Taylor Swift's Piano Playing by Itself at Concert Sparks Conspiracy Theory

Video footage of Taylor Swift's piano playing by itself during a concert has made some fans share the conspiracy theory that she was discreetly introducing her 11th album.

The singer-songwriter, 33, is in the middle of her sold-out international roadshow, The Eras Tour. It made a stop at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Sunday night.

In video footage shared on social media by fans, Swift was seen sitting at the piano to perform the second of two surprise songs for attendees. Then, while the singer was speaking with the crowd, the instrument malfunctioned and played low notes by itself.

"Did you hear that?" a stunned Swift asked the audience. "Is that happening for you, too? I didn't play that." When the piano began to play by itself again, Swift decided to give up on her plan to perform a song on guitar.

Taylor Swift piano video sparks fan theory
Taylor Swift is pictured performing during "The Eras Tour" at Nissan Stadium on May 6, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. A viral video showing her piano playing by itself has sparked a fan theory. John Shearer/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Explaining the cause of the phantom moment, Swift told her fans that there had been a torrential downpour when she performed at the same venue the night before.

"Long story short, I get to my acoustic set to play last night," she said. "You know when you've been in a bath for too long and your fingers are so pruned? Like, I looked at my fingers trying to fret and play guitar, and it was like I'd been in a bath for two-and-a-half hours of lukewarm water. It was, like, pruned."

The chart-topping "Shake If Off" singer added that "it rained a lot last night, like a monsoon... Literally, it was like a water park under the stage."

A clip of the moment was shared on Twitter, where it has been viewed more than 14 million times. While Swift gave a clear enough explanation of the piano moment, it didn't stop fans from theorizing that she was discreetly introducing her 11th album.

"This was planned guys, remember nothing is accidental," tweeted one fan, while another wrote that "she is teasing a TS11 song.. I just know it.. She is a MASTERMIND."

Admitting that they were under the impression the moment was a skit to introduce one of her hits, another wrote on Twitter: "I was there. I thought it was planned and she was going to do 'Haunted.'"

Making the same reference, another twitted: "Oh my god! There's a ghost in the machine! I think the piano is Haunted!"

Other Twitter users reacted with comedic theories as to what caused the issue, with one commenting that "Nicki Minaj sent someone to damage the piano out of jealousy."

In an apparent reference to Swift's ex-boyfriend Harry Styles, another tweeted: "[I don't know] how but this somehow is Harry's fault."

One fan tweeted video footage of the downpour that had engulfed the stage the night before, showing Swift wiping away sheets of rain from the instrument.

During her rainsoaked show on Saturday, Swift gushed to fans about her happiness, amid reports that she is dating The 1975 frontman Matty Healy.

"I kind of just feel like telling you... I've just never been this happy in my life, in all aspects of my life, ever," she told the audience, per Billboard. "And I just want to thank you for being a part of that.

"It's not just the tour. I just sort of feel like my life finally feels like it makes sense," Swift added.

The Eras Tour represents different stages throughout the singer's career, and it has not been without its mishaps.

The bottom of one of her dresses seemed to get stuck in the stage during a show in March. Fan account @VIsOnCorneliaSt posted a video to Twitter that showed the singer performing in a long, flowing pink dress.

As the song came to an end, Swift stood up to go backstage, but the bottom of the dress didn't move with her and appeared to be stuck on the grass-like set. The singer was then seen struggling to free the dress off what seems to be an almost-invisible cable keeping her attached to the stage. Swift then removed a white belt from her waist, before turning to smile at the audience and heading backstage.

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Ryan Smith is a Newsweek Senior Pop Culture and Entertainment Reporter based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more

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