After a long summer of various Easter eggs and rumors that Taylor Swift would announce another re-recording, either for what her following suspected to be “1989” or “Speak Now,” the singer surprised fans everywhere at the 2022 VMAs during her acceptance speech for Video of the Year.
As she thanked fans for voting for the music video for “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)”, Swift said, “I had sort of made up my mind that if you were going to be this generous and give us this (Video of the Year), I thought it might be a fun moment to tell you that my brand-new album comes out October 21. And I will tell you more at midnight.”
From there on, fans noticed the singer’s website had changed, along with her Instagram bio, displaying pale and dark blues, mixed with dusty purples, signaling a change from her “Red (Taylor’s Version)” era to a new one. Just under two hours later, Swift quickly unveiled the name of the new project, titled “Midnights.”
Along with the name release came the album cover. The cover shows Swift’s face held close to a flame, rocking a glamorous smokey eye look, causing many fans to imagine what the album may sound like, as well as what aesthetic it will be.
With the album’s release less than two months away, here is what Swifties need to know about the singer’s 10th studio album:
The title and release date
In her Instagram post, Swift says that “Midnights” details “the stories of 13 sleepless nights” that have occurred throughout her life, all subsequently dropping at midnight on Oct. 21. Additionally, the singer revealed the story behind the album’s creation:
“We lie awake in love and in fear, in turmoil and in tears. We stare at walls and drink until they speak back. We twist in our self-made cages and pray that we aren’t - right this minute - about to make some fateful life-altering mistake. This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams. The floors we pace and the demons we face. For all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching - hoping that just maybe when the clock strikes twelve… we’ll meet ourselves.”
Meanwhile, the date of the release also has caused fans to stir with curiosity. Coincidentally, Harry Styles’ upcoming movie, “My Policeman,” drops on the same day, and Oct. 21 is also Kim Kardashian’s birthday. With the history Swift shares with both these stars, fans wonder if this was intentional or not.
The tracklist
As previously stated, “Midnights” will have 13 tracks, ironically Swift’s favorite number, with two sides, Side A and Side B. Side A will consist of six tracks, while Side B will have seven. While the song titles have not been announced yet, the tracklist is shorter than usual compared to the singer’s last re-recording, “Red (Taylor’s Version).”
Fans have already begun proposing theories on what Swift will address within the album, with some thinking the songs will hold the same themes as past works such as “mirrorball,” “Forever Winter (Taylor’s Version),” “evermore (feat. Bon Iver)” and “hoax.”
Other fans believe the tracks are the sister accompaniment to “Lover,” as the album was originally supposed to be named “Daylight” until Swift changed the title. Some think that “Midnights” tracks will be the ones that were slated from “Lover,” with many referencing her Jimmy Fallon interview as the first Easter egg for the album.
In the interview, Swift said, “How far is too far in advance? Can I hint at something three years in advance? Can I even plan things out that far?” With this quote in mind, Swifties believe this album has been in the works since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additional “Midnight” theories
On TikTok, Swift’s followers have also suggested what her new aesthetic may look like with “Midnights.” One fan posted a video proposing that Swift’s new project will be within the “indie-sleaze” genre, as the singer on the album cover is rocking a minimalistic look.
The video goes on to compare Swift’s website to clothing brand American Apparel’s, as they both use the same font and colors. Even more exciting, the fan believes the singer will be collaborating with the alternative band The 1975 since her producer-turned-best friend, Jack Antonoff, recently worked with the group on their upcoming album. Swift even stated she’s listened to the band’s new album in a recent interview with Pitchfork.
Likewise, other fans took to Twitter to say Swift will tell a story in two parts because of the two sides on the album. Similar to the fictional character crossovers the singer created on albums “folklore” and “evermore,” Swifties think the same will happen on “Midnights.” Some even say the first side of the album will be ‘sweet dreams,’ while the other will be ‘terrors,’ as the singer mentioned in her Instagram post.
Lastly, many fans also have voiced their worries on TikTok that this could be Swift’s last album for a while once the “Midnights” era is over since the singer has been releasing back-to-back projects since 2020. Let’s hope this is not the case, but also let’s be real, Ms. Swift has continued to stay busy for the last three years!
