Taylor Swift Unveils 12th Studio Album The Life of a Showgirl

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Taylor Swift has officially announced her next era. On Monday night (August 11), after sparking speculation with a countdown clock on her website, the 34-year-old singer revealed The Life of a Showgirl, her 12th studio album and the successor to 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department.

The announcement came during a preview clip for Wednesday’s episode of New Heights, the podcast hosted by her partner, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and his brother, Jason Kelce. In the video, Swift appears with a mint green briefcase stamped with the initials “TS” in orange, telling the brothers, “I want to show you something. This is my brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl.” The cover art, however, was blurred, keeping fans guessing.

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While the album is already available for pre-order on Swift’s official website, she has not yet shared a release date.

The news follows a busy stretch for Swift. Earlier this year, she surprised fans with a re-recorded version of “Look What You Made Me Do” in the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale. And although many expected the reveal of Reputation (Taylor’s Version), Swift confirmed instead that she has already completed a re-recording of her self-titled debut album, while Reputation’s re-recording remains unfinished.

Swift closed out her historic Eras Tour in December 2025, a two-year, 149-show run that grossed over $2 billion, making it the highest-grossing tour in history. The tour inspired both a companion book and a feature-length concert film. At the 2025 Grammys, Swift earned six nominations but did not take home an award, instead making headlines by presenting Beyoncé with Best Country Album.

Her most recent album, The Tortured Poets Department, announced during the 2024 Grammy Awards, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, broke vinyl sales records, and became the first album to reach one billion streams on Spotify in a single week. With The Life of a Showgirl, Swift continues her record-tying streak of No. 1 albums alongside Jay-Z.