Taylor Swift – The Life of a Showgirl
The Life of a Showgirl is a step in the right direction for Taylor Swift. While her lyricism remains severely lacking in parts, the new production team, which reunites her with Max Martin and Shellback – and the significant absence of Jack Antonoff – pays wonderful dividends. The new sound is fresh, exploring dimensions of emotions, ranging from soft love to a lust for revenge. Still, it retains the magnetic and quirky quality associated with Swift’s work. There are traces of artists like Beyoncé, Jessie Ware and the Jackson 5 in some of the pieces, but The Life of a Showgirl is unequivocally a Taylor Swift record.
The Fate of Ophelia opens with Swift’s continuous affinity for Shakespearean stories, this time focusing on the character of Ophelia from Hamlet. This song is an awakening, emerging out of a creative rut and a loveless state, while simultaneously likening her experiences as a pop star to Ophelia’s descent into madness. More than that, The Fate of Ophelia sings of broken hearts and Swift’s lost fate in love, only to be brought back by her current lover. The verses are slow and lacklustre, but the chorus hits fierce and hard, capturing that sudden explosion of energy from the deep lull of hopelessness.
In Father Figure, she deconstructs the imbalanced power dynamics within the music industry, the distorted perception of trust and loyalty, and the exploitation of young artists like her through the eyes of a mob boss and his protégé. This fifth entry is an excellent example of Swift’s strength in storytelling and aptitude for building character arcs within her tracks.
Ruin the Friendship, on the other hand, sets the atmosphere with sentimental descriptions of childhood sights, from parks and overpasses she frequented. This is accompanied by an easy-going melody, soft and light in production, allowing the instruments to breathe life into the piece. She covers once again a topic she’s all too familiar with: the concept of “what ifs” and unrequited love. Swift laments missing the chance to kiss a childhood friend, one who is referenced to have died. The third verse is stripped back of all other instruments save for the soft strum of the acoustic guitar, as the death of her friend is revealed. Swift’s vocal sets the tone of acceptance and moving on, but never forgetting. It’s a mark of both sorrow and hope.
Where the artist falters in her writing is in her commentary efforts, especially in songs like Eldest Daughter, CANCELLED! and Honey. Swift is a storyteller, well-versed in writing narratives and creating characters. But when it comes to analysing and critiquing society, her environment, and human behaviour, her lyricism falls into the traps of over-relying on buzz words and fleeting trendy topics. Moreover, her interloping internet slang with poetic imagery doesn’t quite work. There’s no seamless transition, and the overall effect is jarring rather than contemplative.
Closing The Life of a Showgirl is the title track featuring Sabrina Carpenter. Arguably the best song of the playlist, it follows the story of a fictional showgirl called “Kitty” whose fame and fortune are seen as illegitimate due to her standing as a woman. Yet, still, people flock to her and adore her, giving her the “keys to the city”. Kitty meets a hopeful young woman who also aspires to live like her, and she advises her on the reality of her life as a showgirl: the cutthroat industry and the sacrifices made to achieve that level of success. The addition of Carpenter adds another layer of irony to The Life of a Showgirl, as Swift took Carpenter under her wing during their ventures together at the Eras tour. It’s a wonderful closer that perfectly encapsulates the album, and once again dissects Swift’s complex relationship with fame, the pressures of staying relevant, and the fleetingness of it all.
Mae Trumata
Image: Courtesy of Taylor Swift
The Life of a Showgirl is released on 3rd October 2025. For further information or to order the album, visit Taylor Swift’s website here.
Watch the video for The Life of a Showgirl here:
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