Photo credit:  SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE – Taylor Swift performs during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at the National Stadium on March 02, 2024 in Singapore. (Photo by Ashok Kumar/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

Swifties won’t have to wait much longer for their deep dive into The Tortured Poets Department! In anticipation of her 11th studio album release, Taylor Swift treated fans with a teaser packed with hidden clues on social media. Shared on Tuesday, April 15, the teaser offers a glimpse into the fictional literary society that serves as the album’s namesake and hints at the timeline, which Swift playfully calls the “timetable,” of her release schedule.

Accompanying the animated visual, Swift wrote, “The TTPD Timetable” in the caption, guiding fans into the intriguing world she’s crafted. The teaser takes viewers through a building until it reaches a door marked “The Tortured Poets Department,” where a calendar hanging on the wall reveals that a music video is slated for release on the album drop day, Friday, April 19, at 8 p.m. ET.

Although the clip ends before showing the next day’s plans, there’s a hint that something might be brewing for Saturday. Opening with a room reminiscent of Swift’s Midnights era, the video transitions towards The Tortured Poets Department, signaling a shift towards her next musical chapter.

Within the Midnights-inspired room, viewers catch sight of a clock striking 2 p.m., a cozy sofa, a guitar, scattered vinyl records — including Swift’s own 2022 album on a coffee table — framed photos, and handwritten song lyrics strewn across the floor. As the clip navigates through a hallway, it halts at The Tortured Poets Department, offering a peek through the doorknob lock into an all-white interior adorned with desks, a typewriter, and scattered papers. Another clock set at 2 p.m. and a bulletin board featuring Swift’s photos alongside her timetable adorn the wall.

Building up excitement for the album’s release, the “Karma” singer has been dropping breadcrumbs for fans through snippets of song lyrics and mysterious murals popping up in cities like Chicago with QR codes leading to enigmatic clips. Additionally, Swift plans to bring her project to life with a special “library installation” at The Grove in Los Angeles, promising shelves of books and visual surprises inspired by the album.

(Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)

 

Speculation is rife among fans that the album will delve into themes of heartbreak, especially as Swift recently organized her songs into playlists reflecting the “five stages of heartbreak.” The release of The Tortured Poets Department comes almost a year after Swift’s breakup with her boyfriend of six years, actor Joe Alywn.

Following the album announcement at the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swift unveiled the official tracklist featuring intriguing titles like “Fortnight,” “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,” “So Long, London,” and more. Excitingly, Swift also confirmed collaborations with Florence and the Machine and Post Malone.

Swifties can mark their calendars for the release of The Tortured Poets Department on Friday, April 19, ready to immerse themselves in Swift’s latest musical journey.