There was some easter egging that came into my feed yesterday – something about a third page added when previously there were only two and Swifties were anticipating an announcement, possibly about the 20th anniversary of her debut album and/or other theories.

Today Taylor officially confirmed there will be a new single, “Patient Zero”, dropping on new music Friday.

It’s more than enough that she’s releasing new music. But, of course, there are so many more questions. “Patient Zero”, so far, is just a single. A standalone single? Or is it a bonus single from whatever new new deluxe deluxe version of a previous album she might be issuing? MTV just announced that they’ve created a whole new category for her at the VMAs this year, the Artist Director Award, which basically guarantees that she’ll be there next Sunday. Taylor often makes announcements when she receives awards so, given that the new track is releasing just two days before the VMAs, perhaps that sets up some kind of something.

The visuals for “Patient Zero” right now don’t seem to be all that connected to her current album, The Life of a Showgirl – current because Showgirl is still in its VMA and Grammys award cycle. But of course Swifties have pieced together some clues from her videos and social accounts and also that very obvious signal in her Emmys sketch with Mariska Hargitay that could all lead up to … an ENCORE? Flip through the carousel.

All I’m seeing from the new images that have been shared – of her in the halter turtleneck (with a lot of obvious retouching on the side of her torso) and the knit tank and the slip dress are… Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, LOL, maybe because I just posted about CBK style earlier today.

Encore certainly tracks though. Every showgirl does an encore.

What else happened today…

As it happens, ten years ago today, on the Tuesday of this week in September in 2016, Brange came to end – Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie announced their separation. This is the subject of my new piece at The Squawk, about the relationship between Brange and the celebrity gossip blog. (The Squawk)

There is absolutely no justification for using AI to digitally reinvigorate a person who said when they were alive that they did not want to be computerised and whose family is so firmly and consistently against it. And the people who are trying to sell AI to us should be coming out much harder against this kind of behaviour if they actually believe it could be broadly used responsibly. (Pajiba)

Charlize Theron’s hair was amazing at her fundraising event and she was wearing shoes only a celebrity or an extremely wealthy person could wear because a regular degular would instantly damage them. (Go Fug Yourself)

Lili Reinhart’s The Love Hypothesis press tour wardrobe was a love letter to rom-coms, brilliantly executed. (Celebitchy)

“Is going viral the same as being seen?” Wonderful piece from Vanessa Sirias’s perspective as told to Natasha López. (Refinery 29)

Photo credits: Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

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