The announcement very few saw coming came at the 2022 Video Music Awards by Taylor Swift who took home Video of the Year. During her speech, the music icon announced her tenth studio album titled Midnights. The album set to be released in October was a surprise to many because of the fact that her recent activity has been the re-recording her first seven albums in which she did not own. 

On her instagram, Swift revealed that there will be thirteen tracks on the album along with a statement saying “We lie awake in love and in fear, in turmoil and in tears. We stare at the walls and drink until they speak back. We twist in our self-made cages and pray that we aren’t – right this minute – about to make some fateful life – altering mistake. This is a collection of music of terrors and sweet dreams. The floors we pace and the demons we face. For all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching – hoping that just maybe, when the clock strikes twelve… we’ll meet ourselves. Midnights, the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life will be out October 21. Meet me at midnight.” Knowing the meticulous Ms. Swift, many believe that the titles of the songs are in the statement above.  The artist has also changed the background graphics of her songs on spotify to contain lyrics mentioning midnight along with a clock containing the colors blue, red, yellow, and green signifying her different albums.

The date of her announcement also holds great significance. The announcement came just five years after the release of her single “Look What You Made Me Do” from her 2017 album Reputation which is a song many believe to be in response to her 2009 drama with Kanye West. During the 2009 VMAs West interrupted Taylor Swift’s speech for Video of the year to say that Beyonce deserved it more. This scandal created a lot of controversies and put a divide between the two artists. Taylor Swift was able to announce TS10 at the same event where her accomplishments were discredited almost 13 years ago. 

Taylor Swift has mentioned the notion of the middle of the night in many of her songs from all periods of her music. From her first studio album debut to her most recent re-release of her album Red (Taylors Version, Swift incorporates lyrics from the middle of the night leaving many fans frustrated they did not see this album coming sooner.