The Taylor Swift metaverse is not a quiet space. Even when Taylor’s silent, her fans are reading into whatever invisible signals they perceive that she’s sending out into the universe. And when she does post, or step out wearing a certain shoe or jacket, Swifties obsessively analyse whether or not it’s a clue to an update to another clue to a mystery to a riddle to new music. 

 

Today, though, is especially loud. Like by their standards almost earth-shattering. Because Jason and Travis Kelce just teased the next episode of the New Heights podcast like this: 

 

Please note the orange background, because minutes later, like 12 minutes later, Taylor Nation posted this: 

That’s 12 photos of Taylor in orange, and her next album would be her 12th album. And New Heights releases on Wednesdays and this Wednesday is August 13, and 13 is her favourite number. But also August (8) + 13 = 21 which is 12 backwards. And, and, and… 

21 + 2025 = 2046 and 2+4+6 = 12

 

LOLOLOLOL but not really because Taylor’s fans break it down to the decimal and, I guess it’s all adding up? 

 

They’ve also been able to confirm that the silhouette used in the New Heights promo is this one so it’s definitely her….

And apparently several of her dancers are in the comments with orange hearts or fire emojis. So it seems certain that she will be a guest on the show, the question is whether or not there’s going to be some kind of announcement. If she’s actually going on her boyfriend’s pod to make it official. 

 

I work with some hard-core Swifties, they hate the idea that THE Taylor Swift would be dropping the TS12 exclusive on her boyfriend’s podcast. I’m not as against it as they are because, for me, it’s a lot more preferable than doing it at some award show like the VMAs since, at this point, she’s bigger than the VMAs and the stock value of that event is in steady decline. And besides, TNT is good for gossip, how could I possibly complain about Taylor Swift lending her clout to her man’s show? 

Is it really an album announcement though, or could it be something else? Here’s my non-Swiftie theory… let me explain. 

For all that Taylor has conquered over the course of her super crazy successful career, there is one major legacy stage that she has yet to stomp all over: the Super Bowl. Taylor’s been invited to perform at the Super Bowl before… but reportedly turned down the opportunity because she didn’t want to do it until she’d rerecorded her first six albums. The Super Bowl always pushes sales for the headlining artists’ work, and she may not have wanted anyone else making money from her performance until she was able to do a Taylor’s Version of every track she may have wanted to include in her halftime setlist. 

 

BUT. 

We now know that she bought back all her masters. Taking the stage at Super Bowl LX, then, would be the ultimate self-coronation. As for the where the orange comes in… the Super Bowl is happening next year in Santa Clara, CA. Isn’t California the orange state? That might be a stretch, haha. Let’s discuss over at The Squawk, join us!  (App link here)

Photo credits: VICTOR AUBRY/ SIPA/ Shutterstock

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