Taylor Swift returns

Eight days, eight hours, 17 minutes and 27 seconds, that is the time standing between April 26 and the moment I sit down to write this article. The countdown to Taylor Swift’s next comeback has begun.

The “Reputation” era was epic, don’t get me wrong. But the next Taylor Swift era will be even more impressive, if she can pull off topping her most successful and cohesive album yet. What makes me so sure that she is back on the scene? Let’s review the facts, shall we?

On Feb. 23, Swift posted a photo of her cat, Meredith, wrapped up in a blanket and captioned, “A purrito.” The colors of the sea green couch and pink pillows hinted at a new stage in Swift’s story, one of bright pinks, yellows and blues. Sparkles seem to be characteristic of Swift’s next theme as well, from the vibrant sequined romper she wore to the iHeartRadio Music Awards to the fun, shiny filters and dazzling hearts she has recently posted on her Instagram.

iHeartRadio awarded Swift with the “Tour of the Year” award for her “Reputation” Stadium Tour. As a die-hard fan and attendee of her concert in Los Angeles at the Rose Bowl on May 18, 2018, I can attest to the fact that Swift is capable of making any venue feel intimate, even the Rose Bowl arena with its capacity of 90,888.

On April 13, in true Taylor Swift style, she posted the first hint of her next release date on her Instagram in the form of a photo of a pink jeweled heart with the caption “4.26,” for April 26. Since then, she has posted four more brightly colored pictures with the same caption, which have also appeared on her Twitter, and a countdown was posted on her website.

In the latest Taylor Swift news, Time Magazine published its “100 Most Influential People” feature on April 17, and the best part is that Shawn Mendes wrote the feature on Swift as an icon. Mendes’ heartfelt words ring true, especially when he says that “Taylor makes anyone older feel young again and anyone young feel they can do anything.”

Swift seems to be diverging from her normal release schedule of a couple singles and then the full album in the fall. I think this is more than appropriate because of the light and dreamy color scheme that she is curating for her next album. The pastel colors were not as prominent in her most recent album “Reputation,” so the fact that she is returning to them gives me hope that we will see a little bit of old Taylor on this next record. If anything, her timing corresponds so perfectly with spring, and even Easter, that one might say that she is undergoing a resurrection of her own.

A quote of Swift’s that she truly lives out is, “The goal is to continue to change, and never change in the same way twice.” Swift’s seventh album is sure to embody this message by showcasing her most stunning transformation yet.