Taylor Swift’s new era is nearly here. Ahead of the October release of her 12th studio album, The Life Of A Showgirl, the superstar made her debut on New Heights (Aug 13) – the football-focused podcast hosted by her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and his brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
The special episode, running just over two hours in audio and 1 hour 45 minutes on YouTube, was packed with revelations. Here are the key takeaways:
The Big Announcements
- Album Reveal – In a preview clip released Tuesday, Swift teased the brothers with a mint-green briefcase monogrammed in orange. Inside was a vinyl of The Life Of A Showgirl, which she officially unveiled on the show.
- Recorded on the Road – Swift worked on the album in Europe during the “Eras Tour,” flying between shows to record. The project was completed in Sweden with longtime collaborators Max Martin and Shellback.
- Why Orange? – The color represents her inner life during the tour. She called Martin her “mentor” and praised both producers as “geniuses.”
- All ‘Bangers’ – The 12-track record (no surprise double release this time) drops Oct 3. Swift described it as upbeat – a “180” from The Tortured Poets Department.
- Theme – “Everything that was going on behind the curtain.”
- Goal – Infectious melodies paired with vivid storytelling.
- Cover Concept – Inspired by “the end of my day,” featuring her in a bathtub.
- Family Updates – Her mother had knee replacement surgery, and her father underwent quintuple bypass surgery this summer. She jokingly called it “the summer of my parental upgrades.”
- Time in Florida – Spent extended time with Travis Kelce, noting their jobs are similar: “to entertain people for three hours in NFL stadiums.”
- On Public Scrutiny – “We don’t, really” pay attention to online chatter, Swift said.
- How They Met – Credited New Heights with “getting me a boyfriend,” recalling their friendship bracelet exchange.
- Eras Tour Easter Egg – Exiting through an orange door at the final tour date was a hint of Showgirl’s arrival.
- Favourite Easter Egg Ever – Embedding Midnights clues in her 2022 NYU commencement speech.
- Hobbies – Still bakes, now obsessed with sourdough (blueberry lemon, cinnamon swirl, Funfetti). She even punned on her own songs: “Are you bread-y for it?”
- Catalog Ownership – Confirmed she repurchased her master recordings from Shamrock Capital in May.
- Favourite Rerecording – Red (Taylor’s Version), especially the 10-minute All Too Well.
How to Watch or Listen
The episode is available in full on YouTube and on podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Spotify, and Wondery. The audio version runs about 20 minutes longer and includes a rapid-fire segment covering topics from cats to Happy Gilmore 2.
Leading Up to the Episode
Teaser clips were shared Tuesday and Wednesday morning, with Swift joking about male sports fans getting “more of me” in their spaces. Chiefs coach Andy Reid called the couple’s relationship “a neat deal” and a positive influence on both.
