Taylor Swift to release re-recorded version of 'Speak Now' on July 7

NASHVILLE: Taylor Swift let fans in her hometown of Nashville be the first to get the official news: 'Speak Now' will be the next album in her 'Taylor's Version' series of re-recorded albums, reports 'Variety'.

Swift is giving fans plenty of time to pre-order the violet vinyl. She revealed that it's coming out in all formats on July 7, 'Variety' notes. "I think rather than me speaking about it, I thought I would show you," she said, to screams, as fans realised from the language that the long-awaited announcement was at hand.

The singer directed the attention of her fans to the big screens, where the album cover and release date were shown, before she launched into the 'Speak Now' track 'Sparks Fly' as a surprise song, according to 'Variety'.

Taking to Twitter, Swift said: "I first made 'Speak Now', completely self-written, between the ages of 18 and 20. The songs that came from this time in my life were marked by their brutal honesty, unfiltered diaristic confessions and wild wistfulness."

She added: "I love this album because it tells a tale of growing up, flailing, flying and crashing ... and living to speak about it. With six extra songs I've sprung loose from the vault ... ."

'Speak Now', reports 'Variety', was a landmark album for Swift 13 years ago, becoming the first and only album for which she was the sole songwriter on all the tracks -- seen at the time as a reaction to cynics who believed that the young singer's co-writers must have done the heavier lifting on her first two albums. Having made the point, Swift resumed working with writing collaborators on the following release, 'Red'.

The album is also remembered for marking Swift's more decided turn towards pop, from her country origins, even though it would be another couple of albums before she firmly declared herself a pop artiste.

At the same time, it signified a move into still-bolder songwriting, as in 'Dear John', still one of Swift's most strikingly raw songs to date. Six songs from the album charted in the Billboard Hot 100.