Taylor Swift revealed her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, during an episode of the New Heights podcast, hosted by her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, and his brother Jason. The full episode is scheduled to premiere at 7 p.m. ET (00:00 a.m. BST) on Thursday, August 13, 2025, across all major podcast platforms, providing fans a unique chance to experience the album announcement firsthand through the Travis Kelce Taylor Swift podcast.
This marks Swift’s first appearance on the show since the couple began dating, approximately two years ago. While the album is now available for pre-order, the official release date has yet to be disclosed.
Insights into Taylor Swift’s Unexpected Album Announcement
Teasing her album release, Swift’s promotional team stirred anticipation on August 11, 2025, with a series of 12 photos on social media accompanied by the caption:
Thinking about when she said ‘see you next era’.
Later that day, a countdown on her official website set the stage for the announcement, culminating at 12:12 a.m. ET (05:12 a.m. BST) on August 12. Travis Kelce then confirmed on the podcast that Swift would be a guest on the forthcoming episode.
A preview clip of the announcement depicted Swift holding a record case labeled TS before lifting the veil on the blurred cover art of her new album. She confirmed the album’s title as The Life of a Showgirl and immediately opened pre-orders. However, no official release date was shared.
Buyers who placed pre-orders through her website were notified that albums would ship before October 13, 2025, but cautioned that
this is not the release date.
Media outlets such as The Sun and BBC highlighted the significance of Swift choosing her partner’s podcast to announce a major project, noting this is a departure from her history of publicising albums linked with past relationships.
After a relatively subdued start to 2025, Swift’s announcement follows her recent acquisition of the rights to her first six albums from Shamrock Capital, concluding a long-running dispute. These rights were initially controlled by Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings. Since vowing to re-record her early catalog, Swift released four out of six planned Taylor’s Versions, with no dates set for the remaining two.
Swift’s previous album, The Tortured Poets Department, set a record on Spotify in April 2024 for the most single-day streams, as reported by the BBC. Additionally, her Eras tour concluded in December 2024 after 149 shows across 53 cities, with ticket sales in the UK reaching nearly 1.2 million, including eight concerts at Wembley Stadium. These performances reportedly added around £1 billion to the UK economy.
Personal Developments in Taylor Swift’s Relationship with Travis Kelce
Alongside her album revelation, it was reported by The Sun that Swift and Kelce recently took a significant step in their relationship by house-hunting in Cleveland, Ohio. The couple viewed two upscale properties in the city’s affluent eastern suburbs.
A local source from Cleveland Scene described the neighborhood as wealth abundant, where
babies are born with fully funded 529 accounts.
This suggests a secure and prosperous environment, suitable as a long-term home.
Kelce confirmed he plans to play through the 2025 NFL season before retiring, hinting that their property search may be preparation for life after his football career ends.
What to Expect Next from The Life of a Showgirl and the Podcast Reveal
While the exact release date of The Life of a Showgirl remains unknown, the pre-order availability and the podcast reveal imply an autumn launch. Fans eagerly awaiting more details will be able to hear from Swift directly when the New Heights episode airs on August 13, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET (00:00 BST).
This episode is anticipated to offer an intimate and unscripted interaction between Swift and Kelce, providing early insights into her new album and their personal dynamic. The collaboration represents a fresh angle on how Swift engages with her audience, intertwining her personal life and professional milestones through the Travis Kelce Taylor Swift podcast platform.