Why I think Reputation (TV) featuring the lost album Karma (From The Vault) is coming
Hello! I had first posted this to r/Gaylor_Swift before I had permissions to post here, but I really really wanted to put this here as well. Did you hear about the girl who lives in delusion? Enjoy, and please let me know your thoughts!
I think that Reputation (Taylor’s Version) is going to include Karma, the lost album. I came to this conclusion about two days ago, and I have also become convinced that the mythologized lost album Karma is, in fact, real, and maybe locked in lowercase inside a vault. Join me on some points that I first gathered from TikTok and then others that came from a butterfly effect of realization.
Disclaimer: I don’t claim to be the first to come up with any of these theories. These are all things I have found, have realized, and have convinced me. Like one discovery begets another realization begets an epiphany. Some of these may in fact be theories that have already been discussed on this sub but that I have not yet seen. The objective of this essay is to put my thoughts into sequence and see if anyone else sees what I’m seeing. Let’s begin.
1. Red Era Anagrams
I’m going to begin with what was I personally see as the smoking gun. Before this, I was back and forth, what if it is, what if it isn’t. This is the first thing that has 100% solidified it for me.
A few days ago I saw a Tik Tok by creator Nikki (nikkiking23) who has previously made videos regarding the 112 theory. Here is the link to her playlist where she explains the theory. Here is also a post that I found about this theory.
The relevance here is the Red era shirts that she wore at the start of the tour. When rearranged, the words in red spell ONE TWELVE REAVER. Taylor had 112 songs stolen, and to reave means to rob, deprive one of, or to recover or reacquire, depending on how it’s used.
A LOT, NEVER EVER, and EW are theorized to be an anagram for ONE TWELVE REAVER.
Now bear with me. In this video, Nikki dives into the four shirts that were on rotation during her four Paris shows, which I will explain.
The words in red are IS NOT, ME, TROUBLE and A LOT.
If you rearrange the letters - every single one of them and without using any of them twice - they make up the words ENTIRE LOST ALBUM TOO.
This is too crazy a coincidence and I don't think this is something pulled out of thin air. A Rep and Karma double album is surely an interesting idea, considering that Karma allegedly was the album she wanted to release in 2017, but the downfall of her public image instead led her to retreat from public view, shelving Karma (and a potential coming out) and putting out Reputation instead.
And not just “entire lost album,” but “entire lost album TOO.” After thinking about this for maybe too long, I had my second light bulb, below.
2. Two Karmas on the graffiti wall in The Man.
Karma twice - in both orange and black.
We know there is a lot going on here on this wall, but I would like to bring attention to the fact that Karma is not just on the wall twice, but in two colors — one in black and one in orange. As we know, black = reputation, karma = orange. Two Karmas? Two albums. Perhaps a double album. Onto the next light bulb.
3. Karma is the fire in your house.
I’m sure we’re well acquainted with the Lover house burning down. Also, it’s safe to say that fire is orange.
Karma was also the last song on the setlist, during which a visibly orange door comes down from above. Since the start of tour, fans have been indubitably curious about this orange door and what it means, and I know that many fans were waiting to see if she would walk through this orange door after the last show, almost sure she would. I thought this too. But in retrospect, walking through the door with her famous cunning grin and “into the next era” would have been way too obvious. It is obvious, however, that there was an orange door, and what if I told you none of it was accidental?
Karma ft. Ice Spice was a bit of a wildcard. But some of the new lyrics are worth noting.
So… for all intents and purposes, karma is fire. I think it also burned down the Lover house. And it's going to pop up unnanounced.
Funnily enough, there is something else that Taylor referred to as being “fire”…
4. TIME Person of the Year
Let me get to the point here. Over a year ago, Taylor teased Rep (TV) all over her TIME article and here’s what she said about the vault tracks:
Fire, like how we’ve established that karma is fire? The vault tracks will be.....Karma?
Based on this, it sounds like Reputation and Karma are coming together.
5. Thank you, Aimee.
This last point is more of a personal analysis. Now bear with me. I always thought this was definitely….a choice, and it almost seems out of place on the Anthology, or TTPD at all.
We all know Taylor used to hide secret messages in the lyric pamphlets pre-1989. It’s interesting that she would bring back this tactic in this case. It’s also interesting that she would choose to make a clear jab at Snakegate and the parties behind it. Besides being cheeky and petty, and knowing that it would most definitely cause a stir in the headlines, why would she put such obvious tells in this song? Maybe because it was something that we know Taylor is a fan of... a red herring?
There are some particular lyrics that have stuck out to me for a while, and now suddenly have become very relevant to this theory. I would like to bring attention to part of the chorus:
And I couldn't wait to show you it was real.
So while her image and public life (or, what she wanted the public to see — the media is playing checkers and Taylor is playing chess) was being ridiculed, scrutinized, picked apart, speculated upon, etc…. she was building something. And I couldn’t wait to show you it was real. What’s real? Perhaps her legacy, as she throws out in the bridge — “I built a legacy that you can’t undo” — but this just seems anticlimactic. We already know her legacy is real. So why say that she “couldn’t wait to show you it was real”?
It seems that she is building something that we don’t know about. Because many people don’t know (or think) that it’s real.
What’s real, you ask?
Cool. Now let’s unpack another part of the bridge.
As alleged, had she not retreated from the public eye in 2016, Karma would have been released as TS6 and not shelved. This would have definitely changed the trajectory of her career as we know it today. We likely wouldn't have Reputation, in addition to several other eras with themes inspired by her experiences during this time — a time that is safe to say didn’t necessarily go according to plan. The plan had been Karma.
As Taylor stands at the precipice of her field, on top of the world, higher than she was even after 1989 when she thought she’d made it to the top, with an undeniable legacy, cultural and economical and artistic impact…if she is planning what I think she is planning — Reputation (TV) alongside the long mythologized Karma (from the vault) — well, to put it plainly, that’s going to be huge. Some longtime fans will be gagged that they were wrong. Some are not going to believe that their suspicions were correct (aka me). Some are not going to see this coming at all. And that’s barely the tip of the iceberg.
And there wouldn't be this. If there hadn't been you.
As for who "you" is, it may well be the media or public scrutiny (or, French for "beloved"? Interesting). It might even just be Kim and Kanye despite some theories that they were a scapegoat. I can’t think of what else KIM would stand for (”Karma Is ME!”....nvm). But surely, Taylor is saying thank you here. Thank you, because, despite the pain, if I had released Karma back then, I wouldn't be where I am now. And to release Karma now, after having so much more time to plan and build, is going to have even wider and more magnitude of impact than it would have if released in 2016/17. Thank you, Aimee.
6. The yellow brick road leads to Karma.
Very funny that she would post her Vancouver recap while I'm finishing this post. At first I was confused because to continue the yellow brick road grid, she would have to have posted a yellow outfit photo next. Yellow brick road leads to….end of the Eras tour?
It clicked for my friend first, and now my mind is blown. The song in the photo is Karma. The yellow brick road leads to Karma.
In conclusion, Karma is real, and I think it’s coming with Reputation.