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Taylor Swift has sent fans into a tizzy with the announcement of her 12th studio album, Life Of A Showgirl. However, perhaps the biggest surprise for many is the album’s colour scheme combo: Orange and mint green.
As demonstrated by her headline-making Eras Tour (we’d be surprised if you didn’t hear about it), each of Taylor’s albums—or ‘eras’—is defined by its own colour and aesthetic.
And for TS12 (which is shorthand for Taylor Swift’s `12th studio album), orange is set to be the representative hue.
Rumours that TS12 would be orange-themed started back in 2024 when Taylor began wearing orange during her Eras Tour. As she discussed in her New Heights podcast episode, a major clue was when, at the conclusion of her tour, she exited through an orange door. “Basically, the reason I chose to exit that way, was I wanted to give a little, subliminal hint to the fans that maybe I was leaving the Eras Tour era, but I was also entering a new era.”
The first appearance of the colour orange (in Swiftie Lore), came on the 12th night of her European tour leg, fans quickly linked the colour to Taylor’s next album. “Taylor wore all orange for the 12th European show,” one Twitter user called out. “Karma (TS12) is that you calling?”
Nods to the orange colour scheme lingered throughout the rest of the tour, with Swift masterfully weaving the sunset tone into her wardrobe.
She specifically posted photos of her wearing orange tones on Instagram, including outfits she wore during a duet with Sabrina Carpenter. (Another clue, Ms Swift?)
As of late, Swift has also increasingly swapped her signature red lip for a more orange-brown shade, which she wore to last year’s MTV VMAs. Swift is also wearing the lipstick colour during her upcoming episode of Travis Kelce‘s podcast, New Heights.
But the question of why orange is an interesting one. And the dominating theory as to why Taylor Swift went with orange for TS12 pertains to her beau.
The Meaning Of Orange (…to Taylor Swift)
Speaking to Travis and Jason Kelce on their New Heights podcast, Taylor confessed that the colour reflects her joyful mood while making the album.
“It feels energetically how my life has felt,” she said. “And that album is about what was going on behind the scenes, in my inner life, during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant.
As for fan theories, the dominating suggestion is that orange is a tie to her current boyfriend, Travis Kelce.
Fans have pointed to orange being a blend of his Kansas City Chiefs uniform colours: red and yellow. Swift’s next album is also rumoured to be largely about her romance with Kelce.
Similarly, if you were to ask a colour theorist about the meaning of orange, it’s generally agreed to be a colour of warmth and enthusiasm. Per the website Very Well Mind, orange is closely associated with words like ‘uplifting’ and ‘energetic’. This could reflect Taylor’s current mood, relationship or, indeed, the personality of her paramour, whose public persona is closely aligned with such descriptors.
Associated closely with the sun (including sunrise or sunset), orange also evokes a feeling of new energy. It’s also the tone of creativity. This could signify a new style or chapter for Swift, musically.
Swift’s backup dancers have been enthusiastically messaging flaming hearts, which are acting as emblem for the orange era.
Meanwhile, in some religions, the colour orange is associated with the body’s Sacral Chakra. This is thought to be the part of us associated with creativity, pleasure, sensuality, connection and intimacy. No comment on that one.
