Valley’s ‘Tortured Poets’ fully embracing new Taylor Swift album

It felt appropriate to write about Swifties celebrating the release of “The Tortured Poets Department” by streaming the album. To the joy or dismay of many Americans, Taylor Swift and her art have come to define pop culture.

The release of her latest album last weekend — which included 31 new songs, rather than the previously confirmed 16 main and four bonus tracks — launched listening parties and theme events across the country, the Rio Grande Valley included.

Gabbyritas in La Feria offered the specialty margarita The Tortured Poet, a mix of piña colada and purple haze. Hands in Art Studio in Mission hosted an album release party with friendship bracelet supplies. Suerte Bar & Grill Uptown in McAllen created its La Tortured Kitty margarita in celebration. Craft Social, inside Mercado District, offered canvas painting, with a variety of Tay Tay designs.

TS lovers across the Valley embraced the music, which includes the tracks “Fortnight” with Post Malone, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?” and “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can).”

Brianda Ramirez, 33, is a member of the Swifties of the RGV/956 group on Facebook.

“(I) listened alone as soon as it dropped and stayed up all night,” the Pharr resident said.

Ramirez named “The Black Dog,” “The Bolter” and “How Did It End” as her favorite tunes.

“In my opinion, it’s her best work.”

Kuh Garza also listened alone, the Swiftie said.

“I can’t name a favorite yet, but ‘Down Bad,’ ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’ and ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ are on my repeat list right now.”

LA SWIFTIES

In Los Angeles, fans packed a rented-out photo studio for a listening party.

The event, organized by the SoCal Swifties Club, drew dozens of women of all ages and a handful of men dressed in moody black-and-white ensembles who sipped on themed cocktails, swapped friendship bracelets and speculated whether tracks on the new album were “Joe songs” or “Matty songs,” referring to the singer’s most recent exes, fellow artists Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy.

“I think we are intense, and I’m going to own that,” said Joy Pangilinan, who founded the SoCal Swifties Club in September 2023 after attending the Eras Tour. “I think it’s because we’re passionate. I know we get criticized a lot, but like Taylor says, ‘Forget the haters.’ We’re living as our truest selves.”

BREAKING RECORDS

Billboard reports “The Tortured Poets Department” sold 1.4 million copies in its first day.

On Spotify, the album’s countdown page broke the streaming service’s record for most pre-saves in history, and it saw the most single-day album streams at 300 million. Additionally, “Fortnight” became Spotify’s most-streamed song in a single day on April 19.

The LP had the largest sales week for an album on vinyl in modern history — 700,000 — which ended the reign for Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” in 2023.

Kaitlyn Huamani of the Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.

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