NEW YORK (AP) - Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated new era is gearing up to launch with the upcoming release of her 12th album, titled The Life of a Showgirl. In a recent episode of the podcast New Heights, hosted by her boyfriend Travis Kelce, a Kansas City Chiefs tight end, and his brother Jason Kelce, Swift made significant announcements and shared personal insights regarding her new music and life.
The podcast episode, which premiered on Wednesday, is notable for its in-depth conversation about Swift's new album. During the episode, which lasted over two hours, Swift unveiled the album by revealing a mint-green briefcase with her initials embossed in orange, inside which was a vinyl record of her new work. “This is my brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl,” she declared. The album was primarily crafted while she was touring in Europe during her Eras Tour, with the entire project being completed in Sweden alongside esteemed producers Max Martin and Shellback.
Swift described the album as filled with “bangers” and clarified that it consists of 12 tracks, without plans for a double album, contrasting it with her previous 2024 project The Tortured Poets Department. She emphasized her passion for this record, noting, “I care about this record more than I can even overstate,” and highlighted its upbeat nature. She explained the album’s theme encompasses everything that occurs "behind the curtain" of her public persona, aiming to deliver infectious melodies set against vivid lyrics.
In terms of visuals, she mentioned that the album's cover is inspired by “the end of my day," culminating in the imagery of her in a bathtub. Beyond music, Swift also candidly shared personal updates during the podcast, such as her mother undergoing knee surgery and her father's quintuple bypass surgery this summer, which she humorously referred to as “the summer of my parental upgrades.”
Kelce and Swift discussed the challenges they face regarding public scrutiny and online chatter about their relationship, with Swift admitting that she tends to ignore the noise surrounding them: “My name can be in the actual headline, and it’s none of my business.” She also opened up about the beginnings of their relationship, joking that exchanging friendship bracelets led them to date. Furthermore, she mentioned that Travis Kelce's interest in her stemmed from the excitement surrounding her Eras Tour.
Swift is known for embedding Easter eggs in her work, and she shared some of her favorite moments from her appearances, citing an instance during her 2022 NYU honorary degree speech where she referenced her then-unreleased album Midnights. Additionally, she expressed her current passion for baking, specifically sourdough bread, while making puns related to her music and album titles.
On a professional note, Swift discussed the recent acquisition of her music catalog originally released with Big Machine Records, purchasing her recordings back from Shamrock Capital. She described her rerecorded albums as a source of pride, particularly savoring Red (Taylor's Version) for its fan-favorite 10-minute track “All Too Well.”
Fans of Swift can watch or listen to her episode on the New Heights podcast, which is accessible on various streaming platforms including YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Spotify, and Wondery. The audio version runs approximately 20 minutes longer than the video and includes additional segments where the Kelce brothers and Swift share quick-fire questions on a range of topics.
The build-up to the release of Swift's album and her candid revelations during the podcast signifies an exciting new chapter for both her musically and personally, delighting her fan base eager for more.
