Taylor Swift has surprised fans with a brand-new album – just five months after she released her last collection.
Announcing her ninth studio album on social media, Swift called it a “sister album” to Folklore and explained that she and her collaborators “just couldn’t stop writing songs”.
The 17-track LP was recorded in the same sessions as her earlier album – which was created during coronavirus lockdown – with collaborators including Bon Iver and Aaron Dessner.
It will be released at 5am on Friday morning here in the UK (midnight Eastern Time).
Explaining her decision to release new music so soon, Swift wrote: “To put it plainly, we just couldn’t stop writing songs.
“To try and put it more poetically, it feels like we were standing on the edge of the folklorian woods and had a choice: to turn and go back or to travel further into the forest of this music. We chose to wander deeper in.
“I’ve never done this before. In the past I’ve always treated albums as one-off eras and moved on to planning the next one after an album was released. There was something different with folklore.
“In making it, I felt less like I was departing and more like I was returning. I loved the escapism I found in these imaginary/not imaginary tales. I loved the ways you welcomed the dreamscapes and tragedies and epic tales of love lost and found into your lives. So I just kept writing them.”
Swift compared the album to ‘standing on the edge of the folklorian woods’
Swift also teased some new collaborators including pop-rock trio Haim, adding: “We’ve also welcomed some new (and longtime) friends to our musical kitchen table this time around…”
A self-directed video for the album’s lead song Willow will also be released at the same time.
The singer said she was sharing the album now due to her 31st birthday on 13 December.
“Ever since I was 13, I’ve been excited about turning 31 because it’s my lucky number backwards, which is why I wanted to surprise you with this now. You’ve all been so caring, supportive and thoughtful on my birthdays and so this time I thought I would give you something!”
Folklore topped both the UK and US charts on its release and has six nominations for the 2021 Grammy awards.
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Swift is currently re-recording her first six albums, amid a high-profile master recording dispute with music mogul Scooter Braun.