Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl: What we know

Swift announced her 12th album on New Heights, the podcast hosted by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce

Taylor Swift has announced the initial details of her next studio album. The Life of a Showgirl is Swift’s 12th full-length project and can be pre-ordered via her official website now. The album does not have a confirmed release date at the time of writing.

The album announcement arrived at 12:12 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on August 12, a nod to it being Swift’s 12th studio album. The Life of a Showgirl is the follow-up to 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department and its extended edition, The Anthology.

Announced with the help of the Kelce brothers

The Life of a Showgirl was announced via New Heights, the podcast hosted by Travis and Jason Kelce. Swift, who is in a relationship with Travis, will appear on the show this Wednesday (August 13) and revealed the album title in a clip shared on Monday.

“I want to show you something,” Swift says in the preview. “This is my brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl.” Swift is shown holding a vinyl copy of the album with the artwork blurred out.

The Spotify playlist hinting at a return to pop

Another element of the meticulous The Life of a Showgirl roll-out came via a Spotify playlist hinting at two possible collaborators.

“And, baby, that’s show business for you” includes 22 Swift songs, all of which were produced by Max Martin and Shellback. The duo worked with Swift on her albums Red, 1989, and Reputation with fans speculating that the playlist suggests she is returning to the pure pop sound of those projects after focusing on folk and acoustic music in recent years.

Songs on the Spotify playlist include “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “Wildest Dreams,” “Shake It Off,” and “Style.”