Unless you live under a rock you would have heard that Taylor Swift has released her 12th studio album titled ‘the life of a showgirl’ on October 3.
Amongst the hype and excitement, many ‘swifty’ predictions were seen to be wrong this time around and that has left fans unsure if Taylor’s ‘girl next door’ vibe has been washed away with her billionaire status.
But the album did bring glamour and showbiz but maybe a bit of tone deaf lyricism.
She returns to us with long-time collaborators Max Martin and Shellback, the duo behind her wildly popular albums1989 and Reputation.
Fans expected to hear more of the lore behind the Taylor and Charliexcx drama but were disappointed by Taylors response in ‘actually romantic’ causing some fans to even label Taylor as the mean girl.
Fans also expected to hear more from Taylor regarding her friendship with actress Blake lively only to receive the song ‘Cancelled!’ in which she states ‘I like my friends cancelled’ suggesting she is team Blake all the way.
Musical controversy
But Tiktok has hinted towards some other inspirations to her new album, some who may not have received the credit they were due.
One titkok pointed out that the song titled ‘wood’ not only has a sabrina carpenter feel to it, it also sounds an awful lot like ‘I want you back’ by Jackson 5.
It has also been mentioned that ‘fate of Ophelia’ sounds a lot like ‘she wolf’ by Sia and David Guetta, a part which is sampled but credited fully, as well as the album title song ‘the life of a showgirl’ ft, Sabrina Carpenter has strong similarities to ‘cool’ by Jonas brothers.
Whilst it is understandable for songs to sound similar to one another as artists are always taking inspiration from what they hear around them, the fine line between influence and copying is one artists try hard to avoid and it doesn’t appear that Taylor has recognised this within her new album.
It is also to be noted that ‘father figure’ gives credit to George Michael and purposely sample his song by the same name.
lyrical analysis
One of the main things that draws in Taylor’s fans is her undeniable skill to form lyrics with such perfection and that is still seen in her latest album.
“I learned to smile through lipstick tears.”
→ captures the performative theme, the pain behind perfection.
“They call it a show, I call it survival.”
→ brings up a discussion about fame, womanhood, and pressure.
“There’s glitter in the cracks of my reflection.”
→ introspective glamour, a metaphor for self-image and imperfection.
“The applause fades slower when you love yourself louder.”
→ a turning point lyric, empowerment wrapped in theatre.
Her smart words and lyrical imagery has stayed true, although she has left her poetic vibes back in her last album ‘the tortured poets department.’
For me, the life of a showgirl is just as Taylor promised, its glittery, its showy and extravagant.
I personally enjoy the songs Wood and Honey and enjoy hearing Taylor in her lover girl era although I’m sure we will all miss her iconic heartbreak anthems.
That said, it’s not flawless. Some tracks feel like they could exist in any pop album, lacking the specificity or risk I crave.
But on balance, TLOAS is a statement: Taylor Swift is not the same girl she was when she started and that the life she has of a showgirl isn’t all glamour and glitter, its a life of insecurity and trying to please the audience.
Note: This review reflects my personal opinions and interpretations based on publicly available information and online discussions. It’s not intended to be critical or disrespectful toward Taylor Swift or anyone involved, just an exploration of the art and themes behind the album.
