No one saw where this was gonna go.
Taylor Swift announced the release of a brand-new album, “The Tortured Poets Department” — NOT “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” — after winning an award at the 2024 Grammys on Sunday.
Swift, who seemed to be channeling “Reputation” with her black-and-white ensemble on the red carpet — was up on stage accepting the trophy for best pop vocal album for “Midnights” when she made the big reveal.
“My brand-new album comes out April 19. It’s called ‘The Tortured Poets department,'” 34-year-old said in her acceptance speech.
She rushed offstage quickly to post the cover — a black-and-white shot of her sprawled out on a bed — on Instagram with the caption, “All’s fair in love and poetry.”
The news immediately sent Swifties into a frenzy online, as many of them thought a new re-release was coming due to the singer’s penchant for planting “Easter eggs” — or hints about her upcoming projects.
Swift previously described her “Reputation” era — which began following her infamous feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West — as “a goth-punk moment of female rage,” often linked to the colors black and green with lots of snake imagery.
Fans thought they were tipped off about a new “Reputation” album last month when she rocked up to the Golden Globes in a green sequined gown, channeling a snake with the serpentine shade.
She then continued her green streak for nearly a week, stepping out in a cozy Stella McCartney sweater dress and a crushed velvet mini dress in the same hue.
However, her most seemingly obvious nod to “Reputation” was the Jimmy Choo x Jean Paul Gaultier thigh-high boots ($2,450) she wore that were covered in a snake design with gothic writing, which was nearly identical to the font used on her 2017 album cover.
“Reputation,” which was originally released in November 2017, was a bold departure from Swift’s other work, yet — like Swift’s entire catalogue — it dominated the charts, selling 1.3 million albums in its first week.
The “Anti-Hero” singer’s last rerecording,”1989 (Taylor’s Version),” was released in October 2023 and had the best first week sales for any album since 2015, even beating 2022’s “Midnights” — which garnered six Grammy nominations Sunday.
