Taylor Swift won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for her album “Midnights” on Feb. 4, her 13th Grammy in total. During her moving acceptance speech, she announced the release of her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” coming out on April 19. This announcement came as a surprise to many fans.
“I was really excited and was like ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to be around and actually engaged when a Taylor Swift album comes out,’” sophomore Emma Yip said.
The album is an exciting opportunity for newer Taylor Swift fans. Others, though, felt that the announcement was a little underwhelming.
“I thought it was a fun way to announce it. But I thought it should have been bigger for an album that’s coming out,” sophomore Genna Pravdin said.
The Grammy Awards is a very important and big award ceremony, but some feel announcing it there disregards a huge part of her audience who may not have watched the ceremony.
“The Tortured Poets Department” is expected to have 16 songs and one bonus track. Taylor Swift fans, or ‘Swifties,’ with the limited information given, have been creating theories and ideas on the new album. Many have based them on the cover of “The Tortured Poets Department,” which received more than 14 million likes on Swift’s Instagram.
“I think it might be a little more like ‘Folklore’ and less like ‘Midnights’ because the album cover is very calm looking.” Yip said.
Fans have also based their thoughts on her previous albums such as “Folklore,” her indie pop album released in 2020, and her latest album “Midnights,” her synth pop album released in 2022.
“I think it will be more calm and chill, because her last album “Midnights” was more energetic,” freshman Ariane Shah said.
Along with theories, fans have many big hopes and expectations for the album.
“I hope we get to know a little more about Taylor, because it seems like a very poetic album,” Yip said.
Swift is also known for including references or entire lyrics dedicated about her past and her past relationship in songs. Due to the name of the album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” fans are hoping to learn about her in a poetic way.
There are two confirmed collaborations on the album, Post Malone on “Fortnight” and Florence and the Machine on “Florida!!!”