Taylor Swift Unveils 12th Studio Album ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ After Mystery Countdown
Taylor Swift has officially set her next musical chapter in motion, revealing her 12th studio album “The Life of a Showgirl” after a day-long countdown on her official website drew frenzied speculation from fans. The timer, which appeared on August 11, ran down to 12:12 a.m. ET on August 12, unlocking a pre-order page for the record — and almost instantly creating an online queue that stretched beyond an hour for eager buyers.
The yet-to-be-dated release will be available on vinyl, CD, and cassette, with physical copies expected to ship before October 13. Swift’s team notes that the current artwork — a mint green backdrop with a glittery burnt-orange padlock — is only a placeholder, with final visuals and details coming later.
The reveal arrived in classic Swift fashion: on her own terms and with layers of intrigue. She confirmed the album during a teaser for her appearance on “New Heights”, the podcast hosted by NFL brothers Jason and Travis Kelce. In the clip, Swift holds a blurred-out copy of the record and tells viewers, “This is my brand new album, The Life of a Showgirl.” The full podcast episode, set for Wednesday, August 13 at 7 p.m. ET, is expected to include the first look at the album’s complete artwork.
Posted at 12:12 on the 12th. ???? Tay’s 12th album is called…………
pre pre-order now at https://t.co/oGYV230otf pic.twitter.com/gUAIEEDZmm
— New Heights (@newheightshow) August 12, 2025
Within hours of the announcement, Spotify billboards appeared in New York City and Nashville, directing fans to a playlist titled “And, baby, that’s show business for you”. The collection features only tracks produced by Max Martin — marking a potentially significant reunion.
Swift and Martin last collaborated on 2017’s “Reputation”, an album whose bold, synth-heavy pop sound was widely credited to their creative chemistry. Whether Martin will be involved in “The Life of a Showgirl remains unconfirmed”, but the playlist has already set off heavy speculation among listeners.
?| New Spotify billboards popped up in NYC and Nashville, leading to a brand-new Taylor Swift playlist featuring 22 songs—all produced by Max Martin and Shellback!
“And, baby, that's show business for you????” pic.twitter.com/obSDSfVb7G
— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSUpdating) August 12, 2025
Swift’s announcement comes 16 months after “The Tortured Poets Department” and its surprise double album “The Anthology” dominated charts and awards conversations in 2024. It also follows her headline-making acquisition of the master recordings to her first six studio albums earlier this year — a move that fueled renewed interest in her earlier catalog and kept fan anticipation high for her final two “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings.
With queues forming online, cryptic playlists in circulation, and a calculated rollout underway, The Life of a Showgirl is shaping up to be another meticulously plotted Taylor Swift era — one in which every clue, collaboration, and announcement will be under the microscope until release day.
Pre-orders for “The Life of a Showgirl” are now open via Taylor Swift’s official store, with vinyl, CD, and cassette editions available while the release date remains under wraps.
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