KUALA LUMPUR – Taylor Swift surprised fans around the world today with the unexpected release of her secret double album titled The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD).
After sharing news of her latest and 11th album containing 16 main tracks and four bonus songs earlier today, Swift – in a matter of hours – unveiled The Anthology, which has an additional 15 songs.
“It’s a 2am surprise: The Tortured Poets Department is a secret DOUBLE album. I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here’s the second installment of TTPD: The Anthology. 15 extra songs,” Swift wrote on social media, sending shockwaves through her dedicated fanbase.
The Bad Blood singer’s double album includes new numbers such as The Black Dog, imgonnagetyouback, The Albatross, Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus, How Did It End?, So High School, I Hate It Here.
Unlike her previous albums, The Tortured Poets Department takes on a more poignant tone.
The surprise release has also sent Swift’s Malaysian fans buzzing with excitement.
Shahriena Rukhaini Mohd Shukri, a 22-year-old student from UiTM Shah Alam, said she was shocked when she found out about the news as she never expected Swift to release 31 songs in one day.
“I’ve been waiting for a long time for the album and never expected her to release a double album. Earlier, I sneaked out from my office to listen to her songs and I even finished my tasks quickly because I wanted to go to YouTube to read through the lyrics.
“I’m still listening to the songs, so far this album is hitting me right in the feels,” she said.
Nur Aqilah and Mawar Safiyah, 22, who are both students from UiTM Shah Alam, said that since the announcement of one of the variants, The Black Dog, during the concert they attended in Singapore on night three of her shows there, they have been excited and thrilled for the new album.
“During the release, which is today, my friend hosted a listening party session for us to listen together at her house. It was very memorable and bonding for all of us.
“Our first reaction for this album was that it was giving us a folklore vibe from the songs, which are very good because that was exactly what we expected from the first glance of its album cover photo. Me and my friend personally love folklore and sad songs, so TTPD is a great suit for us.
“There were thirteen songs during the first album, and now they’re a total of 31 songs when all of them are combined, so it will probably be listened to by us for some time to digest it.
“Our personal favourite song from this track so far because we have not listened to each of it is So Long London,” she said, adding that the lyrics and music were catchy.
Previously, in a heart-wrenching turn of events for Taylor Swift fans in Malaysia, the chance to see their beloved artist perform live during her Eras Tour in March slipped through their fingers as tickets to her highly anticipated concerts in Singapore sold out in a flash. – April 19, 2024