Taylor Swift fans are no strangers to what they affectionately refer to as “clowning”: connecting the dots, finding Easter eggs and theorizing about what the pop icon might be doing next, only to be proved completely and utterly incorrect. (See: every time they falsely predicted the surprise release of her new version of Reputation.)
But the Swifites may be onto something this time around, and Us Weekly is here to break down why all signs point to Friday, October 18.
This week, Shawn Mendes — a previous collaborator and friend of Swift’s — announced via Instagram Stories that he will be delaying the release of his forthcoming album, Shawn, originally set to be released on October 18.
“Hey guys ♥️My team and I have decided to push the album release date to November 15th. We just need a little bit more time to bring some new inspiration and ideas to life ♥️,” the singer wrote on Wednesday, October 9.
Then, something odd happened. Joe Jonas, another character in the extended Swift universe, delayed the release of his new solo album, Music for People Who Fall in Love, which was also scheduled to drop October 18. Fans who preordered the album reported that they received an email announcing the album would not be released until 2025, with no specific date listed.
Why would two major music artists delay the releases of their highly anticipated solo albums that they’ve been doing a ton of press to promote? Perhaps it’s because something even bigger is coming that would present insurmountable competition on the charts. Perhaps it’s because, as the Swifties are speculating, Ms. Swift herself has something coming next Friday, which also happens to be the date of her return to the Eras Tour.
Keep scrolling for a full breakdown of the fan theories, courtesy of Us:
The Key Players
Taylor Swift: The pop star makes her return to the Eras Tour stage on Friday, October 18, in Miami, kicking off the final leg of her record-breaking tour.
Shawn Mendes: The “Stitches” singer announced via Instagram that he is delaying the release of his new album, Shawn, by a month. Leading up to the scheduled release date, Mendes has performed the album live for a select group of fans in an intimate concert, performed one of the singles at the MTV Video Music Awards and appeared on Jay Shetty’s podcast to promote the forthcoming release.
Mendes is a friend of Swift’s, having collaborated with her on the remix to her 2019 track “Lover,” opened for her on the 1989 World Tour in 2015, appeared as a surprise guest on the Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018 and authored a tribute to her in TIME’s “100 Most Influential People” issue in 2019.
Joe Jonas: The Jonas Brothers singer indefinitely postponed the release of his first solo album in over a decade, Music for People Who Believe in Love. Jonas had been very active on TikTok to promote the new album, especially his single “What This Could Be.”
Jonas famously dated Swift in 2008, with Swift revealing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show later that year that he broke up with her with a 25-second phone call. The pair have since rekindled their friendship, going on double dates with past partners and publicly supporting one another’s music.
The Gist
Two male artists in Taylor Swift’s orbit postponing their album releases on the same day she happens to be returning to the Eras Tour stage is raising major red flags for Swifties.
Moreover, Swift — who is known to drop Easter eggs for her fans ahead of a major album release or announcement — surprised fans by singing her song “Florida!!!” with unannounced guest Florence Welch on the last stop of the tour’s European leg at Wembley Stadium on August 20, leading fans to think she may have something up her sleeve for her upcoming show in the sunshine state.
Adding to the suspicion was the fact that a Tortured Poets Department Spotify pop-up event in Los Angeles included a globe with a pin in one location: Florida.
Taylor Nation — the headquarters for all things Swift — also recently posted on Instagram, emphasizing that “there are only 18 shows left on #TSTheErasTour.” Swifties know that the singer is a big fan of numerology, and the emphasis of the number “18” may not be a coincidence (cough, cough, October 18).
Fans also pointed out that Swift’s website recently underwent an entire redesign, which is typically a sign of a big announcement.
“Remember, earlier this week, Taylor changed her website. That usually signals something in the distance,” one TikTok user said.
Why It’s a Big Deal
Swifties have been anticipating Reputation (Taylor’s Version) for months now, with several false guesses leaving them desperate for a new album from the singer.
This wouldn’t be the first time Swift has enlisted her inner circle to help her drop hints about an upcoming album.
“When I was 15 and putting together my first album, I wanted to recreate the experience I used to have for my fans in a reimagined approach. I decided to encode the lyrics with hidden messages using capital letters,” she told The Washington Post in 2022. “That’s how it started, and my fans and I have since descended into color coding, numerology, word searches, elaborate hints and Easter eggs. It’s really about turning new music into an event for my fans and trying to entertain them in playful, mischievous, clever ways.”
What People Are Saying
“This is literally either Harry [Styles] or Taylor I’m not doing good,” one X user wrote of the announcement that Mendes and Jonas delayed the release of their albums.
While some fans quickly joined the conversation with hopes that Reputation (Taylor’s Version) is coming, others predicted something different may be on the horizon.
“Imagine this: It’s October 18th. It’s Miami. Taylor comes on to start the last leg of the Eras Tour. During surprise songs, she talks about how much this tour has meant to her, the fans, everyone watching the live streams,” one TikTok user said in a now-viral video with over 100,000 views. “She announces a live recording of the Eras Tour album that surprise drops that night, on the 18th, at midnight. … What better way to celebrate the first night of the last leg of the tour than with an album of the tour that we all love so much?”
What We’re Saying
When it comes to Swiftie theories, Us doesn’t like to get our hopes up. However, something about the delay of both Jonas’ and Mendes’ albums and Swift’s subtle nods toward Florida has even Us feeling “… Ready for It.” But whether it’s the highly anticipated drop of Reputation (Taylor’s Version), an Eras Tour compilation album or something else altogether, only time will tell.
What’s Next
All that’s left to do is keep an eye on Taylor Nation’s socials for any additional hints and get ready for October 18. In the words of Swift, “Take me to Florida …”
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