Taylor Swift's newest album, "Lover," releases Friday, August 23 and fans cannot calm down over the easter eggs that have been dropping since February.
Taylor is KNOWN for her cryptic social media posts and even what she mentions in interviews. It's hard to pay attention to what she is saying when we are all just listening for a hint to new music. The girl loves symbolism.
Swifties are known for noticing all of her cryptic drops and cracking all of their codes.
There's a lot of cool chicks out there
Chicks stans never unstan.
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) April 26, 2019
You'll notice in the "ME!" music video, that when Taylor sings this lyric, the camera shows a framed photo of chicks. Taylor fans were All Too (Quick) to point this easter egg out as a possible Dixie Chicks collaboration. As we know from Taylor's latest Insta post, the Dixie Chicks are in fact featured on track #12, "Soon You'll Get Better."
I can already hear the T-Swift twang coming back. R.I.P "Tim McGraw" and "Our Song."
Ellen needs to calm down
A few weeks prior to the release of Taylor's single, "You Need To Calm Down," Ellen *jokingly* invites herself to be in her music video. And as Taylor Swift typical fashion would have it, it in fact WAS an easter egg.
Ellen jokes with her celebrity guests on a regular basis about being in parts of their lives (see her as Karla Kardashian for proof), so this was missed by a lot of fans until a few overly observant ones pointed it out.
Ellen Degeneres gets a suspiciously specific tattoo
Confirming the previous theory of Ellen making an appearance in Taylor Swift's, "You Need To Calm Down" music video, her scene was ALSO an easter egg.
We see Ellen being tattooed with the words "Cruel Summer," which Taylor confirmed is a song title on her album releasing on August 23.
Lover in ME!
After the release of Taylor's single, "ME!," she told fans that the name of her album was hidden somewhere in the music video. This was an easy one for people who aren't even part of the Swiftie fan club. At the 1:57 mark in the video, we see "LOVER" in a big pink neon sign.
And as one of the only words seen in the video, like, duh...
Butterfly fly away
View this post on InstagramBout to walk out on the @iheartradio carpet, thought I’d show you first 🥰
A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on
A lot of fans favored a different title prediction for the album thinking that with Taylor's emphasis on butterflies in her personal style as well as the abundance of appearances they make throughout ME! that the album title would have something to do with butterflies.
Based on the beginning of the music video when the snake bursts into a million butterflies, I'm thinking it was just a rebranding act from "Reputation's" harsh exterior.
Dive bar on the east side, where you at?
Fans have been wondering if Taylor's song "The Archer" and "Delicate" from her "Reputation" album are related in some way, according to Cosmopolitan's recent findings. When I read this theory my first thought was "eh, this is a stretch."
Fans were mainly studying this speculation because Tay said in an Instagram that "The Archer" is a super emotional song for her. She also said this about "Delicate." Both songs were track five on each album. See what I mean, a stretch.
BUT, this tweet had me changing my mind.
y’all the archer is a dive bar located in east london
— ankita 🏳️🌈 (@stateofswixft) July 23, 2019
“dive bar on the east side where you at”#Track5 pic.twitter.com/vJzakds4fB
In "Delicate" Taylor sings "dive bar on the east side, where you at?" Some super snoopy Swifties did the research and found that there is a bar on the east side of London called The Archer Dive Bar. Oh, did I mention Joe Alwyn is from London?
Taylor bends the knee for Daenerys Targaryen
.@taylorswift13 liked a tumblr post regarding Daenerys + The Archer lyrics. We’re excited for Lover! 💞 pic.twitter.com/CzdgP3vUmP
— Emilia Clarke Updates (@EClarkeUpdates) August 21, 2019
An Emilia Clarke fan recently pointed out on Twitter that Taylor Swift liked a Tumblr post that associated lyrics in "The Archer" with Daenerys Targaryen.
Speculation came flooding that the lyrics were dedicated specifically to Clarke's "Game of Thrones" character.
No. Just, no.
Let's talk about Ellen's tattoo again...
Remember when we mentioned Ellen's tattoo she is getting in the YNTCD music video reads, "Cruel Summer?" And remember how we told you that it is track two on "Lover?"
Well, in 2012 Kanye West released a compilation album called, you guessed it, "Cruel Summer."
Is this a Kanye dig? Eh, maybe. This will be easier to solve when the song is released.
Was Taylor a cheater?
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on
"I Think He Knows," sounds awfully suspicious of a scandal, am I right? Fans are speculating that this song, based on the context, is referring to Taylor and Joe getting together before the end of a previous relationship.
Again, this is one of the songs we will need to hear to confirm this rumor.
On the market
Track nine, "Cornelia Street," is the street where Taylor's old home was located.
Said home was on the market for the low low price of 24 million dollars, you know, pocket change.
Please tell me this photo was taken on Cornelia Street.
Not only is this song potentially mentioning Swift's old home, but it's the home she lived in when she met current boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. Aww, so cute.
There is a RUMORED lyric, according to Genius, that will read "If I ever lose you, I'll never walk Cornelia Street again."
I so hope that one is true.
#13
We all know Taylor Swift is notorious for her lucky number, 13. Well, although this is a confirmed theory, fans caught it when rumors of TS7 started to float around, because they are just THAT dedicated.
Fans speculated that the album would be released on August 23 because the number date of 8/23 adds up to 13 in it's individual numbers. 8+2+3=13, you get it.
Put a pin in it
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on
Holy easter eggs. Well, at least that's what fans are thinking.
Law and Order: SVU, Dixie Chicks, Meredith & Cristina, Drake, "Friends." I mean this is an endless list of easter eggs...
OR just a bunch of pins of things Taylor Swift loves, with a few easter eggs like Dixie Chicks, Awesome, Calm, you catch my drift?
The list
Shoutout to Spotify for the enhanced album feature. Now this is not a theory, but it is literally a haven for all-things sleuthing for the mega Swifties out there.
The list is full of Taylor's favorite songs right now, along with clips of her speaking some lyrics from unreleased songs from "Lover."
She said "YES"
View this post on InstagramHave I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?
A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on
OK, this is the biggest theory of them all, are Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn engaged?!
A recent theory from Refinery29 has us asking this question. Not only do the lyrics suggest a wedding ceremony and vow exchanges, but the imagery that is shown on the sheet in the music video includes home videos, all of which show Taylor extremely happy and in love.
Is it just me, or does anyone else want this whole album to be a lead up to her announcing she is married?
What's your favorite song?
Cruel summer is like if out of the woods and getaway car had a brain child! I been saying this
— “you’re avani, right?!” (@missamericanas) August 16, 2019
When the track list dropped, Swifties who attended the listening parties for the album started dropping their favorite songs and why.
This intel gave fans a lot of insight on what vibes to expect before they listen to the songs.
Spoiler alert much?