One Taylor Swift fan is saying “Don’t Blame Me” to the man she canceled a date with because of a countdown clock that appeared on Swift’s website.
The clock, which counted down to 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 13, ultimately led to Swift’s announcement of her next album, The Life of a Showgirl.
“I told the guy I needed to cancel our first date for Taylor Swift’s upcoming announcement so I could post live from home,” influencer McCall Mirabella told People in a story published Tuesday, August 12.
Mirabella, 22, is a diehard Swiftie who, according to her Instagram, appears to have followed the singer around the world on her Eras Tour, dressing in a costume from different Swift eras for each show. Outfits included a Travis Kelce costume — complete with a fake mustache — and different imitations of Swift, 35, including from her TIME Magazine cover and each album the singer has released over her career.
“There was a risk the announcement wouldn’t be big, but it was worth the gamble,” Mirabella added. “He asked, ‘You’re canceling on me for Taylor Swift?’ and I said, ‘Yes.’ And I’d do it again!”
Swift ultimately announced that the album will include 12 new songs. She also showed off the album art and song titles, revealing that Sabrina Carpenter will be featured on the title track.
It seems Mirabella felt the cancellation was worth it, saying, “The release will be celebrated like it’s a national holiday.”
The influencer’s decision also came with a dose of self-awareness. Knowing only the most ardent Swifties would understand canceling a date to watch a clock count down to something unknown, she posted her call to her date to cancel via TikTok.
Wearing a pink Eras T-shirt, Mirabella calmly explained the situation to the man on the other end, saying she believed the countdown to be leading to an album announcement and blaming the “content I do” for requiring her to stay home and post her reactions live. She then silently hit herself on the head with her palm while her date started to respond.
It’s hard to make out exactly what he said, but it sounds like he replied, “You’re canceling because of Taylor Swift?” before the video abruptly ended.
“I love how 50/50 the comment section is,” she told People. “Half think I’m the red flag, the other half think he is. If that makes me a red flag, then all of a sudden red is my favorite color!”
“The real FOMO would’ve been if I went on the date and missed Taylor’s announcement,” she added.
The Life of a Showgirl, Swift’s 12th studio album, is scheduled to be released on Friday, October 3.
