by Vivian DiSalvo

On August 9th, Taylor Swift announced that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) would be coming on October 27th, and many fans weren’t shocked to hear it. How did Swifties know Swift was going to announce her new re-recording? From new tour outfits to hidden music video Easter eggs, here’s how fans all over the country saw it coming.

The Elevator Theory

The clue that first got fans speculating was featured in Taylor Swift’s “Bejeweled” music video, which premiered in October 2022. The video features a scene in which Swift rides on an elevator – an elevator in which all the numbers representing different floors are color-coded according to Swift’s albums. For example, the number three was colored purple to represent her third album, Speak Now, which is the floor that Swift travels to first in the music video. Following her visit to the third floor, Swift travels to the fifth floor, colored blue to represent her fifth album, 1989. Her visit to the third floor hinted to fans that Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) would be the next rerecording. So, naturally, after Taylor Swift announced and released Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), fans were quick to speculate that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) could be coming next. 

I Can See You

However, “Bejeweled” isn’t the only music video that pointed fans toward these 1989 theories. On July 7th, Taylor Swift premiered the music video for “I Can See You” at her show during the Eras Tour. Through the music video, actors Joey King, Taylor Lautner, and Swift appear to be robbing a museum of a painting. While King and Lautner walk around the museum, they soon run into five security guides. Many fans believe this to be a clue for 1989 (Taylor’s Version), as 1989 is her fifth album. A more obvious clue is featured at the end of the music video; a single sign placed on a bridge that reads “1989 TV.” Taylor Swift does a good job hiding Easter eggs, but fans are quick to find them!

The Eras Tour Los Angeles

As Swift’s tour continued, Swifties found more clues about her show in Los Angeles, the first of which was that her 19th show was to be played on 8/9 (thus forming the number “1989”). At the end of her previous show (on 8/8), fans’ bracelets blinked blue five times (five to represent 1989 being her fifth album). The last time this happened – when the bracelets blinked purple three times – Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) was announced. Lastly, as Taylor Swift played her show on 8/9, she debuted new outfits for every era – all of which were blue, only heightening fans’ excitement as everyone waited for her to share the news. When it came time to play the surprise songs that night, Swift gave the crowd a beautiful performance of “New Romantics” and finally announced that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) would be out on October 27th, 2023᠆᠆exactly nine years after the original 1989 was released.

Taylor Swift is no stranger to secret clues and Easter eggs, and the speculation around this album made that all the more evident. While fans are ecstatic about the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), many are already looking for clues for her next album! Keep an eye out – you never know what Taylor Swift might be planning!

*Cover photo by John Shearer/Getty Images