Beer & Skittles: Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) Easter Eggs

It’s been a long time coming and the wait is finally over because the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is right around the corner! 

Originally released in 2014, Taylor Swift’s fifth studio album is home to some of the biggest hits, such as “Shake It Off”, “Style”, and a fan favourite, “New Romantics”. This album marked a departure from her country roots as she ventured into pop music. 

Now, Taylor Swift’s journey takes her back in time to re-record her previous albums, culminating in the long awaited release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version). As the mastermind she is, Taylor Swift has been skillfully teasing the release of this project, while devoted Swifties have been ever-vigilant, looking out for hidden Easter eggs and cryptic clues. This collective effort has resulted in a tapestry of theories and speculations, so grab your passport and my hand as we explore some of the Easter eggs ahead of the release of the album.

“Bejeweled” Music Video

Taylor embarked on a journey through different eras of her music in the “Bejeweled” music video, which was filled with subtle Easter eggs hinting at both Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

Taylor Swift pressing a purple elevator button

In a scene, she is seen pressing a purple elevator button to the third floor, which symbolises her third album Speak Now. Following the scene, the lift is seen ascending to the fifth floor, representing her fifth album, 1989. 

A theory suggested that the order of floors that Taylor Swift had appeared in the music video suggested the order in which the re-recordings would be released – Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), then 1989 (Taylor’s Version). As we know, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) was released on July 7, so there was no question that Taylor Swift’s fifth album would receive the “Taylor’s Version” title.

Furthermore, after the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor, Taylor walks out in an outfit and a hairstyle reminiscent of her look in the “Wildest Dreams” music video, a song from 1989. This is yet another hint that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) might be next. 

“Karma” Music Video

In the opening scene of the “Karma” music video, the Midnights moonstone blue vinyl starts to spin, filling the screen with an enchanting swirl of blue glitter. The colour blue, particularly light blue, holds a significance in association with Taylor Swift’s iconic 1989 album. Throughout the 1989 era, the colour was used in tour outfits, merchandise, and in music videos such as “Out Of The Woods”. The light blue colour also reflects the imagery of beaches and blue skies, which became synonymous with the album’s visual aesthetic. So, this Easter egg could be hinting that the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) project could be coming soon.   

In the next scene, Swift appeared as a statue with “MCMLXXXIX” engraved on the pedestal. After searching, the inscriptions turned out to be “1989”, cleverly written in Roman numerals, leaving no doubt that the next re-recorded album is 1989.

“I Can See You” Music Video

The music video for “I Can See You”, a vault track from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) stands out with seemingly the most significant Easter egg.

In the final scene of the music video, Taylor is seen driving away from a museum heist in a getaway car. As the van passes under a bridge, a clearance sign above the bridge can be seen reading “1989 TV”, suggesting that we are entering the 1989 era.

The Announcement

Leading up to the much anticipated announcement of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Swfities were immersed in a whirlwind of theories. There was speculation surrounding the announcement of the album centred on the last day of the first U.S. leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which was on August 9th, 2023. The speculation arose from the fact that the date, written as 8/9, conveniently mirrored the latter half of the original album title, 1989. August 9, 2023 also holds significance as it marks 3208 days since the original release of the album. It’s worth noting that the numbers 3208 sum up to 13, which as fans know, is Taylor Swift’s favourite number. 

And the rumours weren’t terrible or cruel, but honey most of them are true, because Taylor announced the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) album on August 9 during the tour! “Here we are on the last night of the U.S. leg of the Eras Tour in the eighth month of the year on the ninth day,” she said, building up to the big announcement. 

“There’s something that I’ve been planning for a really, really, really, ridiculously embarrassingly long time. And I think instead of just telling you about it, I think I just should sort of show you something,” she continued as the cover art for 1989 (Taylor’s Version) appeared on the screens, confirming that the fourth re-recorded album would be released on October 27, exactly nine years after the original. 

The 1989 Vault Tracks

Swifties officially began their treasure hunt for the vault tracks on Google on September 19. When you type “Taylor Swift” into the search bar, a mysterious blue vault appears with a game of word search to reveal the titles of the vault tracks. Here’s how it works, according to Google:

“Search for ‘Taylor Swift’ in the Blank Space (ahem, a Search bar). Click on the blue vault and solve one of the word puzzles. It may take a second, since there are 89 puzzles to get through (á la “1989 (Taylor’s Version)”) – don’t say we didn’t warn ya! But nothing lasts forever. You’ll be helping Swifties around the world get out of the woods (or unlock the vault) as everyone collectively solves 33 million puzzles. And that’s how it works, that’s how you get the vault track titles!”

On September 20, Swifties were rewarded with four out of the five vault tracks and a recorded message from Taylor. “Oh, look! You did it! You unlocked the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) vault, and now I am so excited to share the new vault track titles with you.” The titles are:

• “Is It Over Now?”
• “Now That We Don’t Talk”
• “Say Don’t Go”
• “Suburban Legends”

As the release for 1989 (Taylor’s Version) draws near, there is an unmistakable sense of anticipation and excitement rippling through the global community of Swifties as her music never goes out of style. Perhaps what makes Taylor Swift’s musical journey all the more special is her ability to embed secret messages within her work, whether in her lyrics or visual imagery, which has created an interactive experience for fans. It is these Easter eggs and a shared sense of excitement that exemplify the unique bond between Swifties and Taylor Swift herself, making the album release a collective experience. 

Written by: Chloe

Edited by: Ruby