No Jack Antonoff or Aaron Dessner? Taylor Swift's playlist hints at 'The Life of a Showgirl' producer

Taylor Swift has sparked fresh speculation about her upcoming album The Life of a Showgirl with a move that points to a possible collaboration with renowned producer Max Martin.

At 12:12 a.m. on August 12, Swift officially announced her 12th studio album. Moments later, billboards appeared in New York City and Nashville linking to a newly public Spotify playlist titled “And, baby, that’s show business for you.”

The playlist, created two weeks earlier, went live shortly after the announcement.

Featuring a sparkly mint green background and orange “T.S.” initials with stars replacing the periods, the playlist contains 22 songs from Swift’s past catalogue, including "22", "Blank Space", "Style", "We Are Never Getting Back Together", and "Wildest Dreams".

Significantly, every track was produced by Max Martin, who last worked with Swift on her 2017 album Reputation. This prompted theories that Martin is returning to co-produce The Life of a Showgirl.

Martin is one of the most influential figures in modern pop, having written and produced hits for Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Pink, Katy Perry, Usher, Kesha, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Justin Timberlake, Selena Gomez, and The Weeknd.

If involved, Martin’s return could signal a strong pop direction for Swift’s upcoming project.

In the past, Swift has often worked closely with other renowned producers like Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner. While no official production credits have been confirmed for her 12th album, the curated playlist appears to be a deliberate hint at the album’s sonic influences.

With Swift’s history of embedding clues into her promotional campaigns, fans are now watching closely for further signs ahead of the album’s release.

For now, The Life of a Showgirl remains without a confirmed date, but anticipation continues to build.