Taylor Swift knows how to send her fans into a meltdown, and she's done so once again, this time by doing a simple hand gesture at her Eras Tour concerts in Canada.
Over the years, the pop superstar has preceded her album releases with Easter eggs online and during performances. As such, her every move is often taken to have extra meaning by her dedicated fans.
While performing her song "Midnight Rain," Swift usually strikes a different pose after singing the lyrics: "And he never thinks of me, except when I'm on TV." But, during one of her shows in Toronto, Swift counted down with her fingers from five to four. During another show, she counted down from four to three. Naturally, Swifties have gone into overdrive, attempting to figure out what this means.
Even though a variety of theories were discussed, some fans think the singer is hinting that she will drop her highly anticipated rerecording of her album, Reputation. However, others simply think it's a countdown to the end of the Eras Tour.
Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for Swift for comment on Friday outside of normal business hours.
A video of the singer holding up her hand during one of her sold-out shows in Toronto, showing five fingers, was posted to TikTok by user @labyrinthazex. "Taylor is making a countdown to something for the last show of the tour," the text over the video reads. At the time of writing, the post had been viewed more than 370,100 times.
One person posted in the comments, "maybe it's because there is 4 more shows left," while another wrote: "something is happening on the last night of eras tour."
A third user added: "confirmed, in 4 shows we will have an announcement of one of the re-recordings."
"SHE DOES THIS WHEN SHE SAYS 'TV' what if tv means Taylor's version. Let me dream pls," someone else commented. "Taylor's Version" represents the rerecordings of earlier albums that Swift released following a rights dispute with music mogul Scooter Braun. The record executive purchased Big Machine Records, Swift's first label, in 2019, giving him ownership of her first six albums.
Then, in a video posted to TikTok by @lyricalsmiledesigns, during another performance in Toronto, the singer held up her hand before putting down two of her fingers.
"We officially have a countdown!!" From 4 last night to 3 last night," the text on the video read. The caption added: "4 … 3 … It's countdown time Swifties. But what do you think were counting down to? The Eras Tour finale? Or something else … Toronto Night 6 The Eras Tour." The video had more than 145,100 views at the time of writing.
Again, some people wrote that this indicated Swift was releasing a rerecording of Reputation, with one person writing: "OMG [oh my God] I AM 10000000000% CONVINCED REP TV IS COMING."
" … shows until rep TV is announced," said another.
"except when I'm on TV (Taylor Swift taylor's version). 3 nights till announcement," a different TikTok user commented.
A fourth added: "I mean she wouldn't just countdown to the last show cause it's the last show … right? Something special has to happen..........right??? (I am going insane)."
However, others still think it's just a countdown to the end of the tour.
"Nah she'll have us all exited then it will just be a countdown to the last show," one person said, and another commented: "It's so the last show."
This isn't the only time that fans have theorized that Swift plans on dropping an album rerecording—or two.
On November 13, fans shared a screenshot showing three sweaters placed on top of one another on Swift's website. The image has been taken as a hint that Swift will be releasing recordings of 2006 debut album, Taylor Swift, and her 2017 album, Reputation.
"WAIT … This is an Easter egg," one fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter, as they shared the screenshot. "WE ARE GETTING DEBUT TV BEFORE SUMMER AND THEN AFTER SUMMER WE GET REP TV."
The post shows the top sweater featuring Swift's name, followed by another emblazoned with the words "Summer With You," taken from the lyrics of her track "Cruel Summer." The final sweater on the bottom shows the words "Starry Eyes," taken from the lyrics of Swift's track "Call It What You Want," which features on her Reputation album.
With the "Summer" top serving as the divider, fans have deciphered from the post that Swift's version of Taylor Swift will be released in the earlier part of the year, while a new Reputation recording will follow in the latter half.
Back in 2019, after music mogul Braun purchased the rights to Swift's master recordings from her first six albums, Swift announced that she would rerecord the albums in dispute.
Since 2021, Swift has released the rerecordings of 2008's Fearless, 2010's Speak Now, 2012's Red, and 2014's 1989. To date, Swift's self-titled debut album and Reputation are the only two of the recordings not yet rerecorded.
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