Taylor Swift had a big night at the 2024 Grammy Awards, not only winning her 13th Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for Midnights but also revealing her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, which will be released on April 19.
The pop superstar took the stage to accept her award and thanked the Recording Academy and her fans for their support. She then dropped the bombshell that she had been working on a secret project for the last two years, and that it was time to share it with the world.
“I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I have been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand new album comes out on April 19. It’s called The Tortured Poets Department,” she said, as the audience erupted in cheers and applause.
She added that she would post the album cover on X right after her speech, and then left the stage to do so. The cover features a black and white photo of Swift lying in bed, surrounded by handwritten lyrics. She captioned the photo with some of the lyrics, which read:
“And so I enter into evidence / My tarnished coat of arms / My muses, acquired like bruises / My talismans and charms / The tick, / tick, / tick, / of love bombs, / my veins of pitch black ink.”
She also signed the photo as “The Chairman of the Tortured Poets Department” and added a heart emoji.
Swift’s fans were ecstatic and curious about the new album, which will be her 11th studio album and the follow-up to Midnights, released in November 2022. Midnights was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful album, featuring hits such as “Anti-Hero”, “Midnight Sky”, and “Evermore”. It was also nominated for Album of the Year but lost to Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour.
Also Read: Grammy Awards 2024: Who Won and Why?
Some of the questions that fans had about The Tortured Poets Department were: What is the theme and genre of the album? Who are the collaborators and producers? What inspired the title and the lyrics? Will there be any surprise guests or features? Will a lead single or a music video exist before the release date?
Swift did not give any more details about the album during the show, but she did hint that there might be some big news to share later in the show, possibly related to her Reputation TV series, which has been rumored to be in the works.
Based on her 2017 album Reputation, the series is said to be a dark and edgy thriller that explores the themes of fame, media, and betrayal. Swift is reportedly the series’s executive producer and star and is expected to debut on Netflix later this year.
Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, who is a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, was not present at the show, as he was preparing for the Super Bowl, which will take place on February 11. Swift and Kelce have been dating since 2022, and have supported each other’s careers. Swift has been a regular fixture at the NFL games, cheering for her boyfriend and his team. Kelce has also been seen wearing Swift’s merchandise and listening to her music.
Swift is expected to fly to Japan after the show, to resume her Eras tour, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tour, which features songs from all her albums, is one of the year’s most anticipated and highest-grossing tours. Swift will also perform in Las Vegas on February 11, before heading to the Super Bowl to watch Kelce play.
Swift has proven once again that she is one of our generation’s most talented and versatile artists, and that she always has something new and exciting to offer to her fans.
The Tortured Poets Department is surely another masterpiece from the singer-songwriter, who never fails to surprise and delight us with her music. We can’t wait to hear what she has in store for us.
