Taylor Swift officially announced the release date of her next album re-recording, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).
In the midst of her headlining set at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Saturday evening (May 5), the “Midnights” singer announced that she is currently re-recording her third studio album, Speak Now. Swift also lit up Music City’s pedestrian bridge purple to match the album’s color scheme to celebrate the milestone moment.
The 33-year-old singer/songwriter took to the stage for part of her set where she performs surprise songs and admitted, “There’s a different reason that I’m really excited about this part of the set tonight. Because I’ve been planning something for a while.”
She then told the sold-out crowd of over 70,000 “Swifties” that she loves planning things before revealing the exciting news of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).
“You know how I love to plan things, and how I love to surprise you with the things I plan. It’s my love language with you — I plot, I scheme, I plan and I get to tell you about it. If you would direct your attention to the back big screen…” Swift continued.
The album art and release date for Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) then appeared on the massive video screen that fills the entire background of the stage, which sent fans into a screaming frenzy as they were thrilled to hear the news.
Taylor Swift went on to perform one of the biggest hits from Speak Now, “Sparks Fly.”
“I Love This Album”
Following the surprise announcement of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the “Anti-Hero” took to social media to further detail the re-recorded project.
“It fills me with such pride and joy to announce that my version of Speak Now will be out July 7 (just in time for July 9th, iykyk 😆),” Swift wrote, mentioning July 9th as it’s a date she references in “Last Kiss,” the 13th track on Speak Now.
She then explained, “I first made Speak Now, completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20. The songs that came from this time in my life were marked by their brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness. I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing… and living to speak about it.”
Six New Songs On Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
The project will feature six new songs in addition to the album’s original 14 tracks. Speak Now features several fan-favorite tunes, including “Back To December,” “Mean,” “The Story Of Us,” “Sparks Fly,” “Ours,” “Mine,” and more.
“With six extra songs I’ve sprung loose from the vault, I absolutely cannot wait to celebrate Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) with you on July 7th,” Swift concluded.
Pre-orders for Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) are available now at TaylorSwift.com.
Why Is Taylor Swift Re-Recording Her First Six Albums?
Taylor Swift is currently in the process of re-recording her first six albums, from her 2006 Self-Titled debut to 2017’s Reputation. Her decision to re-record the projects came after Scooter Braun purchased Big Machine Label Group, Swift’s former label, which found Braun taking control of the master recordings of Swift’s first six albums.
In November of 2020, Braun sold the masters of Swift’s albums to Shamrock Holdings , which prompted her to re-record the albums to regain control of the masters. While Shamrock Holdings did want to work with Swift after they purchased her master recordings, she declined to work with them since Ithaca Holdings (Braun’s company) would still earn profits from her music for “many years.”
Swift has already re-recorded and released two of the six albums, including 2012’s Red and 2008’s Fearless. She is currently working on her version of Speak Now, which will be released on July 7.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
The worldwide superstar is currently in the midst of her record-breaking Eras Tour, which kicked off on March 17 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Presented by Capital One, produced by Taylor Swift Touring and promoted by the Messina Touring Group (MTG), Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour continues through August 4 & 5, where the trek will wrap up with back-to-back, sold out shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.
Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour marks her first trek since her history-making Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018, an outing that grossed $266.1 million and sold 2,068,399 tickets, according to Billboard Boxscore. The Reputation Stadium Tour ran from May 8th, 2018 through October 6th, 2018.
READ: Taylor Swift Proves She’s The Greatest Entertainer Of All Time With Career-Spanning Eras Tour
Paramore, GAYLE, beabadoobee, Phoebe Bridgers, girl in red, MUNA, HAIM, GAYLE, Gracie Abrams, and OWENN will serve as support for Swift on select dates of The Eras Tour. “Feeling like the luckiest person alive because I get to take these brilliant artists out on tour with me,” Swift previously shared.
New Album, Midnights
The Eras Tour comes after the release of Swift’s tenth studio album, Midnights, which arrived on October 21, 2022, via Republic Records. Midnights features 13 tracks, including her current single “Anti-Hero” as well as fan-favorite hits such as “Bejeweled,” “Lavender Haze,” “Vigilante Shit,” and more.
“Midnights, the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life, will be out October 21. Meet me at Midnight,” Swift previously shared of the album. “This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams. The floors we pace and the demons we face. For all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching – hoping that just maybe when the clock strikes twelve … we’ll meet ourselves.”
