Taylor Swift might just have cracked her famous poker face. Following the announcement of her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl," whispers have emerged that the singer has been discreetly "liking" social media posts brimming with fan theories, one of which intriguingly suggests a subtle connection between her new record and Lady Gaga. The buzz ignited when Swifties observed that Lady Gaga had released her song "Applause" precisely 12 years prior on August 12—the very same day Taylor unveiled her 12th album. Could there be another unseen thread tying these two artists together? It seems so, as Taylor included "Applause" in her intro playlist for the Eras Tour, with the track playing mere minutes before she graced the stage each evening.
"Is this sheer madness or is she genuinely certifiable?" penned a fan on August 11, to which Taylor allegedly granted a like, as evidenced by a screenshot shared by the user, subtly hinting that her hidden Easter Egg had been meticulously planned years ago.
While Taylor has remained tight-lipped about the specifics of her 12th album, which she teased in a clip ahead of her August 13 appearance on Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce's "New Heights" podcast, collaborations between Taylor and Gaga have sparked rumors before. Back in March, when Lady Gaga unleashed her album "Mayhem," fans swore they detected Taylor's vocals on the track "How Bad Do U Want Me," prompting comparisons to her 2022 song "Hits Different."
One fan enthused, "How Bad Do U Want Me is essentially a Taylor Swift tune in disguise," while another speculated that the song hailed straight from Taylor's renowned vault of unreleased gems, pondering, "Why was Gaga dipping into Taylor's vault?"
However, Taylor was not credited on the track, and sources told Us Weekly and Page Six that rumors of her involvement were unfounded. But Taylor, known for her unexpected surprises, might just pull off a collaboration with the pop icon, especially as fans anticipate an album brimming with "glitter gel pen" pop songs. This possibility gained traction after Taylor released a Spotify playlist on August 12, featuring 22 of her songs produced by Max Martin and Shellback, the geniuses behind hits like "Bad Blood," "I Knew You Were Trouble," and "Delicate."
Another potential collaboration fans are buzzing about? A tune with Eras Tour opening act Sabrina Carpenter. After all, the "Espresso" hitmaker was spotlighted in the 12th photo in Taylor Nation's August 11 post hinting at the new album, captioned, "Thinking about when she said 'See you next era…'" While the first 11 photos depicted Taylor donning orange, the final photo captured the duo belting out tunes together. Another telltale clue resides on Sabrina's website homepage, emblazoned with the date "August 12th, 2025." Swifties on social media were swift to notice the connection, with one exclaiming, "EXCUSE ME???? A SABRINA COLLAB IS REAL."
