Taylor Swift news: Singer erases internet presence, is a new album coming?

It looks like Taylor Swift has something up her sleeve. The 27-year-old's internet presence essentially disappeared overnight, prompting rumors that her sixth studio album is on the way.

A visit to Swift's official website offered viewers only a blacked-out page, while her profile pictures across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr have been removed. She also unfollowed everyone on social media.

That being said, many fans believe the singer may have been hacked, while some speculated that it is just a publicity stunt to promote her next album. Adding to the rumor, close friend Ed Sheeran previously said Swift will drop a new album before the year ends.

"Taylor isn't going to be releasing until probably the end of this year," Sheeran, 26, said in an interview with BBC News.

He added that the holiday season is the best time to release it because that is when everyone purchases records.

If that happens to be true, the new album will be a follow-up to the 2014 hit "1989," which debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album, which was a departure from the country music of her past discographies, has sold 9.5 million copies worldwide.

"With 1989, I feel like we gave the entire metaphorical house I built a complete renovation and it made me love the house even more," the "Blank Space" hitmaker said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly at the time. "But still keeping the foundation of what I've always been."

In other news, Swift won a sexual assault suit against a former KYGO-FM radio presenter David Mueller. The latter reportedly assaulted her by grabbing her bottom beneath her skirt during a meet-and-greet event in June 2013. Due to this, the court required the DJ to pay $1 in damages to the singer.

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