Chicago (CBS) — A crew climbed onto a scissor lift Tuesday to install a mysterious new mural in the North River — and it's garnering attention from Swifties everywhere.
The mural was unveiled on the side of the building on the southeast corner of the Chicago Medical Society Building on Grand Avenue Dearborn, facing east on Grand Avenue above the parking lot.
It consists of the number 13 and the letters “TTPD” written several times in a font that evokes a typewriter. “TTPD” appears in upper and lower case letters.
In the middle, typewriter style letters are superimposed on top of each other to form a QR code.
CBS2
This mural is part of the launch of Taylor Swift's new album “The Tortured Poets Department,” but it has people wondering why this particular location was chosen — and where the QR code leads.
There were so many eyes on the mural Tuesday afternoon that it might have been another solar eclipse like last week. But of course, this was a different kind of star power.
“We've had TTPD three times, 13 four times, and if you do the Taylor math, we've had 16, and it's the 16th today,” Danny Felipe Bermudez said. “So I'm not sure what else is coming. I think we have more hidden in there. But this is what I have so far.”
Swift is known for her Easter eggs and puzzles that some solve more quickly than others. The mural is an advertisement for her new album – “Tortured Poets Department,” the initials of which, of course, are TTPD.
How about 13? Contrary to the old myth that old buildings go from the 12th floor to the 14th floor, the number 13 is actually Swift's lucky number. She uses it in the lyrics, release dates and other works of her music, much as John Lennon once did with the number 9.
The mural falls short of Banksy with its mysterious nature. It's titled “Taylor Swift: Tortured Poets Section.”
“I looked up and saw him, and I was like, 'Oh my God, he's there!' Samantha Gabor.
The mural has been creating quite a buzz with Swifties for a few days now.
“I think Taylor has a way of connecting with her fans, which is why we love her so much,” Kristin Blevins said.
The mural also stopped people in the neighborhood who might not be keeping an eye on all things Taylor Swift.
“It's a QR code. I didn't think much about it until everyone liked it [was here]”I'm like, 'This is great,'” said Maddie Hill, who works next door.
“I love her music,” said Becca Bourne, who works next door. “It was so much fun just seeing this all day.”
But the mural raises more questions than answers.
“I don't know with her,” one observer said. “Everything is unpredictable, so you never know.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the QR code led to A short YouTube clip featured typewritten characters reading “Error 321.”. Some fans hope it will later be linked to something else.
“I think it's a pre-sale link, but I'm hoping there's something more than that — maybe like a new single coming out tonight or a music video,” Jabr said.
“I don't necessarily have hopes, because I know it always works out,” Blevins said.
Ashok Kumar/TAS24
Others wondered why such a seemingly random location was chosen.
“We were impressed that we were in Chicago,” said Selin Kutukular, who was visiting from Turkey. “We should definitely come and see.”
“Everyone thinks this has something to do with it 'lakes,' “But there are a lot of places that have lakes,” Ali Gonzalez said. “Listen”.
Yes, listen. Fans like Gonzalez have a theory.
“News broke that she and Matty broke up the day after her show in Chicago,” she said.
“Matty” is Matty Healy, who Swift broke up with last year.
Whatever the case, all fans agreed that the album's release confirms that Swift is still the mastermind.
“She's very smart,” said Tyler DiMartino, who is celebrating his 15th birthday. “She's always finding different ways to communicate about different things.”
Swifties are excited for everything to come on the next album.
“She says she's mysterious and Machiavellian because she cares,” Blevins said.
For anyone wondering why such an unflattering description as “Machiavellian” was used for Swift, it's a verbatim quote from the song “Mastermind” – where Swift describes herself this way in the first person.
Are there any references to Chicago on the new album? Swifties will just have to wait.
The album “The Oath of Tortured Poets” comes out next Friday, April 19th.
“Wannabe web expert. Twitter fanatic. Writer. Passionate coffee enthusiast. Freelance reader.”
More Stories
Turtle Nesting Sites and Climate Change: A Growing Concern
NightCafe Review and Tutorial (October 2024)
Report: The Menendez brothers may be released from prison before Christmas