Taylor Swift Opens the Vault for "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" — But Who Is the Album About?

Now that Taylor Swift has released another re-recorded album "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" on July 7, 2023, she is on the way to passing Jay-Z for the longest string of chart-topping LPs with a record of 12 number one albums in a row. Taylor also added new tracks from the vault onto the re-recorded album, which seem to fit into her new release quite nicely.

Following the release, the singer continues to be busy with the Eras Tour, having announced on Instagram an additional 14 new European tour dates on July 5, 2023. Taylor will also be joined by Paramore for these shows — not a major coincidence considering Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams is featured on the new "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" track "Castles Crumbling".

The re-release of Taylor's 2010 album "Speak Now" is bringing back fan-favorite songs that still seemingly speak for themselves after all these years. Let's look back and reminisce on what Taylor's album "Speak Now" is really about.

The singer's third studio album includes popular songs such as "Mean" and "Mine". However, it also includes fan-favorite tracks such as "Back to December" and "Dear John", which were reportedly inspired by Taylor's previous boyfriends Taylor Lautner and John Mayer.

While popular songs on "Speak Now" were said to have been talking about her ex-boyfriends, Taylor's controversial and slightly altered hit "Better Than Revenge" is rumored to be about Camilla Belle, who dated Taylor's ex-boyfriend Joe Jonas from late 2008 to mid-2009.

Fast forwarding to 2023, Taylor doesn't share a "who" when it comes to what her re-recorded album is about. She did however bring up what she wrote about when creating the original fourteen-track album.

"It’s an album I wrote alone about the whims, fantasies, heartaches, dramas and tragedies I lived out as a young woman between 18 and 20," she tweeted. "I recorded this album when I was 32 (and still growing up, now) and the memories it brought back filled me with nostalgia and appreciation."

Taylor has had several people appear as surprise guests on her tour, including Phoebe Bridgers and her now ex-boyfriend Matty Healy. However, fans at her July 7, 2023 show in Kansas City got the surprise of a lifetime when her "Back to December" inspiration Taylor Lautner appeared with Joey King on stage.

Shortly before Taylor's ex came to the stage, she referred to him as "a very positive force" in her life while she was recording "Speak Now" and called him and his wife Taylor Dome some of her closest friends.

Although it's unknown just how close she is to other inspirations behind "Speak Now", these relationships may not be as cheery, especially since "Dear John" on the new release, according to the Los Angeles Times, remains "fantastically savage."

Taylor's album "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" is now available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music. Fans can also follow and receive tour updates at Taylor's Instagram handle @taylorswift.