Taylor Swift has announced her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, during an appearance on the New Heights podcast hosted by her boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, and his brother, Jason Kelce.
The surprise reveal came on 12 August, when Swift joined the show and produced a vinyl copy of the new record from a bright green bag. The album’s cover art, however, was blurred in the video clip shared on Instagram, with her official website stating it would be “revealed at a later date”.
A note on Swift’s site clarified that the official release date has yet to be confirmed, though pre-orders will ship before 13 October. “This is not the official release date,” the statement read. “The official date will be made public later.”
The new album comes more than a year after her 11th record, The Tortured Poets Department, which featured songs such as So High School and The Alchemy — both widely believed to reference her relationship with Kelce.
A personal platform for an announcement
Announcing The Life of a Showgirl on the Kelce brothers’ podcast appears to be a deliberate nod to the couple’s beginnings. In July 2023, Travis Kelce attended Swift’s Eras Tour concert in Kansas City and later joked on the same podcast about being unable to give her a friendship bracelet he had made.
“It annoyed me that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she tunes her voice for 44 songs,” Kelce told his brother at the time. “I was upset that I couldn’t give her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
That playful remark, Swift later told TIME magazine in December 2023, sparked a private exchange. “We started talking right away, and we had a great time that no one knew about,” she said. “I’m thankful for that because we got to know each other so well.”
From private beginnings to public support
Since then, the couple have been spotted travelling together and supporting each other’s careers. “I see him do what he loves, and we help each other out,” Swift told TIME. “We don’t care that other people are there… we’re so proud of each other.”
As the NFL season approaches, Swift is expected to attend Kansas City Chiefs games at Arrowhead Stadium to support Kelce. She has brushed off criticism of her appearances at matches, telling the magazine: “I’m just there to support Travis, and I don’t care if I show up too much and upset some of Brad’s and Chad’s parents.”
Anticipation builds
Fans are now speculating about the album’s themes, tracklist, and whether it will feature personal references to her life with Kelce. With the cover art hidden and the release date still under wraps, The Life of a Showgirl has already generated the kind of buzz that has come to define Swift’s album launches — a mix of mystery, personal storytelling, and fan-led detective work.
