Taylor Swift resumed the international leg of her Eras Tour on Wednesday in Tokyo, offering insights into her highly anticipated upcoming album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”
The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter initially revealed her 11th LP at the Grammys on Feb. 4, where she clinched the award for best pop vocal album with “Midnights.” However, Swift had a contingency plan in place for the album’s announcement in case she didn’t secure any awards that night.
Addressing the Tokyo crowd, Swift disclosed her strategy, confiding that she had shared it with a select few, including producer Jack Antonoff. She stated, “Going to the Grammys, going in, I had this plan… But I really hadn’t told very many other people. I thought, ‘OK, if I’m lucky enough to get up there and win one thing tonight, I’m just gonna do it. I’m just gonna announce my new album.'”
Swift expressed gratitude for her Grammy win, which allowed her to unveil the album onstage. She remarked, “And luckily enough, that ended up happening. My backup plan was I was going to do it tonight in Tokyo. But thanks to you and your support, I was lucky enough to win a Grammy and tell you about it on stage at the Grammys. And now we can talk about it afterward, we can do like a debrief tonight.”
Scheduled for release on April 19, “The Tortured Poets Department” comprises 16 new tracks along with a bonus song titled “The Manuscript.” Swift shared with the audience that she commenced work on the album immediately after completing “Midnights.”
“I’ve been working on it for about two years,” she revealed. “I kept working on it throughout the U.S. tour, and when it was perfect, in my opinion — when it was good enough for you — I finished it. I am so, so excited that soon you’ll get to hear it, soon we’ll get to experience that together.”
