Taylor Swift joyfully embraces love while remaining cautious of fame in her lavish twelfth studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl.’ However, even at her peak, she does not manage to provide anything beyond a sense of creative dullness.
Stream: ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has accomplished it all.
She captivated sold-out arenas and witnessed the Eras Tour become the highest-grossing tour ever. She reclaimed ownership of her song masters and set new chart records, previously established by herself. She has ignited discussions about artist rights and observed crowds clad in shimmering gold and sequins singing along to her hits. Her music has turned into anthems that tackle the bittersweet experiences of love and the painful void of lost affection, also touching on themes of fame, friendship, and the satisfying sting of revenge.
Describing Swift as a phenomenon merely scratches the surface of her impact. She stands as both an individual and a formidable force, a singular presence around which an extensive ecosystem revolves. This ecosystem comprises a global fanbase of Swifties united through exchanged friendship bracelets, decoded easter eggs, and shared eras of musical experiences. Taylor Swift comprehends music intimately. She understands her fans, who have invested their faith in her songwriting. Yet, what happens if that creativity falters to produce the brilliance her fans expect?
Swift made headlines when she revealed her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on the New Heights podcast with her brothers, Jason and Travis Kelce. However, a first listen presents the album more as a rehash of previous sounds than a grand artistic declaration. Released on October 3, The Life of a Showgirl is filled with tributes that struggle to stand out.
The opener, “The Fate of Ophelia,” is a mesmerizing track that references Shakespeare's famous Hamlet character. The song oscillates between ethereal vocals and a profound bass that envelops a relationship steeped in an almost American bliss. She declares, “Swear my loyalty to me, myself, and I,” before shifting to “Pledge allegiance to your hands, your team, your vibes,” presumably dedicated to her fiancé Travis Kelce.
Lost in a trance of longing from the beginning to the end, she professes eternal loyalty to the one who rescued her from a fate like Ophelia’s. While the narrative she weaves is undoubtedly captivating, it undercuts Ophelia’s original story; her retelling casts the noblewoman as a mere damsel in distress, reducing her agency and portraying her as someone reliant on a man’s salvation, contrary to the strong woman she was. Even Swift’s skilled pen could not redeem the song from this glaring literary misstep.
The following tracks maintain this same romantic reverie, transitioning from desire to melancholy, then to introspective satisfaction. “Elizabeth Taylor” draws parallels between her romantic experiences and those of a Hollywood icon loved and abandoned, showcasing vibrant theatricality. It evokes memories of her album Reputation, rich with dramatic melodies and beats.
In a similar vein, “Opalite” embodies the essence of a typical Swift song—upbeat and melodically rich while contemplating her lost loves and new joys—but it ultimately misses the mark. Throughout the album, it adopts familiar sounds from other artists, specifically mirroring the pop classic “Be My Baby” by The Ronettes.
This emulative approach persists throughout the rest of Showgirl. “Father Figure” is a lively track focused on stripping away a man’s power over her, potentially addressing her former label head Scott Borchetta, and contains elements of George Michael's music. “Actually Romantic” echoes “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus, “Wood” pays homage to the Jackson 5, “CANCELLED!” mirrors the chorus of Lorde’s “Yellow Flicker Beat,” and “The Life of a Showgirl” channels the very rhythms of “Cool” by the Jonas Brothers.
While deciphering these borrowed sounds may seem like a playful nod to the showgirl theme, Swift notably fails to appropriately credit these influences. Instead, the album offers a pastiche of renowned hits, filled with recycled melodies and outdated production techniques. For an artist renowned for her constant evolution, this lack of freshness is especially disheartening.
Even Swift’s lyrical skill, which shone in albums like Folklore and Evermore, falters here. The lyrics often appear mundane or uninspired, at times attempting to chase trends while reaching for a depth that simply isn’t present. Lines in “Wood,” an upbeat pop track heavy with sexual undertones, are simplistic: “Redwood tree / It ain’t hard to see / His love was the key / That opened my thighs.”
Other lines like “But I’m not a bad bitch / and this isn’t savage” from “Eldest Daughter” or “Did you girl-boss too close to the sun” in
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Taylor Swift makes a joyful comeback in love and cautious of extravagance with her lavish twelfth studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl.’ However, even at her peak, she ultimately fails to present anything beyond a sense of creative dullness.