Taylor Swift's Surprise Albums ✨

Written by: Emily Hume

The entertainment industry definitely threw some surprises our way during 2020, but maybe the biggest shock of all was Taylor Swift dropping not one, but TWO new albums! The first album got us through the end of the cruel summer, but the second album was the ultimate surprise! It was exactly what we needed to boost our spirits as we slipped into our cardigans to finish out 2020! 🎉

On July 23rd 2020, Taylor Swift sent her fans, and most of the music industry, into an absolute frenzie by announcing that she was dropping her eighth studio album at midnight that night! In the days prior, she had been posting pictures of the woods, which we all know now was her folklore album cover. While we all had our suspicions, none of us were prepared for the album to drop THAT NIGHT. This left Swifties with only hours to prepare for this album, and it brought fans from all over the world together. 🌎

The amazing album folklore was released on July 24th, 2020, and the deluxe version is seventeen songs that pull you through all different emotions. It was of course created with the help of Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, but there was one other name that really got the attention of fans. On the songs “exile,” which features Bon Iver, and “betty,” there was a writer named William Bowery. Fans soon began to theorize who this mystery writer was considering that he had no previous writing credits. Seeing how the year has been for most people, fans were wondering if these songs were written by none other than who Taylor Swift was most likely quarantining with - her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. 💘

As Ms. Swift began promoting and discussing the process of writing and creating this album, she did finally reveal in her Disney+ documentary Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions that William Bowery was Joe Alwyn! For the song “exile,” not only did Joe write the opening lyrics, but he also wrote the entire piano piece. As for the song “betty,” Taylor says that she heard Joe singing the chorus in another room, and she was immediately entranced! The process of writing together was something new for the couple, but we are SO thankful for the music they created! 🎹

The surprises for Swift’s fans were only just beginning. Not only had Swift kept fans busy with new merch items and collections of how she sees the songs fitting together, but she had been keeping more secrets from her fans as well! On December 11th 2020, fans received an early Christmas present from Taylor when she dropped her ninth album, evermore! Swifties were once again sent into a panic over how to prepare for what Taylor called folklore’s sister album, saying that she just “couldn’t stop writing songs.” 🎶

For the deluxe version of her ninth studio album, Swift compiled another seventeen amazing songs that once again gave fresh energy to the end of 2020. With standout fan favorites like “champagne problems,” “no body, no crime,” and “cowboy like me,” this is already a legendary album. With features from artists like HAIM, The National, and Bon Iver, it is easy to see how beautifully this album and folklore fit hand in hand. This album also came to life with the help of Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, and, of course, William Bowery. Swift also said that other friends were invited to their “musical kitchen table” as well, and the artistry of this album is truly incredible! 🌟

While fans were still celebrating this release, rumors for a third sister album soon began to swirl. On the Hide and Seek edition of the folklore CD there is a picture that mysteriously has the word “woodvale” in the top right corner. Fans believe that this may have been one of the songs that was set to later appear on the evermore album, but when that word was nowhere to be found, it left fans wondering if a third sister album was on the way. Swift has denied again and again that there is a third album, but fans are not convinced after all of her recent

secrets! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Taylor Swift has said that “woodvale” was just the name she was using in place of folklore before she told everyone what the official album title was. However, after a Spotify Wrapped commercial featuring Taylor appeared to emphasize the month of March on a calendar, fans are speculating that woodvale, the third sister album, will be released in March. Fans were also quick to note that Friday, March 5th not only numerically adds up to Taylor’s favorite number, 13, but it would be 20 weeks from when evermore was released. Also important to note, evermore was released 20 weeks after folklore. 😲

There are several more theories as to whether or not there is a third sister album, and honestly, Swifties always seem know their stuff! We wouldn’t be too shocked if she posted another “not alot going on at the moment” picture any time soon! 💜

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