Taylor Swift’s fans are quite familiar with what they lovingly call “clowning”: connecting the dots, finding Easter eggs, and speculating about what the pop icon might be up to next, only to end up completely wrong. (Remember every time they wrongly predicted the surprise release of her new version of Reputation?) However, this time, the Swifites might be onto something, and Us Weekly is here to explain why all signs are pointing to Friday, October 18.
This week, Shawn Mendes, a previous collaborator and friend of Swift’s, took to Instagram Stories to share that he will be postponing the release of his upcoming album, Shawn, which was initially scheduled to be released on October 18th.
“Hey everyone! My team and I have made the decision to move the album release date to November 15th. We’re really excited about the opportunity to bring some fresh inspiration and new ideas to life. Thanks for your understanding and support!”
Something strange occurred next. Joe Jonas, a key figure in the extended Swift universe, unexpectedly postponed the release of his new solo album, Music for People Who Fall in Love, initially set to launch on October 18. Fans who had preordered the album received an email stating that the release would be pushed back to 2025, without a specific date provided.
The question arises: why would two prominent music artists delay the release of their highly anticipated solo albums, especially after dedicating substantial effort to promoting them? Some speculate that this decision may be linked to a forthcoming major release that would pose significant competition on the charts. Others, particularly the Swifties, suggest that Ms. Swift herself may have something planned for next Friday, coinciding with her return to the Eras Tour.
Taylor Swift is set to make her highly anticipated return to the Eras Tour stage on Friday, October 18, in Miami, kicking off the final leg of her incredibly successful tour.
On the other hand, Shawn Mendes has announced through Instagram that the release of his new album, Shawn, will be delayed by a month. Leading up to the original release date, Mendes has been treating a select group of fans to live performances of the album in intimate concerts. He also performed one of the singles at the MTV Video Music Awards and appeared on Jay Shetty’s podcast to build excitement for the upcoming release.
It’s worth noting that Mendes and Swift share a close friendship. They have collaborated on the remix of Swift’s 2019 track “Lover,” and Mendes has previously opened for Swift on the 1989 World Tour in 2015. Additionally, Mendes made a surprise guest appearance on the Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018 and authored a heartfelt tribute to Swift in TIME’s “100 Most Influential People” issue in 2019.
