"She's just always been the soundtrack to my life, and I'm excited to get this new era with her," Temple told AFP at a cinema near Washington on Friday.

The 21-year-old was one of millions of Swifties around the world for whom the release of The Life of a Showgirl -- Swift's 12th studio album -- is a major life event.

To go alongside the 12-track album -- already the most streamed release of 2025 -- fans in dozens of countries are packing theaters for an accompanying film that is being released for three days only.

"Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl" offers personal commentary from the singer as well as a first look at the video for the album's opening track, "The Fate of Ophelia." 

But more than anything else, it is a chance to sing and dance with like-minded fans.

Swift has "really turned the solitary Swiftie experience -- in your room with your headphones -- into a big community, and it's really great to be part of," said Temple.

Holly Hebden, who dates her devotion to the megastar to the 2008 release of "Fearless," said she had been to a number of concerts, including during the record-breaking Eras Tour that wrapped last year.

For her, the sense of community among Swifties is incredibly important.

"We've been to Taylor Swift club nights, just trading friendship bracelets, seeing people walk around with cardigans, we've got this sense of kinship with people we haven't even spoken to," she said.

The fan community is not just valuable for those who are part of it, but it's also the point for Swift herself, says Robin Landa, a professor specializing in advertising and branding at Kean University.

"For Taylor Swift, it's about more than selling tickets -- it's about giving her fans a place to gather, celebrate, and experience the music together," she told AFP.

"The exclusivity of a three-day-only run creates genuine urgency and makes participation feel special, almost like attending a live concert event.

"It also allows her to premiere new music videos and share behind-the-scenes commentary, making fans feel like they're getting exclusive insider access."

Monique Thomas O'Brien, 49, had already listened to the artist's new album three times since it was released a few hours earlier.

For the screening, she chose to wear -- in addition to the obligatory friendship bracelets -- a green sequined dress, a tribute to the album's aesthetic and a bit of joy in a country riven by deep political divisions.

"You know, in this day and age in our country, any opportunity to kind of let go of the heaviness for a little while is something I'm going to embrace, and I hope everybody else can too," she said.

That sentiment is shared by 54-year-old Kerry Brookes, who says the film is a chance for "a bit of fun."

"I think everything's so depressing at the moment," she said.

"Put some feathers and some glitter on. I mean, who doesn't want that right now?"