Taylor Swift has kept her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, tightly guarded, with only five people allowed to hear it in full so far. Even some of the people who worked on the project haven’t been given access, as reported by Page Six.

“Everyone, from the writers, producers, studio engineers and studio interns went through a rigorous vetting process to make sure they could be trusted,” an insider told the Daily Mail on Monday. “Everyone was asked to sign ironclad NDAs and weren’t even allowed to discuss their contribution with family and friends. She really wants to keep it safe for her fans.”
Only 5 people heard newly recorded album
Swift recorded the album quietly in Sweden with producers Max Martin and Shellback while taking breaks from her Eras Tour. Her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, confirmed on his New Heights podcast that he has heard the full record. According to the Daily Mail, the four other people with access are Swift’s longtime publicist Tree Paine, an unnamed studio engineer, Martin and Shellback.
“They used a program which indicates if files have been shared with anyone outside of that core group,” the insider added. “She made her label wait to hear the album as she didn’t want any disturbances.”
Also Read: Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl: All you need to know about new album
Kelce praised the project on his show, calling it a major shift in Swift’s sound. “I’ve been fortunate enough to hear every single song on here, so I know they’re all 12 bangers,” he said. “It’s a lot more upbeat and it’s a lot more, like, fun pop excitement. I think it’s a complete 180 from a lot of the songs on Tortured Poets for sure.”
Zoë Kravitz also admitted she’s heard parts of the record. “It’s fantastic, of course. No skips,” she told Extra. When interviewer Tommy DiDario noted that was rare, Kravitz replied, “For her, it’s not.”
Swift herself has described The Life of a Showgirl, due out Oct. 3, as a stark contrast to The Tortured Poets Department. “Life is more upbeat,” she said on New Heights. She added that her goal this time was to create “melodies that were so infectious that you’re almost angry at it, and lyrics that are just as vivid, but crisp and focused and completely intentional.”