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Taylor Swift accepts the Woman of the Decade award onstage during Billboard Women In Music 2019, presented by YouTube Music, on Dec. 12, 2019 in Los Angeles.
Taylor Swift was so bummed that all her big summer plans didn’t pan out that she went into the studio to work out her emotions. And, as it turns out, she recorded a whole new album, Folklore, which will drop at midnight tonight (July 23).
«Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening, but there is something I hadn’t planned on that DID happen,» she wrote on Instagram, announcing the surprise release with a series of images of a fog-enshrouded forest. «And that thing is my 8th studio album, folklore. Surprise Tonight at midnight I’ll be releasing my entire brand new album of songs I’ve poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into. I wrote and recorded this music in isolation but got to collaborate with some musical heroes of mine.»
Among the people Taylor worked with are producer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Aaron Dessner of The National, who co-wrote or produced 11 of the 16 songs on the album, as well as Bon Iver, who co-wrote and sings on one of the tracks, William Bowery, who co-wrote two songs and, of course, Swift’s frequent collaborator producer/songwriter/singer Jack Antonoff, who she said «is basically musical family at this point.»
«Before this year I probably would’ve overthought when to release this music at the ‘perfect’ time, but the times we’re living in keep reminding me that nothing is guaranteed,» Swift said. «My gut is telling me that if you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world. That’s the side of uncertainty I can get on board with. Love you guys so much.»
Folklore is the follow-up to last year’s Lover; at press time no additional information was available on the track list.
This article is originally from Billboard