Taylor Swift Is In Her Squad Era Again

Taylor Swift is taking us back to 1989, and not just with the upcoming “Taylor’s Version” re-recording of her 2014 album. Even while she’s on a break from her never-ending Eras Tour, the singer is more omnipresent than ever — and all she’s doing is going out with some of her famous friends.

The tabloid attention is starting to become eerily reminiscent of the 1989 era, otherwise known as Swift’s “squad era” — and perhaps that’s completely intentional ahead of 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

In the lead-up to her first pop album, Swift fought back against the public scrutiny of her dating life and made it clear that her friends were all she needed. Anytime that she was spotted by paparazzi, she was usually with one of her good gal pals from the industry, from Gigi Hadid and Karlie Kloss to Lorde and Lena Dunham. Even though many of them didn’t interact with each other outside of being Swift’s mutual friend, the whole group became collectively known as Swift’s squad.

You can argue that the squad was used against Swift in the build-up to her 2016 backlash, which eventually led to Reputation, and just like most aspects of her life, she began to keep her friendships private. But as Swift’s version of 1989 is on the horizon, coming out on the ninth anniversary of the original album, today’s squad is back out in full force. (And if it leads to backlash yet again, at least it sets the stage perfectly for Reputation TV).

“Bad Blood” Music Video

The singer formally made the squad a part of the 1989 era when she featured some of them in interludes during her 1989 World Tour, with friends like Kloss and Haim talking about their friendship.

The squad hit its peak with the “Bad Blood” video in July 2015, with Swift assembling a literal squad of musicians, actors, and model friends, and giving them all an action-fighting alter-ego to battle her enemy, played by BFF Selena Gomez. The star-studded clip won Video of the Year at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, which she also attended with many of the video’s stars.

NYC Squad Nights Out

After announcing the new album at her Los Angeles show on Aug. 9 (get it, 8/9?), Swift has been galavanting around New York like it’s 2014 again, hitting up some of the city’s most buzzy restaurants and bars with familiar friends like Hadid, Blake Lively, and the sisters Haim. Most notably, she walked to dinner arm-in-arm with Sophie Turner just days after Joe Jonas, one of Swift’s famous exes, filed for divorce from Turner, which was considered a power move for both of them.

Football Sunday Hangs

In perhaps her most squad-like move since 2014, Swift enlisted Turner, Lively, and more of her closest pals to watch her rumored beau, NFL athlete Travis Kelce, play at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Oct. 1, making it her most public hang-out with famous friends since the “Bad Blood” video. With 1989 (TV) coming just a few weeks later, the timing could not have been better for ultimate squad vibes.

The only difference between this tabloid era and 2014 is that Swift actually might be in a relationship this time, having attended two of Kelce’s football games in recent weeks. However, Kelce made it clear that their relationship is new and private, and given how she skipped his Oct. 8 Kansas City Chiefs game, she seems determined to keep whatever happens between them out of the public eye — just like how she refused to let her love life be on public display before releasing 1989.

Will 1989 Reign Supreme Again?

Swift is simply living her life and doing more casual things than everyone does with their friends, famous or otherwise, but the 1989 squad vibes are undeniable and impeccably timed.

That said, it’s not like Swift needs any help selling 1989 (TV). The original album became her second record to win the Grammy for Album of the Year, after achieving milestone sales records in its first week and beyond. “Taylor’s Version” is expected to follow suit, potentially even tying the original album’s debut of over one million in sales. History usually repeats itself, especially when it comes to Swift’s eras.