Taylor Swift has been teasing her new music on her Eras Tour for months now. Over the last few months, we've got a new deluxe edition of Midnights plus the announcement of Speak Now (Taylor's Verison), and all this new music has sent fans into a frenzy over whether more is coming. However, that frenzy reached a fever pitch as The Voice and Today host Carson Daly unexpectedly started a rumor about new music from the popstar, which he later retracted.
Daly unexpectedly stepped into the world of Taylor Swift theorizers during the Today pop-culture segment “Pop Start” earlier in the week. While reporting on the potential 2023 songs of the Summer, the TV personality had a Freudian slip while mentioning stars like Ice Spice, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, and Ryan Gosling will appear on the upcoming Barbie soundtrack. Then, he casually brought up the ‘Karma” singer as a potential artist on the soundtrack. This slip-up set the internet on fire with excitement and confusion. After the moment went viral, Daly went on-air during Today and dispelled the speculation, saying:
We cover a lot of exclusive breaking news here on PopStart, and yesterday I said something that sent Swifties spiraling. Let me clear this up: I do not know for a fact if Taylor Swift has one of the new tracks on the 'Barbie' soundtrack. It is not insider information that I have. I was merely reporting the idea that out there, Swift fans [think so.]
Carson Daly tried saving face by mentioning Swift’s dedicated fanbase was the genesis of the rumor. However, the online reaction from the pop star’s fans said otherwise. They were surprised by the TV slip-up as they didn’t see Taylor Swift’s name mentioned amongst the expected stars on the Barbie movie's soundtrack. While Daly hinted at a potential theory floating amongst her fanbase, Swifties have speculated for a bit that her latest song “Hits Different,” which was previewed on tour as one of her surprise songs might appear in the satirical comedy. The speculation went into overdrive as dedicated fans called out a reference to Barbie’s boyfriend Ken in the new song.
Thankfully, Daly was able to correct the situation and calm down the Swifties (for now). If you’re in the dark about how this latest Taylor Swift rumor got started, check out the Today clip one attentive fan posted on TikTok below.
@littleredrosie22 ♬ original sound - LittleRedRosie
Having Taylor Swift on the Barbie soundtrack would just be another big get for Greta Gerwig's comedy. If rumors turn into reality, Swift will join the previously mentioned artists along with other music superstars like Nicki Minaj, Charli XCX, and Karol G. Barbie cast member Dua Lipa got the honor of releasing the film’s first single “Dance the Night.” The upcoming film soundtrack is set to capture the potential blockbuster’s fun and irreverent essence, and if Taylor Swift ends up on it, it would be icing on the cake.
Along with the all-star soundtrack, Barbie features endless Hollywood A-listers portraying Barbies and Kens, including Ryan Gosling, Margot Robbie, Dua Lipa, Simu Liu, and Issa Rae. Moviegoers won’t have to wait much longer for the big-budget comedy or its accompanying soundtrack as both will be released on July 21. As you wait for the satire of the summer to arrive in theaters, check out our 2023 movie schedule to see what other blockbusters are coming out.
Don’t forget to check out Carson Daly and co. on Today weekdays at 7 a.m. ET on NBC. Check out our 2023 TV schedule to see when other talk shows are premiering.
