Recent Taylor Swift updates hint at a possible deviation from her established four-year trend as she gears up for her next release. Back in 2019, following the acquisition of her previous record label by Scooter Braun, Swift revealed her intention to re-record all her albums initially released under Big Machine Records.
The first in this series, Fearless (Taylor’s Version), was launched in 2021, sparking elevated fan excitement, which intensified later that year with the release of Red (Taylor’s Version). Historically, Swift stuck to a two-year interval for her re-recordings, as seen with Speak Now and 1989. However, fresh developments may indicate she is considering a new approach.
Swift’s Potential New Album Ahead of Taylor’s Version
Rumors of TS12 Surface
While Swift has carefully adhered to her release pattern since 2021, she is known for surprising her audience. A recent, now-deleted video by Universal Music Sweden suggested that Swift may have been collaborating with Swedish producer Erik Arvinder this year. Although the exact nature of their work remains unclear, speculation leans toward their involvement with Swift’s upcoming album, tentatively referred to as TS12, rather than her ongoing re-recording project.
ðŸ\u017d¥ pic.twitter.com/kTYcDeSoJR — Taylor Swift Updates (@TSUpdating) April 13, 2025
This news does not definitively mean TS12 is set to release before Reputation or her debut album. In fact, Swift secretly began crafting The Tortured Poets Department back when Midnights had yet to come out. Following the release of Midnights in October 2022, she delivered two more re-recorded albums in 2023, indicating that even if collaborations with Arvinder are occurring, a rapid release is not guaranteed.
Why Swift Is Delaying Reputation and Debut TV Releases
Timing Is Key
The speculation surrounding Swift’s final two re-recordings has run rampant, yet each prediction has missed the mark thus far. However, hints have emerged that suggest Reputation (Taylor’s Version) could be on the horizon. In her acceptance speech at the iHeartRadio Awards, she donned a striking gold snake necklace, a well-known symbol of her reputation era.
Swift is acutely aware that her fans analyze every detail, searching for clues in her actions. Although this may seem coincidental, she has not yet divulged a release date for either Reputation or her debut album. Known for her strategic approach, Swift will likely navigate the current music landscape thoughtfully, especially considering that Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, and Ariana Grande have all released new music recently. Moreover, with her close friend Selena Gomez’s album debuting in March, it is plausible that Swift wants to avoid overshadowing her friend by waiting for the buzz around these releases to settle.
What Unique Sound Will TS12 Deliver?
A New Creative Direction
Swift’s latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, enjoyed considerable commercial success, even earning her a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. Despite this acclaim, some fans expressed that the album lacked distinctiveness compared to her previous work, particularly critiquing over-reliance on collaborations with Jack Antonoff. Notably, a Rolling Stone article suggested that their partnership may be reaching its creative limit.
As an artist, Swift tends to channel feedback into her future projects. A prime example is how she fueled her creative energy to produce 1989 following the Grammy snub for Red. Since Swift has yet to collaborate with Arvinder, this relationship could lead to the birth of a new sound for TS12. The fusion of her musical prowess and Arvinder’s skills as a trained violinist may yield an innovative soundscape.
While Taylor has previously incorporated orchestral elements in her compositions, particularly in tracks from Speak Now like “Back To December”and “Haunted,”she is likely eager to move beyond recreating her past styles. Driven by a desire to continually surpass her artistic boundaries, we can expect TS12 to showcase a distinctly original sound that reflects Swift’s evolution as an artist.