We're told that Republic's promo staff has begun playing a portion of Taylor Swift's forthcoming new single (which drops 4/26) to PDs and MDs, though they're requiring a few small conditions:

The programmers must listen to the track on headphones via a device that never leaves the possession of the label team.
The programmers must sign an NDA enjoining them not only not to discuss the content of the song but to deny its very existence.
The programmers must apply at least three drops of blood to a piece of parchment declaring that if they divulge any of the aforementioned, their first-born children will be forced to fetch Gary Spangler's latte for the rest of eternity.

We may have made that last part up.

Monte Lipman was sequestered in his safe room and unavailable for comment.

In any case, Taylor Swift is doing something on 4/26 and WE KNOW NOTHING. You may have noted the colorful, glittery photos on her socials and tried to puzzle all this out; we wish you luck.

Swift did make one public appearance this week. She was honored Tuesday in New York as one of the Time 100. Besides congratulating honorees such as activists Sarah Leah Whitson and Radhya al-Mutawakel, actresses Emilia Clarke and Brie Larson and soccer star Alex Morgan, Swift entertained the Jazz @ Lincoln Center crowd with solo performances of “Style,” “Delicate,” “Love Story,” “New Year’s Day” and “Shake It Off.”

Also, this is what all the vertical videos except one on Tay's Spotify page look like.