Taylor Swift calls The Life Of A Showgirl album a ‘self-portrait’

Taylor Swift has unveiled her highly anticipated 12th studio album, The Life Of A Showgirl, telling fans the record is a “self-portrait”.

The album, expected to top charts around the world, dropped at 5am in the UK, with many Swifties likely setting early alarms to be among the first to hear it.

In a post on Instagram, the pop superstar said she was “so proud” to finally share the new record with the world.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am to share this with you, an album that just feels so right,” she captioned the photograph of herself.

“A forever thank you goes out to my mentors and friends Max and Shellback for helping me paint this self portrait.

“If you thought the big show was wild, perhaps you should come and take a look behind the curtain…”

Swift previously said she recorded it while in Europe on the Eras Tour, reuniting with producers Max Martin and Shellback.

Swift last worked with the Swedish duo in 2017 on her album Reputation but has since favoured collaborations with Jack Antonoff and The National’s Aaron Dessner.

She has already announced a music video for first track The Fate Of Ophelia and other notable track titles include Elizabeth Taylor, Opalite, Eldest Daughter and Ruin The Friendship.

Fans have speculated Opalite could be about her fiance Travis Kelce, whose birth stone is opal.

Eldest Daughter takes the fifth spot on the track list, which is always the most significant song on the album, while there has been online gossip that Ruin The Friendship could be about her relationship with Gossip Girl star Blake Lively.

Elizabeth Taylor, most likely named after the Cleopatra actress, follows in a long history of her songs referencing other famous people.

Her debut album featured track Tim McGraw, about the famous country singer, while her most recent album The Tortured Poets Department featured Clara Bow, named after the silent film actress who rose to fame in the 1920s.

She has also penned tracks about socialite Rebekah Harkness (The Last Great American Dynasty), Ethel Kennedy (Starlight), as well as numerous romantic partners, including John Mayer, Harry Styles, Joe Jonas, Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor Kennedy.

Swift will appear on the Capital Breakfast show shortly after the album is released,  joining the programme with hosts Jordan North and Sian Welby at 8am.

She will also appear on The Graham Norton Show on Friday evening, alongside Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy, Tron: Ares actors Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith, and Irish star Domhnall Gleeson.

The Life Of A Showgirl is Swift’s first record since she announced her engagement to NFL star Kelce and since she revealed in May that she had regained control over her back catalogue.

It follows 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department, which was released in the middle of her record-breaking Eras Tour.

Friday night will also see the launch of The Official Release Party Of A Showgirl in cinemas, which features the world premiere of the music video for the single The Fate Of Ophelia, as well as behind-the-scenes footage, lyric videos from the album and “cut-by-cut explanations” of what inspired the music.

The 89-minute film will be screened in cinemas around the country, with fans flocking to multiplexes to celebrate the new music together.

Many screenings are already sold out, including at the landmark Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, where showings at 8.15pm and 8.45pm are already at capacity.

Swift will follow up her UK appearances with a visit to Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show in the US on October 6.

She will also appear on Late Night With Seth Meyers on October 8, serving as the sole guest in an episode billed as the “TAY/kover”.

Swift announced her new album on the New Heights podcast, hosted by Kansas City Chiefs tight end Kelce and his brother Jason, who formerly played for the Philadelphia Eagles.