Taylor Swift Announces Surprise Album 'Folklore' Recorded In Isolation

Quarantine has kept Taylor Swift busy in the studio because the pop titan just announced a surprise album, folklore.

On Thursday (July 23), the pop titan took to Instagram to share the multi-post announcement with the cover art, track listing and additional details to the new collection, which drops on Friday. "Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening, but there is something I hadn’t planned on that DID happen. And that thing is my 8th studio album, folklore," Swift wrote in the post. "Tonight at midnight I’ll be releasing my entire brand new album of songs I’ve poured all of my whims, dreams, fears, and musings into."

While folklore clocks in at 16 tracks on the standard edition, the physical deluxe versions of the set will include a bonus track called "the lakes." The LP follows 2019's Lover and features collaboration credits from The National's Aaron Dessner, William Bowery, Bon Iver, and Jack Antonoff.

"Before this year I probably would’ve overthought when to release this music at the ‘perfect’ time, but the times we’re living in keep reminding me that nothing is guaranteed," she continued. "My gut is telling me that if you make something you love, you should just put it out into the world. That’s the side of uncertainty I can get on board with. Love you guys so much."

In conjunction with the release, Swift will drop the music video for the set's lead single, "cardigan," on Thursday night. In a follow-up post, the chart-topper revealed that she filmed the self-directed clip, alongside her "brilliant, bad ass video team," before name-dropping each and every one of them. "The entire shoot was overseen by a medical inspector, everyone wore masks, stayed away from each other, and I even did my own hair, makeup, and styling," she concluded the message with a laughing emoji.

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