want to say thank you to the members of the Recording Academy for voting this way,” Swift said. “But I know that the way that the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the passion of the fans. So I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand new album comes out on April 19.”
As she left the stage, she added “I’m gonna go and post the cover right now backstage. Thank you. I love you. Thank you.”
Midnights won over Kelly Clarkson’s Chemistry, Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation, Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts, and Ed Sheeran’s — (Subtract). So, yes, Swift certainly was a winner tonight, but, with this surprise and delight announcement, it turns out the rest of us are, too—and that's about as Taylor Swift as it gets.
