Breaking Down Every ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Easter Egg Taylor Swift Teased for Fans
While Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department came as a surprise to fans, the pop star seemingly left several Easter eggs hinting that her 11th studio album was on its way.
Swift revealed her latest musical endeavor while accepting the award for Best Pop Vocal Album — her 13th career win — at the Grammys on Sunday, February 4.
“[The way I can celebrate] is by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the past two years, which is that my brand new album comes out April 19,” she told the audience. “It’s called The Tortured Poets Department and I’m going to go post the cover right now backstage.”
While many were shocked by the announcement, Swifties have long known that their favorite artist is a mastermind. Swift is known to plant clues in music videos, song lyrics, clothing choices and more — and that appears to include her latest project.
Keep scrolling for every potential Easter egg Swift used to tease The Tortured Poets Department:
Travis Kelce Calls Taylor Swift’s Lyrics Poetry
When Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce sat down with the WSJ for the outlet’s December 2023 cover story, he admired his girlfriend’s musical talents and made a subtle reference to poetry, leading fans to believe this could have been a tease for TS11.
“What a miracle, he says, the way Taylor Swift can turn life into poetry,” the outlet reported. Kelce added, ‘I’ve never been a man of words. Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been f–king mind-blowing. I’m learning every day.’”
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TIME Headline Calls Her a Poet
When Swift was named TIME’s 2023 Person of the Year in December 2023, the outlet’s headline read, “The Poet Laureate of Pop Culture” — another potential nod to the album title.
Holding Up 11 Fingers in a Photo With Jack Antonoff
When Swift celebrated “Cruel Summer” reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 years after its release with her pal and collaborator, Jack Antonoff, the duo shared an enthusiastic snap via social media.
In the pic, Swift and Antonoff posed together as they threw up their hands, holding up exactly 11 fingers. While fans were confused by the pose at the time, this could have been foreshadowing the announcement of Swift’s 11th album.
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Her Grammys Look Channels ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Aesthetic
Fans were initially certain that Swift was going to announce Reputation (Taylor’s Version) at the 2024 awards show and pointed to her outfit as a clue. However, the long, white gown with black velvet gloves and necklaces actually resembles the cover art aesthetic of The Tortured Poets Department.
Within minutes of announcing her new album, Swift shared the artwork for the record via social media. In the pic, she can be seen lying in a bed with black lingerie.
She also rocked a clock, set to midnight, at the Grammys. Fans theorized this signaled the end of her Midnights era and the beginning of TS11.
Taylor Swift’s Website Error
Ahead of the Grammys, Swifties noticed an error message on her website — which turned out to be fake. The code allegedly read “hneriergrd,” which is “red herring” unscrambled.
Underneath the letters was another code that seemingly read, “DPT: 321.” Fans began to speculate that three letters decoded backwards revealed her 11th album: The Tortured Poets Department.
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The ‘Bejeweled’ Music Video Hints at New Music
When Swift released her October 2022 music video for “Bejeweled,” Swifties pointed out that the pop star was holding a clock that read, “Exile ends” with the numbers 2 and 3.
Fans think she might have been hinting at new music that would come after that date, a.k.a February 3, since The Tortured Poets Department announcement came the following day, on February 4.
A Black-and-White Social Media Profile Picture Fits the Vibe
Hours before the Grammys announcement, Swift changed her social media profile pictures to a black-and-white version of the Midnights album cover art. While fans initially thought she was signaling Reputation (Taylor’s Version) with her photo alterations, the artwork for The Tortured Poets Department also keeps with the black-and-white aesthetic.
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Her Academia Outfits Channel ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Aesthetic
Swift was repeatedly photographed on the streets of New York City during summer 2023 sporting academia looks with plaid skirts that fit The Tortured Poets Department’s vibe, causing fans to put the puzzle pieces together.
Her Album Release Pattern Signals New Music
The announcement of The Tortured Poets Department is consistent with Swift’s pattern of rereleasing two of her albums before dropping a new one. At the 2022 VMAs, Swift announced Midnights after the rerelease of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version) in April 2021 and November 2021, respectively.
