‘The Life of a Showgirl’ welcomes Taylor Swift’s joyful, glittery post-tour era
“The Life of a Showgirl” includes only 12 tracks, a sharp contrast from Swift’s last drop, a double album. From beginning to end, the album goes behind the scenes on Swift’s experience on the Eras Tour. Kendall Thompson | Contributing Illustrator
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Taylor Swift is finally living her best life, and her new album proves it.
Upon first listen, Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” might read as another collection of love songs and glittering pop moments. But beneath the sequins lies a sonically vibrant album about fully embracing the life she’s built.
Released on Friday, the record trades the heartbreak of “The Tortured Poets Department” for self-assured joy, blending the bold confidence of “1989” with the sharp edge of “reputation.”
This sound is reflected across the album’s 12 tracks, spanning 42 minutes. It’s mature, playful and unapologetically Swift at her core. She made her happiest album yet.
Swift described the album as a reflection of her inner life during The Eras Tour, capturing the behind-the-scenes complexities of life on tour, on her fiancé Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast announcing the album.
“I would say that lyrically, I had such a blast writing this record because each song is like its own, sort of, choose-your-own adventure,” Swift said about the album.
Opening the album, “The Fate of Ophelia” sets the tone with a dramatic, introspective flair. The song is a reference to Ophelia — the lead female character of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” — whose grief drives her mad.
The track is about being saved from Swift’s lonely fate by an unexpected lover — referring to her relationship with Kelce. This song shows that Swift is finally free from “The Prophecy” she sang about on “The Tortured Poets Department.”
The title track, featuring Sabrina Carpenter, tells the story of a girl warned about the cost of fame by a showgirl named Kitty — but she chooses the showgirl life anyway. The song reflects the choices that shaped Swift’s career and life in the spotlight, paired with her acceptance of the trade-offs that come with fame.
“I’m married to the hustle / And now I know the life of a showgirl, babe / And I’ll never know another / Pain hidden by the lipstick and lace,” Swift sings.
Sophia Burke | Digital Design Director
“Actually Romantic” stands out as one of the most provocative tracks. Fans have interpreted the song as a pointed response to Charli XCX’s 2024 track “Sympathy is a knife,” which some believe targeted Swift. Here, Swift flips the script, portraying herself as flattered by the attention.
“But it’s actually sweet / All the time you’ve spent on me / It’s honestly wild / All the effort you’ve put in / It’s actually romantic,” Swift sings.
Tracks like “Ruin The Friendship” and “Elizabeth Taylor” explore Swift’s personal anxieties and drama, but not in a mournful way. It marks a clear departure from the heartbreak themes of her previous albums, such as “The Tortured Poets Department” and “Midnights.”
“Elizabeth Taylor” directly references the iconic Hollywood actress, who became a symbol of glamour and sophistication while living an ultra-public life marked by her eight marriages. Similarly, fans and the media frequently dissect and tear apart Swift’s romantic relationships.
“Ruin the Friendship” reflects on youthful hesitation and “what ifs,” ultimately concluding that taking risks is better than leaving questions unanswered. “Elizabeth Taylor” dramatizes the intensity of love rather than loss, showing that high stakes don’t have to mean sadness, along with featuring the best production on the album.
Sonically, Swift leans big, partnering with Max Martin and Shellback, the producers behind her 2014 pop breakout album “1989.” The production blends glossy pop textures with theatrical flair — especially on the title track — emphasizing the glittering energy of Swift’s showgirl motif.
“Eldest Daughter” is a song about the responsibilities and worries that come with being the oldest daughter. Swift bravely accepts these anxieties and frames them as relatable and human rather than dark and destructive.
“When I said I don’t believe in marriage / That was a lie / Every eldest daughter was the first lamb to the slaughter,” Swift sings.
Here, Swift acknowledges that she isn’t as composed as she appears, revealing cracks beneath years of pretending not to care.
Picked as track five on this album, “Eldest Daughter” follows Swift’s tradition of placing deeply personal and vulnerable songs in the fifth position on her albums. This pattern began with “All Too Well” on 2012’s “Red” and has continued through “So Long, London” on “The Tortured Poets Department.”
But, despite its track five status, the song felt more healing than destructive (and track fives normally destroy me). It feels refreshing to be met with truthful, vulnerable lyrics that heal me rather than hurt me. Swift’s self-awareness feels contagious in this track.
Across the album, tensions are resolved in uplifting ways, giving the record a fundamentally joyful and content tone that’s different from Swift’s previous works.
The album also examines the pressures of fame. “Father Figure” critiques the industry’s appetite for success without allowing artists to take the reins.
“Your thoughtless ambition sparked the ignition / On foolish decisions, which led to misguided visions / That to fulfill your dreams / You had to get rid of me,” Swift sings.
Fans speculate the song references Swift’s struggles with her former record label CEO Scott Borchetta and his sale of her master recordings. These decisions led to Swift leaving his record label and re-recording her music, which backfired on Borchetta. Swift bought back her masters in May.
Similarly, “CANCELLED!” exposes the emotional costs of public scrutiny. For the first time on a song, Swift sings about a life where her career and personal happiness can coexist. This element makes “The Life of a Showgirl” her most mature album yet.
Her engagement to Kelce inevitably colors the album. Released amid her most public love story, “The Life of a Showgirl” folds romance into the narrative without overshadowing the other themes present. “Wood” takes a cheeky approach.
“Girls, I don’t need to catch the bouquet, mm / To know a hard rock is on the way,” Swift sings.
With “The Life of a Showgirl,” Swift proves that happiness, self-awareness and confidence can accompany fame, romance and reflection. At its core, the album is about a woman fully embracing her choices, flaws and anxieties. Swift isn’t just performing as a showgirl, she’s in her prime as she invites her fans to celebrate it with her.
