Taylor Swift rumors about filming a new music video in New Zealand have been confirmed, thanks to a report from the New Zealand Herald .
The report, which refutes claims that the filming crew endangered a protected species of birds during the shoot, provides actual proof that Taylor is working on a video. Speculation centers around filming the video for “Out Of The Woods,” a song off of her one-year-old 1989 album that would be the compilation’s sixth single released.
In the report, the Kiwi production company Cherokee Films denied claims that their action put an endangered species at risk. The native Dotterel birds use the filming location — Bethells Beach — as a nesting area.
“Taylor Swift and her management team were in no way at fault and did not do anything that violated permits or ordinances… At no time were the film crew close to that habitat. No dotterel were harmed.”
Rumors had swirled that the artist was in New Zealand for the shoot, stemming from tweets the Sydney Morning Herald brought to light recently. Both social media posts pointed to Swift boarding a plane with the island as her destination despite having no scheduled appearances in the country.
Taylor Swift performing during 1989 World Tour Sydney! https://t.co/EZuRXHXCNQ pic.twitter.com/AZ9RS4XLbB
— FirstLook App (@FirstLookLive) November 28, 2015
After the detailed article, more news about potential and unconfirmed Taylor Swift sightings began to pop up. A local media company, the Otaga Daily Times , showed photographs of the flight Swift took to get to the island and of the “Bad Blood” artist exiting the plane. The report discussed her activity and potential further filming locations in Australia, where Taylor is set to perform several concerts.
Other rumors focused on Taylor potentially visiting squad-member Lorde while in New Zealand. Lorde, who is rumored to have an album dropping this year , was vacationing with her family in the country to watch a Fleetwood Mac concert, and Swift was rumored to have stayed at the “Royals” artist’s family home in Australia during her visit.
Further Taylor sightings came Friday morning with her long-time boyfriend Calvin Harris. In the city of Queensland, Swift was seen heading toward a private jet, bound presumably for Australia with her beau in preparations for her next concert.
Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris pic.twitter.com/HibHoS6PnZ
— Taylor & Calvin (@LoveTayCalvin) November 25, 2015
“Out Of The Woods” could potentially be a sixth hit for Swift from her aging album, a rarity for artists to achieve. Taylor debuted her fifth single “Wildest Dreams” at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards. Swift also received four VMA Moonman awards on the night, including the one for her “Bad Blood” video that starred Selena Gomez and the rest of the all-girl Swift Squad. After the video earned the night’s highest achievement, Taylor decided to recognize her friends with replica Moonman awards , the Inquisitr previously reported.
The emotionally connected issue of protecting the Dotterel birds is reminiscent of her name being pulled into the political arena in America this year, drawing comparisons to how Swift is often pulled into fray for being famous, deservedly or not. Taylor, who seemingly has taken everything in stride, focuses rather on how to turn “mistakes into something great,” friend Selena Gomez said in a recent article for InStyle magazine.
Taylor is set to perform in Australia from November 28 to December 12, with tour stops at Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne in that time. Swift has already wrapped up her American portion of the 1989 concert series earlier this month, a tour that has helped Taylor increase her net worth after reports of earning more than $100 million this year. Her year has also seen Taylor win an unexpected award as the artist scored an Emmy for her work on a behind-the-scenes look at “Blank Space.”
Do you think “Out Of The Woods” will be the next big hit for Taylor Swift? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
[Photo by Duane Prokop/Getty Images]