Taylor Swift surprised fans around the world on Saturday by livestreaming a mashup of her songs “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” and “Dress” from Singapore. The livestream, titled “A message from the department,” was broadcasted directly from Swift’s official Instagram account. The mashup, which was not accompanied by any explanation, delighted fans who eagerly watched the performance.
The livestream took place during the first of six Eras Tour dates in Singapore, specifically during what Swift referred to as the “crazy acoustic section” of the concert. This section is known for featuring surprise songs or mashups, and Swift did not disappoint her fans. She is scheduled to perform at the Singapore National Stadium on March 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9.
During the livestream, fans also noticed that Taylor Swift’s official webstore was temporarily inaccessible. The store was blacked out and could only be accessed with a site admin’s password. This led to speculation among fans that something new might be launching for sale. However, as of now, the webstore is back up and running with no new products.
The message that appeared alongside the livestream, “a message from the department,” is a reference to Swift’s upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, set to be released on April 19. The message was concluded with a black heart emoji, adding to the intrigue surrounding the album.
Swift has already announced three variants of the album, each featuring a different bonus track. These variants are titled “The Manuscript,” “The Bolter,” and “The Albatross.” She revealed the latter two editions at previous tour dates in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. Fans speculated that another announcement might be made during the first Singapore concert, potentially revealing a fourth bonus song. However, no such announcement was made.
The choice of songs for the livestream, as well as the fact that only a mashup was streamed and not her full acoustic set, led fans to theorize that Swift may have been dropping hints related to her previous album, Reputation. Known for her love of Easter eggs, Swift’s actions in Singapore only fueled the speculation.
“I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” is a duet between Swift and Zayn Malik, originally released in December 2016 and featured on the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack. “Dress” is track number 12 on Swift’s sixth studio album, Reputation, which was released in November 2017.
Swift has been re-recording her previous albums, releasing what she calls “Taylor’s Version” of each album. However, she has yet to release the re-recordings of Reputation and her debut self-titled album. No release dates have been announced for these re-recordings.
In addition to the livestreamed mashup, Swift also performed a mashup of her songs “Mine” and “Starlight” during the concert. Although this performance was not livestreamed on her official account, it was captured by others in the stadium.
Overall, Taylor Swift’s surprise livestream from Singapore left fans excited and speculating about what surprises she may have in store for them with her upcoming album and future performances.
