While many Taylor Swift fans were convinced 1989 was the next album she would be re-recording, Swift did give a few signs that it would actually be Red.
Although Swift seemingly sprinkled several 1989 Easter eggs into a springtime interview with Stephen Colbert and released summer merch with a somewhat 1989 aesthetic, it was Red (Taylor’s Version) that was ultimately announced on Friday (June 18).
“This will be the first time you hear all 30 songs that were meant to go on Red. And hey, one of them is even ten minutes long. Red (Taylor’s Version) will be out November 19,” she said.
Whether you were happy or confused by the Red reveal, see some of Swift’s hints that you might have missed below.
Four Red Hearts on a Tweet
From five holes in the fence to four hearts in the tweet … sleuthing Swifties take notice. On June 6, Swift tweeted about her love for her fans in reaction to Evermore‘s return to No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with some telltale emojis.
Ending a note with four red hearts probably seems of minor importance to most people, but it it might be the most obvious signal Swift gave to fans that the re-recording of Red, which was her fourth studio album, was looming.
A Casual Use of a Red Lyric
While promoting the Evermore vinyl release earlier in June, Swift just so happened to make the most of an opportunity to reference the “like, ever” lyric from Red single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” “You guys went and did the nicest thing this week and broke the record for biggest vinyl sales week.. like ever?” she quipped.
Her Red-Era Look at the Brits
Swift’s glam look at the 2021 Brit Awards in May was all long hair, bangs and red lips straight out of 2012. Plus, the snapshots she shared with fans had a feeling and filter reminiscent of that from her original Red album art.
She Sent Olivia Rodrigo a ‘Red’ Ring
Swift generously mailed a gift to Olivia Rodrigo back in March, and what was in that package might have been one of the earliest indications that Red was on her mind: “Like 12 hours ago, I got a package from her with this like handwritten note,” Rodrigo shared with SiriusXM Hits. “And she gave me this ring because she said she wore one just like it when she wrote Red and she wanted me to have one like it.”
Swift wore a “Love” ring for her original Red album. For Red (Taylor’s Version), a custom version of that same ring design — featuring the word “Red” instead — is prominently shown on the album cover art.
Literally Winking at Swifties in This Clip
“Musically and lyrically, Red resembled a heartbroken person,” Swift said in her announcement of Red (Taylor’s Version). You could say that long story short, it was a bad time/the wrong guy/she survived — and it turns out that in a short Spotify video accompanying Evermore‘s “Long Story Short,” Swift was actually wearing the same coat and cap that became her cover look for Red (Taylor’s Version).
And in that Spotify clip, Swift winks.
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