On Aug. 13, in the most-watched “New Heights” episode with a Guinness Book of World Records setting 1.3 million people tuning in for the livestream, sitting alongside her boyfriend (now fiancé), Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift announced her twelfth studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Produced by “1989”’s and “reputation”’s Shellback and Max Martin, “The Life of a Showgirl” signaled a departure from the indie-pop sound of 2020’s “folklore” and “evermore,” and 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department” — all three of which were written and produced in collaboration by Swift and producers Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner — and a return to the pop sound that had made Swift a household name in the early 2010s.
Written during Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour, with the invocations of the glitz and glamour of the 1950s Follies’ ‘showgirl era,’ “The Life of a Showgirl” sold 4.002 million “equivalent album units” in its first week. There is no doubt that “The Life of a Showgirl” is one of Swift’s best produced albums, but it is worth questioning the quality of Swift’s lyricism — which has previously been touted as some of the best in the industry — and whether it was worth the hype placed on the release by Swift, Taylor Nation, or her fans.
Album Review
The Fate of Ophelia: Inspired by Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” it’s one of the better written songs off the album but fails to utilize the literary symbolism that Swift’s become known for in her lyricism. Though, the production quality is a plus. 7/10
Elizabeth Taylor: Getting its title from movie star Elizabeth Taylor, it’s the first of two songs with a similar production sound to “reputation,” and while the beat drops of the chorus does make it enticing, it’s not one of Swift’s most lyrically magnificent tracks. 5/10
Opalite: The most ‘bubblegum pop’ song off the album, “Opalite” is reminiscent of 2010s Swift, perhaps symbolizing her newfound happiness in her relationship with Kelce, but there are still better tracks off the album. 4/10
Father Figure: One of the more surprising songs to the album, Swift gifts sampling credits to George Michael in the production notes of the song. It’s lyrically adventurous, even in its simplicity, and could be considered one of the few repeats of the album. 9/10
Eldest Daughter: Coming after “You’re on Your Own Kid” and “So Long London,” “Eldest Daughter” had some big shoes to fill. Set against a piano score, it does capture the essence of how it feels to be an eldest daughter, but it’s lyrically uninspiring. However, it does get bonus points for the bridge. 7/10
Ruin the Friendship: It’s well written, but the lyrics don’t match the production style; it’s still one of the better songs off the album. 7/10
Actually Romantic: Seemingly directed towards the haters, “Actually Romantic” is both lyrically and productionally uninspiring, though the bridge is catchy. It’s worth at least one listen through though. 3/10.
Wi$h Li$t: It’s catchy lyrically, but not a masterpiece, and there isn’t much to the production elements beyond that. 4/10
Wood: One of the best produced songs on the album, “Wood” is full of references to Swift’s relationship with Kelce, but some of them come off forced and cheaply designed. It certainly is catchy though. 6/10
CANCELLED!: In another lifetime “CANCELLED!” would have been on “reputation,” and it gets plenty of bonus points for the production. However, the lyrics come off as cringe at times, and one must think of Swift’s company — Blake Lively and Brittany Mahomes come to mind for some ‘Swifties.’ 7/10
Honey: Another song about Swift’s relationship with Kelce, “Honey” doesn’t measure up to the precedent set by “Wood.” Both weak in lyrics and production, it’s a one and done, if that. 2/10
The Life of a Showgirl: Featuring Sabrina Carpenter, the title track feels as though it should be the finale number to a musical — many listeners have compared it to “The Greatest Showman” — and the inclusion of Carpenter feels like a passing of the mantle moment. Once again, it’s not Swift’s best lyrical moment, but the production and bridge are superb in concluding the album. 9/10
Controversies
Beyond the music, the attitudes surrounding both casual fans and ‘Swifties’ are seemingly turning on Swift. Much of the controversy, such as calling Swift and Kelce MAGA, and calling her [Swift] a trad-wife for wanting to settle down and start a family is a reach — Swift previously endorsed Kamala Harris in the leadup to the 2024 election and was quoted in her “Miss Americana” documentary as saying to her father in response to not speaking up against Donald Trump in 2016, “but I can’t change that. … I need to be on the right side of history. … Dad, I need you to forgive me for doing it, because I’m doing it.”
Critics blame Kelce for the lack of lyrical inspiration, harkening back to Swift’s six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn when she released 2019’s “Lover” as well as “folklore” and “evermore” a year later, some of her best acclaimed lyricism yet.
However, it’s hard to look past the millennial cliches of Swift’s lyrics — “did you girlboss too close to the sun?” — or the two and half minute commentary on her and Kelce’s sex life to identify the gems within the album.
There’s no denying though, according to the record books, that this is one of Swift’s best albums. It filled the top twelve on the Billboard 100 list with “The Fate of Ophelia” claiming the top spot two weeks in a row. The records then pose the question of whether Swift’s critics are just louder than her fans, or if she’s simply lost touch with the world and cares more about money than the quality of her work.
Both could be valid, Swift released multiple different variants of “The Life of a Showgirl” — totaling close to thirty — something that even lifelong ‘Swifties’ referred to as a cash grab. That shouldn’t stop fans, diehard or not, from enjoying the album. It’s not for everyone, and that’s okay; art isn’t designed to please the masses.
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