Entertainment

All The Hints About Taylor Swift's New Single So Far

by Amy Roberts
Mark Davis/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Stop whatever you're doing, because the cryptic snakes have ended. Some real announcements have begun, and fans can finally obsess over everything we know about Taylor Swift's new single so far. Because it's actually happening, you guys. On Instagram, the singer shared three consecutive posts confirming its imminent arrival, including when Swift's new single will be released.

Her first Instagram post, featuring white text on a black background, read simply, "First Single Out Tomorrow Night," meaning Thursday night. While a third post teased the name of Swift's new albumReputation, written in a gothic font that suits the snake visuals — with the statement that it's "coming soon."

A second and more intriguing post reveals what looks to be the cover art for Swift's new album. Featuring a black and white palette, and showing Swift embracing a look full of punk realness, the image features an overlay of newspaper headlines repeating her name. It's a striking image, and one that appears to hint at Swift clapping back at the headlines that have followed her before and during her break from the spotlight. Swift is, of course, known for songs that express moments or relationships played out in the public eye, and this glimpse at her upcoming album suggests that Reputation won't be changing that habit.

That's what we know so far about her new album, but her new single? Well, there's all this...

Swift May Be Directly Challenging Her Reputation

Fans were quick to find poignant symbolism in the snake videos that Swift posted to her Instagram. It was around this time last year, after all, that the "Famous" feud between Swift, Kim Kardashian, and Kanye West erupted across social media. This led to Kardashian subtweeting the hell out of Swift on National Snake Day. It seems justified to anticipate that Swift won't be silent about this, or similar scandals in her first comeback single since then.

There's A Rumor She May Perform The Song At The MTV VMAs

What better way to directly confront your reputation than to do so by potentially sharing a stage with a woman you supposedly share beef with? According to various rumors across the internet, there may be a surprise appearance from Swift at the MTV VMAs on Sunday. As we all know by this point, the show's being hosted by Swift's former friend, Katy Perry. And it goes without saying, from what the tabloids have repeatedly reported regarding Swift and Perry's apparent feud, this could be explosive.

The Track May Feature A Slightly Different Sound

While sources for Us Weekly said that the song will sound, "poppy," other sources indicated to the publication that Swift will be "overhauling her image," with her new music. According to those sources, the new single "is very different" and "goes from very soft, to hard, to soft again." If that's true, then it would certainly fit with the noir album artwork for Reputation, the gothic font, and the dark, aggressive look of Swift's snake. This could definitely herald a new era of Swift, and it's supremely exciting.

Swift's Previous Music Video Director Joseph Kahn May Have Made The Music Video

Kahn is responsible for the majority of Swift's music videos from 1989, and if his deeply invested tweets about the singer are anything to go by, then it looks as though he could be directing the video for her new single too. Whether or not we may be seeing this video when the song drops on Thursday night, or whether it could be getting debuted at the MTV VMAs, remains to be seen.

It feels like ages since fans have been able to get excited about new music from Swift, and her approach to teasing the new material has been exhilarating. So when this song finally gets released, we should probably all prepare to downright implode with joy. By all accounts, Swift is building up to quite the comeback song.