Whether she’s sailing by on a UPS truck or loudly proclaiming herself unable to come to the phone because she’s dead, Taylor Swift is increasingly inescapable. The star’s next conquest? The app store, which will see the debut of her proprietary app later this year, just in time to coincide with the publicity cycle for the artist’s new album, Reputation, slated for November.
The Swift Life comes from Glu Mobile, the same company responsible for games like Kim Kardashian: Hollywood and Nicki Minaj: The Empire. According to a first-look video the company released, Swift’s app will be less game and more access. It seems to borrow from the other Kim Kardashian app, the one that isn’t from Glu, the Kim Kardashian West Official App, which offers “premium” content to paid subscribers. “Connect with Taylor!” the video promises. “Get exclusive pics and video!” In addition to access to Taylor, the app will provide opportunities for Swift fans to connect and network with each other, building on Swift’s already-strong presence on platforms like Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.
The video also teases “Taymojis,” another feature strangely reminiscent of a certain reality TV star’s “Kimojis.” The two may be enemies engaged in a battle over “receipts,” but apparently that hasn’t stopped Swift from taking ample inspiration from Kardashian’s business playbook. In-app purchases weren’t mentioned in the preview but seem like a good bet, given Swift’s talent for monetizing her every move: That may be the real secret of the Swift life, which means the Swift Life will be right on brand.
