In a world where Taylor Swift could easily announce a new album at any moment, anything and everything is a clue — and that includes a seemingly innocent prerecorded awards show acceptance speech. In a pair of videos filmed for the Saturday (June 18) Las Culturistas Culture Awards, the 32-year-old pop star made a surprise appearance to give thanks for two her two wins of the night while seemingly including clues that indicate her next rerecorded album project will be 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
First accepting the “Best Taylor Swift” award for baking cookies, Swift was shown in one video — which made the show’s attendees burst into screaming cheers as soon as it started playing — wearing light blue and pulling a tray out of the oven. “I have been hard at work on this batch,” she said into the camera, revealing that it was actually a glass of wine on the baking sheet. “I’m going to enjoy it now, cheers to you.”
Just a cute, simple video, right? Wrong. Fans were quick to notice that she walked past a chalkboard sign that read “1989 Secret Session Nashville” — aka, one of the exclusive fan events she held in 2014 before the release of 1989, during which a select group of Swifties got to come over to her house, eat (ahem!) cookies she made for them herself, and hear the album from start to finish before anyone else.
But that’s not all. The “All Too Well” singer also took home the “Best Tayla Swiff” award for the mashup of “Wildest Dreams” and “Enchanted” she performed every night while on the 1989 Tour, saying in a second video: “Thank you so much for nominating me for the Tayla Swiff Award.”
“Finally somebody spelled my name right,” she joked. “I’m very honored to accept this award on behalf of the ‘Wildest Dreams/Enchanted’ mashup, which I worked really hard on. Me, Tayla Swiff.”
The now award-winning mashup was a 1989 era masterpiece, which in itself feels like a possible hint that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) will be the third of her old albums to get a revamp following Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version). But on top of that, many fans made connections between Swift’s wardrobe in the awards show videos and the visual aesthetics of her critically acclaimed fifth studio album, from her light blue vest to her blunt bangs.
“Blue vest, 1989 era bangs, obvious shorter hair (despite it being tied back),” tweeted one Swiftie. “1989 TV is coming.”
Billboard has reached out to Swift’s rep.
See fan recordings of Swift’s acceptance speech videos as well as tweets reacting to the 1989 clues below:
Taylor being honored at the @LasCulturistas awards and ACTUALLY accepting the awards!!!! #TaylorSwift @taylorswift13 pic.twitter.com/2VstpahoSL
— hannah (@hantalkstaylor) June 19, 2022
THE 1989S SECRET SESSION SIGN BEHIND HER GUYS ITS OFFICIAL 1989 IS COMING pic.twitter.com/vlaxscVUDS
— Dr. Taylor Throwbacks (@ThrowbackTaylor) June 19, 2022
1989 TV SECRET SESSIONS ARE COMING OMFG?!?! pic.twitter.com/YV3w0fINM5
— miguel (@cowboyinwoods13) June 19, 2022
1989 (Taylor's Version) is Coming? #TaylorSwift pic.twitter.com/lDQoH6rH3n
— Mundo Swift 🌎 (@MundoSwiftt) June 19, 2022
IT IS BLUE, Y'ALL. 1989 TV IS REALLY NEXT!!!!!! https://t.co/7WDB4r78yt
— love's a fragile little flame (@yanswift) June 19, 2022
Blue vest, 1989 era bangs, obvious shorter hair (despite it being tied back), 1989 SS wall thing, lifting the tray out of the oven in the same way/filmed on the same angle as in the 1989 SS video, Wildest Dreams mention…
1989 TV is coming 💙 #1989TaylorsVersion #TaylorSwift pic.twitter.com/htsr5ihXPK
— Jade (Tayla’s Version) (@tayswifttt89) June 19, 2022
SHES OPENING AN OVEN JUST LIKE IN THE 1989 SS VIDEOS/PHOTOS. SHES ALSO WEARING BLUE. pic.twitter.com/gWFix4drDv
— kara ☾ ⋆*･ (@swiftierising) June 19, 2022
