On Friday, Oct. 3, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl” — and she definitely picked up her glitter gel pens for this one.
The album features 12 songs and has a running time of 41 minutes, her shortest full-length project since her 2006 self-titled debut album.
I didn’t know what to expect from this record, but I can tell you it’s definitely different from anything she’s put out in recent years. There are no sappy breakup ballads — something I felt the album was missing — but hey, good for her, she’s engaged and in love, you can’t blame her.
The album was produced by Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback who have worked with Swift on projects like “Red,” “1989” and “Reputation” — or as I like to call them, “the big three.”
Her 2024 release, “The Tortured Poets Department,” was filled with these sprawling, poetic lyrics that “The Life of a Showgirl” just lacks. And I’m not saying the album is bad, I actually like the theater-esque songs, it’s lighter and brighter, and more fun — something you can dance to.
Sonically, Swift channeled her “1989” self to produce upbeat tracks with hints of soft rock and synth pop. The album opens with “The Fate of Ophelia,” my favorite, a track dominated by piano and call-and-response lyric sequences. It sits on the crossroads of her past pop hits and narrative tracks with deep lyrics but a catchy beat that you can’t escape. The layered vocals are simply gorgeous in this one, I think it’s something she should do more often since it gives the song that elevated feel. Overall, it’s a polished song and can easily slot into her radio rotation.
One thing about Swift is she doesn’t put out disstracks too often. I was surprised to see that fans are speculating that track seven, “Actually Romantic,” is a jab at singer-songwriter Charli XCX.
The lyrics “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave/ High-fived my ex and then you said you’re glad he ghosted me/ Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face/ Some people might be offended/ But it’s actually sweet,” fuel the rumor mill that is the alleged drama between the two artists.
When Charli XCX released her album “Brat” in 2024, fans wondered if the track “Sympathy Is a Knife” was about Swift, considering Charli’s husband, George Daniel of The 1975, is a bandmate of Matt Healy, whom Swift dated for a short time in 2023.
In “Sympathy Is a Knife,” Charli sings, “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show/ Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick,” potentially alluding to Swift. Swift’s response was undeniably sharp — way to go, Tay.
The title track, “The Life of a Showgirl (featuring Sabrina Carpenter)” was a song I didn’t expect to like, but ended up falling in love with it after realizing how well their voices work together. It’s energetic and exaggerated, just like a theater show, and leans into the album’s central message — performance personas and navigating life in the spotlight.
In the song, the duo thanks their fans for the “lovely bouquets” but, at the end of the day, they don’t know what life’s like behind the curtain. From the outside it looks glamorous and almost effortless, but there’s an immense amount of isolation and pressure that comes with the job.
With the release, Swift hosted watch parties at an AMC Theater in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It was an 89-minute film featuring a video on “The Fate of Ophelia,” behind-the-scenes footage and lyric videos for the remainder of the album.
The album is great, especially when there isn’t some loser yapping in your ear about how bad they think it is. Us real Swifties don’t need your negative opinion. However, I will admit there aren’t any songs I can see becoming big hits like “Shake It Off” or “You Belong With Me” — it takes a lot to beat out her iconic discography.
Whether you like it or not, you have to give Swift props. She just finished a massive world tour, performing three-hour shows every week, while producing an album simultaneously.
Overall, the album is fun, polished and confident, and even though it doesn’t have the same lyrical sophistication as her past hits, it’s a celebration of her charisma. She’s full of personality, and so is “The Life of a Showgirl.” So even though this album may not reach emotional heights, it’s a sparkling and worthwhile addition to her catalog.
