Taylor Swift Explains Woodvale Theory Was Mistake

Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock.

Just days after the release of evermore, Taylor Swift has debunked an increasingly popular theory about a hypothetical third quarantine album called woodvale. But fans shouldn’t put away their sleuthing hats and magnifying glasses just yet — there’s something fishy about the whole thing.

On December 14, Swift told Jimmy Kimmel Live! host Jimmy Kimmel that the pretty convincing clue that led fans to believe that there was more to come was actually a mistake. After the singer released her folklore sister album evermore on December 11, Swifties spotted the word "woodvale" in evermore's artwork.

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For fans, the pieces quickly started coming together. First, they realized that Woodvale is an actual place located near the UK Lake District she references in folklore bonus track "The Lakes." Then they noticed that Swift has released merchandise like cardigans, scrunchies, and candles in sets of three, and even found that if you search "woodvale" on Spotify, Swift's name comes up.

why taylor swift is releasing ‘woodvale’; a thread: pic.twitter.com/wqey6dbRv7
— ryan (@wiIIowpov) December 11, 2020

But the singer told Kimmel that "Woodvale" was actually the "fake code name" she used for folklore before she told anyone the real album title (evermore's was "November"), and she had simply just forgotten to take it out of the album artwork before she released it. “[I] wanted to see how [titles] would look on the album covers, mocked them up, then decided I don’t actually want to have a title on the album cover. And we forgot to take the fake code name off of one of them.”

Swift has been in the game for more than a decade — she isn't known to make mistakes. It also still doesn't explain the trio of merch. So, here's an alternate theory: Swifties noticed that while she was emphatic that the "Woodvale" thing was a mistake, she didn't quite answer or deny Kimmel's questions and theories about a third album. So maybe there is a third quarantine album on the way, but it's just called something else.

So WOODVALE isn’t TS10’s title. It’s something
She never denied the 3rd album part of that theory.
This lady is so good at steering away from parts of questions not to answer. I think TS10 (CRAZY WE ARE IN DOUBLE DIGITS NEXT ALBUM) will come sooner then later. Like within 2021.
— Bellaswiftie4life (@BellaSwiftfan13) December 15, 2020

It's not over, see her expressions are sus. When she did the heart thingy, she's denied that there is no 3rd album... But I know she's tired so yess I understand. Love you taytay ❤️❤️
— concorde (@zyrky_g) December 15, 2020

There's a lot to unpack in this clip.. but the three syllables comment really left me 👀.
— Bess Scully (@bessscully) December 15, 2020

She never said there wasn’t a 3rd. She just said she’s tired. Yeah, because she’s cranking out a 3rd!
— Megan the Klutz (@msmeganl) December 15, 2020

"Jimmy I'm so tired," Swift said in response to Kimmel's jokes about the third album's name. "I'm just so exhausted, I've tired myself out."

No, Taylor we're tired of being clowns! Tell us the truth already!

The great mystery of Woodvale is finally solved! @TaylorSwift13 #TaylorOnKimmel pic.twitter.com/KMSy0vOK16
— Jimmy Kimmel Live (@JimmyKimmelLive) December 15, 2020

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