We’re just a day away from the release of Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, and the 34-year-old singer’s full secret message has been revealed after a week of searching on Apple Music.
The final word of the puzzle is “mortem,” making the full message, “We hereby conduct this post mortem.”
The message was revealed via a daily word that could be found within Swift’s five playlists exclusively released on Apple Music last week, which explore the five stages of heartbreak: denial (“I Love You, It’s Ruining My Life” playlist), anger (“You Don’t Get to Tell Me About Sad” playlist), bargaining (“Am I Allowed to Cry?” playlist), depression (“Old Habits Die Screaming” playlist) and acceptance (“I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” playlist).
Of course, with the reveal of the final message, Swifties have begun to speculate what it could mean. Given the rumors that The Tortured Poets Department album title is a dig at Swift’s ex Joe Alwyn, the leading theory behind the Apple Music message is that the pop superstar will be conducting a “post mortem” on her dead relationship to figure out what caused it to end.
Another leading theory is in reference to Swift’s 2017 album Reputation, and her poem “Why She Disappeared,” in which Swift wrote: “In the death of her reputation, she truly felt alive.” With Reputation still in the works for re-release, fans believe the two albums may be related.
Swifties will have to wait until Friday (April 19) for all to be revealed with the release of The Tortured Poets Department. See the leading fan theories below.