Australian fans stunned as Taylor Swift announces surprise second album

1 week ago 12

On Friday afternoon, wrong State of Grace, a cosy underground bar at the bosom of Melbourne’s CBD that happens to stock the sanction of a Taylor Swift song, astir 150 Swifties had gathered to perceive intently to a song. Their eyes were closed arsenic they bobbed their heads on to the music. Occasionally, gasps and knowing giggles filled the room. The opus ended, and the full radical erupted into rapturous applause.

They were listening to Taylor Swift’s 11th workplace album, The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD), which was released astatine 2pm connected Friday. Their absorption connected each lyric was unwavering, arsenic if they were listening to a peculiarly convincing sermon astatine church.

“It’s truthful meaningful to beryllium capable to perceive with everyone who loves Taylor Swift,” said instrumentality Dorothy Koay.

But what nary of them expected was Swift’s astonishment announcement astatine 4pm: she was releasing a 2nd record, called The Anthology. Another 15 brand-new tracks that turned TTPD into a deluxe, treble album.

Melbourne Swifties applauded, gasped and giggled arsenic they listened to Taylor Swift’s caller medium astatine listening enactment successful the city.

Sydney instrumentality Arshia Vora attended a listening enactment astatine Newtown’s Hum connected King grounds store connected Friday. She assumed thing astonishing would hap erstwhile a two-hour countdown went unrecorded connected Swift’s Instagram leafage soon aft the merchandise of TTDP, but the anticipation of a treble medium had not crossed her mind.

“In the past determination person been truthful galore theories that Taylor would driblet a treble album, but they’ve ne'er been true. So, I did not spot it coming,” Vora said.

The astonishment made it adjacent much exciting, she added, leaving fans awed by the popular star’s quality to multitask. “Both albums are successful enactment with the benignant of my different favourites – I’m a Folklore and Evermore girlie … And successful The Anthology, the titles are truthful funny, similar I Look successful People’s Windows. It conscionable feels a spot much unhinged. I conscionable don’t cognize however she gets each this done.”

To observe the merchandise of TTPD, and The Anthology (even though they didn’t cognize it astatine the time), the University of Melbourne’s Swiftie Society arranged a peculiar listening party, replete with life-size cardboard cut-outs of the singer, acquisition envelopes filled with stickers and relationship bracelets, and top-notch speakers. After proceeding conscionable 4 of the caller songs the assemblage was already struggling to incorporate their emotions.

“I was expecting the archetypal 4 songs to beryllium much upbeat. The information that they’re already this sad, I’m not definite if I’m prepared for the remainder of the album,” Ella Butler said, seemingly connected the verge of tears.

Swifties similar Lachlan Lim (left) couldn’t incorporate their daze during immoderate of the singer’s astir pointed songs, specified arsenic Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?

Swifties astir Australia counted down the seconds until the album’s release. In Sydney, Hum connected King played the full medium arsenic soon arsenic the embargo lifted.

This wasn’t the store’s archetypal listening party, said proprietor Peter Thiele, but it was apt 1 of the astir significant. “This is astir apt the astir anticipated medium merchandise of the year, if not the century. Taylor is astatine the highest of her vocation disconnected the backmost of a sold-out satellite tour, performing to implicit 600,000 fans successful Australia.”

Arshia Vora, Arunima Kumar and Lera Hill celebrated Swift’s caller medium astatine Hum connected King successful Sydney.

President of ANU’s Swiftie Society successful Canberra, Mikayla Simpson, agrees, saying the occurrence of the Eras Tour has added large momentum to TTPD’s release.

“From what I’ve seen connected societal media, much radical are starting to recognise her endowment since the tour, and this has encouraged radical to commencement listening much – whether they similar her arsenic a idiosyncratic oregon not,” Simpson said.

Simpson besides organised a listening enactment for Friday afternoon. By listening to caller euphony alongside different Swifties, she said they’re capable to prime up connected much lyrics and references, adding further extent to their knowing of the songs.

Before TTPD’s merchandise – which Swift announced during 1 of her acceptance speeches astatine the Grammys successful February – fans speculated whether the medium rubric referenced a radical chat named The Tortured Man Club, which Swift’s ex, Joe Alwyn, was portion of. For those astatine Melbourne’s listening party, their suspicions were confirmed.

About 140 Melbourne Swifties gathered for a listening enactment connected Friday afternoon.

“I deliberation a batch of it is astir Joe,” Charlotte Field, dressed successful a classical Swift cardigan, said. “I inactive similar him, controversially, but astir of the songs person decidedly been astir him. Then there’s besides immoderate Matty Healy [Swift’s rumoured ex] and Travis Kelce [her existent boyfriend] successful there.”

Other fans were little certain. “She’s ever told america that it’s up to the fans to determine however to construe her lyrics,” Raechel Bobby said. “I don’t privation to accidental openly that it’s each astir Joe, but adjacent if it is, I deliberation it’s a coping mechanics for her.”

Beyond lyrical analysis, Simpson said listening parties are besides a wholesome accidental to enslaved implicit shared interests. “It makes for a much memorable experience, arsenic you’re spending clip with friends ... The anticipation and genuine excitement helps to marque it a large time.”

Some instrumentality opted for a antithetic attack by hosting listening parties weeks aft the album’s drop. Simran Parekh, president of Sydney University’s Taylor Swift Society, said their listening enactment volition instrumentality spot connected May 4, astir 2 weeks aft the authoritative merchandise day successful honour of TTPD’s Fortnight track.

“To debar affectional breakdowns from proceeding brand-new euphony for the precise archetypal time, we’re allowing the songs to marinate successful everyone’s minds and hearts. That way, we tin sing on to it erstwhile we bash get unneurotic later,” Parekh said.

Other parties person been planned for Friday evening to let for much of a creation nine atmosphere. Melbourne’s Stay Gold venue volition unfastened its doors astatine 11pm, and Sydney’s Mary’s Underground astatine 9pm.

As Swifties cautiously processed each azygous lyric, 1 happening became clear: the anticipated “Taylor Swift backlash” doesn’t look to person eventuated. Despite her apparent Celine Dion snub and awkwardly timed medium announcement earlier this year, Swift inactive seems to person a stranglehold connected culture, or, astatine the precise least, her legions of fans are loyal capable to guarantee her estimation ne'er falters.

“Haters are going to hate, but she’ll conscionable support shake, shake, shaking it off,” Swiftie Lachlan Lim aptly said. “Taylor’s present to stay.”

Find retired the adjacent TV, streaming bid and movies to adhd to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered each Thursday.