Taylor Swift surprised fans at 2am revealing her latest release, “The Tortured Poets Department,” is actually a “secret double album” containing 15 more tracks than initially expected. The announcement which came in the early hours of the morning, caught many off guard. Swift explained on social media that she had written a lot of poetry over the past two years and wanted to share it all with her fans, hence the additional installment. The album, her 11th studio release, boasts a total of 31 songs spanning over two hours.
She wrote: “It’s a 2am surprise: The Tortured Poets Department is a secret DOUBLE album. I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here’s the second instalment of TTPD: The Anthology. 15 extra songs. And now the story isn’t mine anymore… it’s all yours.”
Swift had teased details of the album back in February when she won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for “Midnights.” Collaborations with Post Malone and Florence + The Machine are included on tracks “Fortnight” and “Florida!!!,” respectively. The album is rumored to touch on Swift’s past relationships, including her break-ups with British actor Joe Alwyn and The 1975 star Matty Healy. There are also references to her current romance with NFL star Travis Kelce, with the 15th track, “The Alchemy,” seemingly inspired by their relationship.
“The Tortured Poets Department” delves into Swift’s personal life, with tracks like “So Long, London” offering insight into her split with Alwyn after six years together. The album’s title may even reference a WhatsApp group Alwyn had created with fellow actors, called “The Tortured Man Club.” Swift also explores her brief relationship with Healy, with songs like “Guilty As Sin” hinting at past feelings.
Throughout her career, Swift has been known for writing songs about her past relationships, and “The Tortured Poets Department” continues that tradition. She describes the album as an anthology reflecting on a “sensational and sorrowful” period in her life, with each song representing a fleeting moment in time. Swift believes that expressing her emotions through music allows her to heal and move on from past experiences.
The album includes tracks such as “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” “The Prophecy,” and “Cassandra,” with a bonus song titled “The Manuscript.” Swift’s sold-out Eras tour is set to kick off in the UK on June 7th, with shows in Edinburgh followed by a run in London starting on June 21st.
