Swift,mysterious retreat

breakups, fan backlash and a feud with Kimye, Swift went into hiding – but now she’s planning a big comeback.”

In the story, a Swift “insider” confirmed that “she was trying to stay out of the media” until it was time to gin up excitement for her sixth studio album, which she’s been working on under the radar: “She hasn’t been in any of the bigger studios in Nashville, New York, LA, or London,” one source said, while another reported that “she’s aiming to release an album this fall.”

So, okay, we get it: she’s definitely releasing new music soon. Thank you, anonymous sources via tabloids. But more antennas were up on Monday, when TMZ published exclusive photos – the first sighting in months – of Swift getting on her private jet in Nashville, and visiting her mother’s house. As Swift proved with her hiatus, she’s perfectly capable of staying out of any spotlight if she wants to. What was with her sudden reappearance?

Then, Tuesday evening, it arrived: “TAYLOR’S BRIT ON THE SLY,” trumpeted the U.K. Sun, the same tabloid that first published the “kissing on a rock” photos of Swift and Hiddleston last summer. “Taylor Swift has secret Brit actor boyfriend Joe Alwyn and the pair have been dating for months.” The tabloid added that Swift’s security team “has made it a military-like mission to prevent her from being seen” as she visits Alwyn in the United Kingdom, where he lives with his parents.

Aside from the immediate reaction (“Who?”), the news just raised more questions. Swift made a concerted effort with her last album, “1989,” to move on from the narrative that she only writes songs about her boyfriends. With a sudden rush of stories about her new music in the same week that it’s revealed she’s dating someone, doesn’t it seem like that’s exactly what’s she’s doing again?

Swift is a master at image management – does she know how this looks? Does she care? Is all of this going to tie together for a bigger reason, or is Swift taking baby steps back into the spotlight because she’s a celebrity and that’s what they do?

If there’s one thing we know, Swift does everything for a reason – and it looks like we’ll only have a few more months to find out what it is. – Washington Post