Lights, camera, and smile: The stage is officially set for a brand new Taylor Swift era. Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl, is coming out on Oct. 3, and to say fans are excited would be a massive understatement. On Aug. 13, Swift announced the album release date, cover, and tracklist on Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast, which 1 million Swifties flocked to YouTube to watch and share their thoughts. Of the 12 tracks on the upcoming album, one in particular is catching everyone’s attention: track five, “Eldest Daughter.” If this track title has you wondering, “Wait, does Taylor Swift have a younger sibling?” you aren’t alone. To confirm, Swift does have a younger brother, Austin — thus making her an eldest daughter.
But first, a note about “Eldest Daughter.” While fans don’t know yet what Swift plans to tell them about — or, more likely, make them cry about — in “Eldest Daughter,” Swifties already have some theories. “Eldest Daughter” is the fifth track on The Life of a Showgirl, and Swift’s fifth track is famously known for being the most vulnerable and emotional song on each of her albums. To paint the picture, “Eldest Daughter” is joining songs like “All Too Well,” “Dear John,” and “So Long, London,” in the “track five club,” so it’s probably best to have your tissues ready on Oct. 3, no matter what the song ends up being about.
Until then, here’s everything to know about Austin and the Swift siblings’ dynamic ahead of the release of “Eldest Daughter.”
Austin Swift is an Actor.
Taylor isn’t the only talent in the Swift family. Her brother Austin, who’s three years younger than her, is a former actor. He graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in film studies and made his acting debut in the film I.T. alongside Pierce Brosnan. He starred in four more films before stepping back from acting in 2019.
Although he’s no longer in front of the camera, Austin has continued to work behind the scenes with his big sister. He helped produce Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions in 2020 and the “I Bet You Think About Me” music video in 2021.
He Helped Taylor Get Her Masters Back.
On the New Heights podcast, Swift shared the emotional story of buying back her music masters — and how her brother played a major role. “Rather than send lawyers and management in a big crew, I sent my mom and my brother, who I work with, to L.A.,” Swift said. They told Shamrock Capital, the previous owners of her masters, “the whole story of all the times we’ve tried to buy it, all the times it’s fallen through, all the times we had gotten plans together and figured out something we thought was going to work, and then it didn’t at the last minute.” A couple of months after the 2025 Super Bowl, Swift received the tearful call from her mom that they finally got her masters.
He Keeps A Low Profile.
Although he doesn’t post much on social media or make many public appearances, Austin seems to be romantically linked to model Sydney Ness. The couple was first spotted holding hands on the streets of New York in 2022. Since then, they’ve been seen with Taylor at Kansas City Chiefs games, supporting her boyfriend, Kelce. Also, Kelce recently included Austin in a photo dump he posted on Instagram, so it’s safe to say the guys are friends — cute!
Could “Eldest Daughter” Be About Austin?
Swift has mentioned her brother in her music before. In 2008, she released “The Best Day,” in which she sings, “God smiles on my little brother / Inside and out, he’s better than I am.” On her 2010 song, “Never Grow Up,” she mentions the importance of memorizing “all your little brother’s favorite songs.” Their close bond has always been a two-way street. In 2018, Austin wished Taylor a public happy birthday on Instagram with a heartfelt caption: “I have always had a best friend, a role model, and a caring, tireless, dedicated champion in my corner. You have pulled me out of fires and carried me up mountains.”
Since the Swift siblings have such a strong connection, there isn’t much speculation from Swifties that “Eldest Daughter” is going to be any kind of dig at Austin. Rather, fans are theorizing how being an eldest daughter influenced Swift’s career, perhaps in reference to the popular “overachieving eldest daughter” concept. Regardless, fans are so excited to press play on “Eldest Daughter” and the rest of The Life of a Showgirl on Oct. 13.