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Taylor Swift: Reputation release date coinciding with anniversary of Donda West death is a 'coincidence'

Label denies that the timing is deliberate after backlash

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Saturday 26 August 2017 12:47 BST
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Taylor Swift's new song: 'Look What You Made Me Do' trailer

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Taylor Swift's label has said it is a "coincidence" that her album release date happens to coincide with the anniversary of Kanye West's mother's death.

Fans pointed out that 10 November 2017, when Swift's sixth album reputation is set to be dropped, also marks 10 years since Donda West passed away from complications caused by a cosmetic surgery procedure.

Some accused Swift and her team of choosing the date deliberately, however a source from her label Big Machine Records was quick to point out that this was not the case.

“It is standard practice that releases come out on Fridays and we locked in this release date based on other Universal Music Group releases," the label source told Rolling Stone.

"There is no correlation."

Swift and West have an ongoing feud that first begin after he hijacked the state during her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

While they made amends both publicly and in private, tensions escalated again after West dropped the track "Famous" which featured the line: "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/ Why? I made that bitch famous."

West's accompanying video feature Swift's likeness naked in bed with other naked celebrities.

Swift denounced the song upon its release, taking issue with being called a “bitch” and with West taking credit for her successful career.

Months later, West's wife Kim Kardashian leaked video and audio of West and Swift's phone conversation, seemingly showing her approve the first lyric. There was no recording, however, of her approving and approving: “I made that bitch famous.”

It is widely believed that Swift responds to those past events on her new single "Look What You Made Me Do".

On the track she sings: ​“I don't like your little games/ I don't like your tilted stage" (the titled stage is believed to refer to West's famous suspended stage used during his Pablo tour.

reputation will be released on 10 November and is available for pre-order.

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