By: Ariana Hernandez
Photo by: Google
Released on October 3rd, Taylor Swift’s twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, arrives with glitter, grit, and a whole lot of controversy. While some fans hail it as a delightful pivot, others are left wondering if Swift’s latest act is a misstep in an otherwise storied career.
What does it mean to be a showgirl? Swift leans into this question with theatrical flair, crafting twelve tracks that explore fame, femininity, and the emotional toll of performance. The album is deeply personal, reflecting on her relationship with her career and her fiancé, while also interrogating the roles she’s been asked to play: daughter, muse, villain, icon.
Despite the high-profile production team of Max Martin (known for 1989) and Shellback (who also worked on Reputation), the sonic landscape is surprisingly subdued. Instead of the production-heavy pop many expected, Swift opts for a more restrained, introspective palette. This choice has sparked criticism, especially from those who anticipated a return to the glossy maximalism of her earlier eras.
Track-by-Track Breakdown:
- “The Fate of Ophelia”
Considered the favorite of the album, the opener features hooky melodies, vibey bass synths, and upbeat percussion; the public perception has generally been positive. Though some individuals critique Swift’s reference to Ophelia (from Hamlet), arguing that Ophelia needed agency, not a man, Swift does not directly equate her experience with that of Ophelia. Instead, Swift suggests that she figuratively “killed” herself, and that the love of her partner helped to rekindle the trust that had been shattered by past relationships.
- “Elizabeth Taylor”
The second song on the album deals with the harsh realities of stardom. The track features magical synth bell tones, piano glissandi, and distorted strings, making the track have a layer of intrigue sonically. However, some feel the beat drop feels slightly disjointed from the nature of the song. Lyrically, Swift makes an appeal to the late Elizabeth Taylor, saying, “I’d cry my eyes violet, Elizabeth Taylor / Tell me for real, do you think it’s forever?” Swift idolizes Elizabeth Taylor and wants to make a comparison between them because they had similar situations, in that they are both known for their publicized relationships.
- “Opalite”
Another well-received song among most listeners. Production-wise, Max Martin, Shellback, and Swift made the song jam-packed with good dance vibes. Thematically, the track is upbeat and feel-good, depicting a transformation from darkness to light, brought forth by love.
- “Father Figure”
From here on out, many fans were left disappointed, and the haters were left enraged. The track samples George Michael’s song of the same name and depicts the struggle Swift had to regain the rights to her masters. However, some listeners were put off by the lyrics, finding them questionable. Swift writes, “I can make deals with the devil because my dick’s bigger,” referring to her buying back the rights to her music. Some listeners found these lyrics and concept cringe. That said, many people agree that the bridge is pleasant to the ear.
- “Eldest Daughter”
Swift is notorious for her “track fives” as they are known to be the most gut-wrenching tracks on her albums, though “Eldest Daughter” fell short in many eyes. The main critique of this track is that Swift references dated slang writing, “But I’m not a bad bitch / and this isn’t savage” in her chorus. Other artists have used these same lyrics in songs like “Sorry Not Sorry” (2017) by Demi Lovato and “7 Rings” (2019) by Ariana Grande.
- “Ruin the Friendship”
Fans have thematically linked this track to “Forever Winter” off Red (Taylor’s Version), imagining them to be about the same person. Overall, people are divided on the song as a concept, some disliking the “cheating” aspect while others view it as heartfelt.
- “Actually Romantic”
The song is Swift’s most polarizing track. Allegedly aimed at Charli XCX badmouthing her while opening for Swift’s tour, the song critiques obsession and rivalry. Lyrics like “no man has ever loved me like you do” and “kind of making me wet” have been called disingenuous, with many arguing Swift struggles to sell the “bad girl” persona convincingly.
- “W$sh L$st”
A song about Swift being in love with her fiancé. Though the trap beat instrumental is off-putting, the message is sweet. On the other hand, the haters see it as “trad wife” propaganda, because Swift says that she wants to “have a couple kids, got the whole block looking like you” when in the previous lines she says, “I hope they get what they want / I just want you.”
- “Wood”
Another controversial song about Travis Kelce’s manhood. Some people enjoy the groovy instrumental and tongue-in-cheek lyrics like “Forgive me it sounds cocky / He (ah!) matized me” while others are scandalized, thinking Swift is trying too hard to emulate Sabrina Carpenter.
- “CANCELLED!”
Critics claim this is the worst song on the album. People say that Swift’s writing on this track is offensive to her career in that it is so “millennial-core.” Most notably, people despise this lyric: “Did you girlboss too close to the sun?” which is meant to be humorous and sarcastic; nonetheless, people think it is wildly cringeworthy to put modern language into a song.
- “Honey”
Another trap song that would have benefited from a different instrumental or perhaps even being a piano ballad. Otherwise, the track is inoffensive, though a little forgettable to the public.
- “The Life of a Showgirl” (ft. Sabrina Carpenter)
The biggest issue people have with this song is the blending of Swift and Carpenter’s vocals. Swift has clarity in her voice, while Carpenter does not, making them poor duet partners. Carpenter’s style of singing is stylistically unstable in terms of pitch, so when she and Swift sing together, their voices clash.
So, is this Swift’s worst album? The answer to that will always be a personal one. Many Swifties have their own opinions as to which album is Taylor Swift’s worst and best, and that is entirely their fun to have. While the album may feel like a step down from previous past projects leading some to think that Swift needs a break to reconnect with her writing and not stretch herself so thin.
