'TS7' could be on its way, and fans are losing their minds over her cryptic Instagram posts.
April 26 is coming... which means something big is on the way from Taylor Swift!
Over the past few months, the singer has been teasing fans with cryptic tweets, an entire Instagram makeover, a website redo and a countdown clock, signifying that a magical new era is on the way (and one that's much brighter than her Reputation days).
Diehard Swifties are well aware that nothing Swift does is by accident, which is why many believe all the clues are hinting at new music and the impending release of her seventh album. Others believe that she'll release a new music video on Friday, along with matching merchandise, while some think she is full-on dropping a fashion line or lifestyle brand thanks to all the photos on her feed of sunglasses, shoes, suits and more.
While we'll still have to wait two more days to see exactly what Swift has up her sleeve, everything she's been posting (and wearing!) seems to be a sign of what fans can expect. ET's breaking down all her biggest visual clues and what they could mean.
Has Swift actually been dropping hints since 2018?!
On Oct. 21, 2018, Swift posted what looked like a normal photo of her and her mother, Andrea Swift, playing scrabble. "Let the games BEGIN," she captioned it, referencing her catchy song "...Ready for It?" off Reputation.
But the pic has recently come to fans' attention again after the singer unveiled a new countdown leading up to April 26. The clock was released on April 13, which is, interestingly enough, NATIONAL SCRABBLE DAY.
Fans who purchased Swift's 2019 calendar also noticed that certain days were stamped off, including April 13:
Flash forward to Jan. 1 of this year, and a mysterious message was tweeted from Swift's official fan account, Taylor Nation. The tweet included 115 rainbow emojis and the text, "Another 2019 big mood." Well, if you do the math, there are 115 days from Jan. 1 - April 26. Coincidence? We think not!
Even more interesting is the fact that the tweet was in response to a fan who had watched Swift's Reputation concert movie on Netflix, which was released on New Year's Day. "THE RAINBOW DRESS! THE DANCER'S RAINBOW COSTUMES! THE RAINBOW CONFETTI! IT IS ALL SO MAGICAL," the fan gushed.
Seeing as Swift's new aesthetic certainly has a rainbow vibe to it, it seems she was introducing us to this new chapter way back then.
It's written in the lyrics.
Fans have also paid close attention to the first line of lyrics in "New Year's Day," the last track on Reputation: "There's glitter on the floor after the party."
Take one quick look at the new images on Swift's social media pages and her official website, and you'll see plenty of sparkle:
Plus, here's what producer Jack Antonoff said about the stripped-down song (which doesn't seem to match the other tracks on Reputation) in a December 2017 interview with Entertainment Weekly: "You just want the song to feel like itself. I don't know what we would be thinking if we tried to f**k with it. I'm so proud of it because, personally, I think it's some sort of hint at the future."
Have fans figured out the album title?
"Step into the daylight and let it go." Could this be a clue to the name of Swift's seventh studio album, or perhaps the lead single? Fans seem to think so because it's the last line in the singer's first-person essay, titled "30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30," for Elle magazine.
Swift, who will be celebrating the milestone birthday on Dec. 13, has recently flooded her feed with plenty of pics that could support this theory. Flowers, bright colors, sunglasses, palm trees, a bicycle, clouds, rainbows, butterflies, etc.
Plus, we know that one section of the essay has already proved to be a major clue.
"I make countdowns for things I'm excited about," she teased in the article, which was published in March. "When I've gone through dark, low times, I've always found a tiny bit of relief and hope in getting a countdown app (they're free) and adding things I'm looking forward to. Even if they're not big holidays or anything, it's good to look toward the future. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed in the now, and it's good to get some perspective that life will always go on, to better things."
Radio stations across the country have #NewProfilePics.
A Swift fan account noticed on April 23 that various radio stations across the country have started to change their Twitter photos to the same background design seen on the pop star's official website.
Many believe that Swift will drop a new single on Friday, and then release a full album on July 13. Why? Because if you go to julythirteen.com, you'll be redirected to Swift's homepage, another reminder that nothing she does is a coincidence!
That same fan account also tweeted, "According to @HITSDD, @RepublicRecords’ promo team has begun promoting and playing the #TS7 lead single to radio programmers across the US, under extremely strict conditions."
Possible themes and crazy theories.
So, if a new album is actually on the horizon, what could the theme be? ET has been reading all your theories, and we've narrowed it down to some of our favorites.
1. Metamorphosis
The butterflies, the flowers, the dramatic contrast from the dark days of Reputation. This idea of transformation and blooming seems to be on point, and the most obvious guess. Plus, Swift's birthday present to BFF Todrick Hall earlier this month seemed to spark this idea even more. In an Instagram post, he wrote, "The old Taylor couldn't come to the birthday party tonight cuz she had to fly out."
2. Going Home / a Return to Country
When Swift stepped out to the Time 100 Gala in a breathtaking gown by J. Mendel, fans couldn't contain their excitement over the look, with many saying she was giving them "Speak Now" vibes, her 2010 country album. Now, some are wondering if Swift could return to her country roots, after a few years of experimenting with pop music... especially because two of her recent Instagram posts use the word "memories."
Interesting to note here that April 26 also marks the same day Stagecoach 2019 begins, Southern California's biggest country music festival. If she does, in fact, have plans to go back to country, making a surprise appearance on this stage would be perfect!
3. Wizard of Oz / Childhood Heroes
At first, we thought this one might be a little bit of a stretch, but after watching this amazing fan-made video, we're convinced it could be true:
Plus, at her most recent New Year's Eve party, Swift and her friends decided to dress up as their "childhood heroes." In pics posted to Swift's Instagram account, you can see that her close pal, Blake Lively, dressed as Dorothy from Oz, while she went full-on Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
New merchandise? A fashion line? A lifestyle BRAND?
Swift put fans in even more of a frenzy on April 22, when she was photographed out and about in New York City, rocking a long-sleeve, floral crop top that was branded with her own name. Many believe she slyly just debuted the first piece of merchandise for a new line to accompany TS7. This is backed up even more by the fact that when you go to store.taylorswift.com, you are prompted to "sign up to receive updates" and can no longer purchase anything from her Reputation era.
Others picked up on the fact that perhaps Swift is planning something even bigger. In addition to new merch, could she also be announcing a fashion line? Or perhaps a full lifestyle brand? Pillows, sunglasses, rings, suits and more seem to suggest whatever she is doing will certainly be stylish.
What do YOU think is coming on April 26? Do you have any of your own Swift theories on what she's teasing? Let us know on Twitter (@desireemurphy_ and @etnow) and hear even more clues in the video below!
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