In the last week, the general public was pulled into a thriving ecosystem of content created by hardcore Taylor Swift fans, from podcasts to short videos — which likely played a role in helping her The Life of a Showgirl album break the record set by Adele’s 25 for first-week U.S. sales. 

The release of The Life of a Showgirl has generated conversation that’s not simply confined to Swift’s most fervent fans, says Zachary Hourihane, a Singapore-based creator who co-hosts Evolution of a Snake, a podcast about Swift, and makes videos under the moniker Swiftologist. Hourihane points to a reaction video he posted on TikTok — featuring critical comments about the numerous phallic references in Swift’s new song “Wood” — which received 4.8 million views and 8,800 comments in six days. 

“The people that are interacting with this video are not fans, they’re casual listeners,” he says. 

The conversation around The Life of a Showgirl got a boost from YouTube, a hotspot for fan-generated content, when the platform dedicated a section of its homepage to the content and conversation around the album release. On the YouTube Apple TV app, a “YouTube Features” section described as “Your home for The Life of a Showgirl” offered a smorgasbord of Swift, though there were only two videos from Swift’s YouTube channel: the official music video for “The Fate of Ophelia” and the combined “visualizer” videos for the songs “CANCELLED!” and “Eldest Daughter.”  

The YouTube section also highlighted the vastness of Swift’s media presence during the album launch and her promotional tour. There was a video of her appearance on The Graham Norton Show, a British late-night program. One video clip showed actress Keri Russell talking about Swift on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. A few critical videos appeared, too, such as podcaster Misha Petrov picking apart Swift’s song lyrics and conservative commentator Ben Shapiro’s scathing Showgirl album review.  

More than anything, though, YouTube revealed the depth of the Swifties’ community. One Swift-focused podcast that was picked up by YouTube’s algorithm was Hits Differently. Hosted by Molly and Ryan (they do not reveal their last names for privacy purposes), Hits Differently is a two-year-old podcast with nearly 80 episodes and approximately 4.5 million YouTube views to date. To celebrate the arrival of The Life of a Showgirl, the duo hosted a 50-minute live stream when the album release countdown clock went live. That video was viewed over 100,000 times, roughly 10 times the views of a typical Hits Differently YouTube video.  

Hits Differently is “a space for Swifties to feel like they have other people to talk to about stuff,” says Molly. “If they don’t have friends or family that listen to Taylor’s music, when [The Life of a Showgirl] drops at midnight, they’ll come to our channel to talk to each other.” Molly and Ryan typically release one episode a week, but pushed out multiple YouTube videos around the album launch. The pair also posts the videos on their Patreon page, where supporters can get early access to ad-free videos and exclusive content.  

Another show, The 13 Podcast, also saw tremendous interest around Swift’s album release, says Ana Szabo, one of the show’s four co-hosts. During album release week, the podcast, which Szabo says has racked up more than 6 million audio downloads in its five-year history, released three episodes, including a live listening party that attracted 11,000 fans. “With the Swifty community being so global, we have a lot of listeners that tune into our podcast from all over the world,” she says. 

Major events — an album release, a tour, an engagement announcement — give Swift-focused podcasts an opportunity to break from their routine and attract new followers. For The 13 Podcast, a typical episode examines Swift’s lyrics with a detective’s eye. “We try to find any literary connections,” explains Szabo, “inspirations, connections to her other songs across her discography, her music videos, everything that she’s said about the song.” 

Close examination of Swift’s lyrics is typical for Swift podcasts, says Andrew Ledbetter, a professor of communications at Texas Christian University. A Swift fan himself, Ledbetter has studied the narratives in Swift’s songs and analyzed their lyrical content. He explains that Swift’s music is built on narratives — the villains and heroes, longing and regret, the virtuous hero, finding meaning in the ordinary, the empowered voice — that her fans connect with.   

“Every Taylor Swift podcast I’ve heard, the lyrics are front and center,” says Ledbetter. “Swifties understand what a red scarf means. They understand what a koi fish guitar means, or a friendship bracelet.” 

Swift podcasts have become so popular that some creators are hosting offline events, too. The 13 Podcast threw a party for The Eras Tour stop in Dallas that attracted 350 fans. When Swift released The Tortured Poets Department album the following year, the group attracted 600 fans to another event, Swities in the Park, that featured a vendor market filled with Swifties offering things like face painting, jewelry, knitted goods and watercolor portraits. Their next event, on Oct. 17, will be at the Omni Hotel in Dallas.  

Evolution of a Snake has also ventured into live events. Hourihane and his co-host, Madeline Rubicam, went on a 10-city tour of the U.S. this summer, appearing in 300- to 400-seat theaters such as The Great Star Theater in San Francisco and The Miracle Theatre in Washington, D.C. In September, they took Evolution of a Snake to the 350-capacity Sugar Club Dublin in Ireland and the 300-seat Unicorn Theatre in London. Each show was a “condensed” version of the podcast’s “detailed,” “day-by-day” recaps of her career, explains Hourihane.  

“I think people just want to find community, and we love hosting the events,” says The 13 Podcast’s Szabo. “It’s a lot of fun, and it’s really, really wonderful to meet our listeners.” 

It’s hard not to attribute some of Showgirl‘s explosive first-week sales to the avalanche of content. Swifties purchased 3.4 million copies of Showgirl in its first week of release, reveling in the 34 variants that included limited-edition CDs and both bonus tracks and voice memos from Swift. The more casual fans contributed to the more than 460 million on-demand streams in less than a week. When the final tally is announced this Sunday (Oct. 12), Swiftie podcasters and content creators who contributed, to whatever extent, to the album’s record-setting feat could rightly take a bow. Swift herself surely wouldn’t begrudge them that.

As the weather gets cooler, turn up the heat on your playlists with some new tracks from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ+ artists.

From Demi Lovato’s latest pop banger to Doechii’s team-up with pop-rock singer Alemeda, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:

Demi Lovato, “Kiss”

“I kiss for fun/ It’s fun to kiss,” a glitchy Demi Lovato chants on the opening of her new track. “I use my tongue/ L-l-l-like this.” If there was any question about what Lovato’s aim was with her upcoming album It’s Not That Deep, “Kiss” dispels any doubt — Demi is here to have a good time, period. This electropop dance track sees Lovato letting loose in a way that recalls the carefree vibes of songs like “Cool for the Summer” or “Really Don’t Care,” but this time with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek and her lips curled into a smirk.

Alemeda & Doechii, “Beat a B!tch Up”

At first glance, it may seem like a team up between pop-rock singer Alemeda and rising rap superstar Doechii isn’t a surefire win. But within a few seconds of “Beat a B!tch Up,” both artists prove exactly why they work so well together. Over a chugging punk-adjacent melody, both Alemeda and Doechii flex their vocal chops as they question why a love interest had them down so bad that they were ready to start throwing elbows.

Khalid, After the Sun Goes Down

Many refer to the process of coming out as a road to self-liberation, and nowhere is that more evident than on Khalid’s stunning new album After the Sun Goes Down. On a project where Khalid is finally free to say everything he wants to, the pop&B star holds nothing back as he digs through the thorny complications of modern love. Whether he’s brushing off a clingy, manipulative ex (“Nah”), struggling with a label for his situationship (“Yes No Maybe”) or settling into a tender sense of love (“Angel Boy”), Khalid lets all the best parts of his artistry shine throughout After the Sun Goes Down.

Brandi Carlile, “A War With Time”

We’ve all had that moment where we realize how quickly time is passing — yet when Brandi Carlile sings about it on “A War With Time,” it feels like a new concept. Over simple acoustic guitars, Carlile narrates a story of finding herself lost in a memory, before trying to snap herself back to the present moment. As her voice soars on the stunning chorus, Carlile demands the old vision of her past life to leave her alone: “Don’t even ask me, just go,” she sings.

Towa Bird, “Your Girl”

Towa Bird doesn’t even have to try that hard to get the girls interested, as she spells out in her new song “Your Girl.” Coming off the season two soundtrack of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, “Your Girl” sees Bird having a frank conversation with her romatic interest’s current partner, informing them bluntly that they’re “driving her crazy” and that “the harder you push, the more she’s wanting to leave.” Her effortless sense of casual charisma only further lends to the song’s brush-off attitude, making “Your Girl” an absolute must-listen.

Lucy Dacus, “Losing”

Who doesn’t love a victory lap? After wowing audiences earlier this year with her excellent solo album Forever Is a Feeling as well as her headline-making tour, Lucy Dacus is officially back with a deluxe version of the project Forever Is a Feeling: The Archives, including demos, a Jim Croce cover, extended songs, live renditions and even an acoustic “wedding version” of her song “Best Guess.” But amongst all the additional tracks is one gorgeous, brand new song “Losing,” in which Dacus lets her haunting voice narrate a poetic, tragic song about allowing yourself to feel deeply and let go of your inhibitions, for better or worse.

Jay Som feat. Hayley Williams, “Past Lives”

Among the many excellent songs on Jay Som’s phenomenal newly released album Belong, there is one shining track that stands just slightly above the rest. “Past Lives,” the drifting, transient ode to tearing oneself apart, sees Melina Duterte teaming up with Paramore star Hayley Williams in a song that feels like two artists shifting into a shared liminal space to confront their respective demons. Over mid-tempo guitars and drums, and with a pair of vocals that fit perfectly together, Duerte and Williams spin gold out of their new duet.

Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:

When Kunal Merchant and Kahani crossed paths in New York in 2021, neither imagined they would soon be carrying the flag for a brand-new genre of music. Indo Warehouse, officially launched in February 2022, has since grown from underground test events to global stages, pushing what they call Indo House — electronic music mixed authentically with South Asian culture.

“We both loved music all our lives, but never thought we’d be pursuing it the way we are today,” Kahani recalls.

He had left a career in tech during the pandemic to chase a creative calling, sensing a gap in South Asian representation in electronic music. An idea sparked on a beach in Mexico quickly became an obsession. After a series of New York showcases, he reached out to Merchant, who was already DJing and experimenting in music.

Though he was skeptical at first, Merchant says everything changed when he saw live traditional vocals mixed with house records — and the way people moved to it in big American cities.

“I was like wow, this is different,” he says. “I questioned — how are all these people on the dance floor loving this in the U.S.?”

That moment planted the seed. By 2022, Indo Warehouse was born.

For both, Indo House is an entirely new genre. It’s electronic music that pulls from percussion, vocals and instruments across South Asia while staying rooted in the traditions of global electronic culture. While house remains their anchor, they want Indo House to be a category in its own right, rather than being mislabeled on platforms as Afro House or another established genre.

“It’s difficult for artists and confusing for fans,” says Kahani. “Part of our mission is to make Indo House an official category — because it’s important for both the artist and the consumer.”

The duo have been lobbying with Beatport and major DSPs while simultaneously showcasing the sound around the world. They operate their own record label, curate a 20,000-follower Spotify playlist and host a monthly show on the SiriusXM channel Diplo’s Revolution. They’ve taken the message to industry stages, speaking at the International Music Summit Ibiza.

But there was one unquestioned breakout moment: Coachella 2023. Performing on the Gobi stage with a 40-person team of dancers, dhol players and visual artists, they put South Asian culture front and centre.

“It took four to five months to build the set — from stage design to custom clothes made in India,” says Kahani. “We wanted to show our culture belongs on the main stage, not behind the decks.”

The gamble paid off. Viral clips spread worldwide, and soon after, dance music legend Damian Lazarus signed Indo Warehouse to the Crosstown Rebels electronic record label and booked them for his Day Zero festival in Tulum, Mexico. Music legend Pete Tong, BBC Radio 1’s voice of dance music, even asked them to submit their music.

That momentum carried into this year’s packed touring calendar. In Singapore, Indo Warehouse delivered two performances during the Formula 1 Grand Prix: a DJ set at the pit ahead of the race and a full cultural showcase with dancers and dhol players the following night. “Most artists only get a small slot at an event like F1, but the fact that they had us slotted for two different sets was amazing,” says Merchant.

Back home in New York, they are preparing for their upcoming performance at the All That Glitters Diwali Ball on Oct. 11, a gathering of South Asian creatives that coincides with the festival of lights.

“Being home for Diwali is special,” Kunal says. “It’s where we get to celebrate with our community and bring our sound to people we admire and respect.”

The rise of Indo Warehouse has come at the right moment. South Asian music is surging worldwide, with artists like Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Aujla making international breakthroughs. While big-name collaborations are on their radar, Indo Warehouse are intent on prioritizing authenticity over hype.

“The artist has to want to enter our world too,” says Merchant. “We’d rather build the sound first and then find the right voice for it.”

For Kahani, a dream collaboration would be with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s son Shahzaman Fateh Ali Khan, whose voice he describes as carrying Nusrat’s legacy. Raja Kumari is another artist they admire. “She feels like a house diva to me. I’d love to sit in the studio with her,” says Merchant.

Indo Warehouse are especially catching on within Canada. It’s where Dosanjh recently set records with stadium concerts, and it’s the home to artists like Karan Aujla and AP Dhillon, and a global hub for Punjabi music.

“Canada’s been incredible — the audience is open, mature and willing to let us take them on a journey,” says Merchant.

Toronto, they say, is one of their strongest markets. They’ve also toured Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal, with plans to return soon.

In India, their Dome Mumbai show was a milestone, with audiences connecting to the fusion of South Asian sounds and global electronic rhythms. Looking ahead, they are working on a new set of releases, building music together in the studio rather than separately for the first time. They’re also preparing to return to their roots in India at the end of the year with new material.

For Merchant and Kahani, the mission remains clear: Indo House is a global movement in the making.

“We know we can’t do it alone,” says Kahani. “We need more producers, songwriters and artists joining in. That’s how it will tip.”

This article was originally published by Billboard Canada.

This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features new music, including fresh picks by TINI, Esau Ortiz, Delilah and Santa Fe Klan, to name a few.

Nathy Peluso teams up with Rawayana for “Malportada,” the title track of her upcoming salsa EP. About her song with Rawayana, the Argentine star said in a statement: “Beto (of Rawayana) has that timeless voice and the carefree swagger of a classic salsero, without making any effort. Straight from Venezuela, one of the most beautiful cradles of salsa that I love so much. Beto is the mischievous one, with a good heart and good lyrics—the perfect partner to sing with and lose all composure.”

Meanwhile, Bomba Estéreo pays homage to hometown Santa Marta in Colombia with “La Samaria,” a collaboration with Colombian icon Carlos Vives, who is also from Santa Marta. “This song means a lot to me because it’s a song about my homeland, where I was born and raised, and where I became the person I am today,” Bomba’s Li Saumet said in a press release. Vives added, “Sharing this song that celebrates the spirit of Santa Marta with Bomba Estéreo fills me with joy. t’s a song of unity, pride, and belonging to Santa Marta, reflecting the nostalgia that Li and I feel every time we return home.”

Other new releases this week include music from Shakira, who delivers “Zoo” for Zootopia 2, Jhayco (“Scorpio”) and Macario Martínez (“Enhierbado”), to name a few. Which release this week do you think is best? Give these new releases a spin and vote for your favorite new Latin music release below:

Editor’s Note: The results of the weekly New Music Latin poll will be posted if the poll generates more than 1,000 votes. This poll closes at 7:30 a.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 13