Taylor Swift’s album came out about two weeks ago, and I went into this listen with an open mind. Even though I’m not a Swiftie, I can’t lie that Taylor has some good songs. I heard the murmurs online about how bad the album was, but as someone who finds a way to like anything, I took them with a grain of salt. I do have to admit though, after listening, the murmurs were not completely wrong…
“The Fate of Ophelia”
The opening track was a welcome surprise. It was a refreshing beginning to the album and I think it was a very good choice to have it be the first track. There were no outstanding vocals, but the beat is fun and the chorus is very catchy. I can see this being a jump around your bedroom song.
“Elizabeth Taylor”
This is when Taylor started losing me and honestly never found me again. Swift has a tendency to talk-sing and she does it heavily in this song. The beat is very catchy, but the lyrics don’t make much sense to me. She’s trying to paint a picture, but I think the imagery is useless to the overall song. I know her lyricism is what she’s known for, but it does not shine through in this song and for much of the album.
“Opalite”
This may be tied for my least favorite song on the album. Taylor’s vocals once again aren’t very strong making the songs feel flat, but my main issue with the song is who she’s alluding to. In verse two of the song, Swift writes, “You were in it for real/She was in her phone/And you were just a pose”. This line is highly speculated on the internet to be about Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole, and TikTok creator @chrisvolcy said this song could lead to even more inappropriate and racist rhetoric towards Nicole.
My first qualm with this lyric is that it’s not very feminist. Taylor is only getting Travis’ side of whatever happened in this relationship and she’s assuming that’s what really happened. She has no right to make claims about who was in it for real and who wasn’t. It just feels like she’s willing to tear down a (Black) woman to appease her fiance, and it truly rubbed me the wrong way.
“Father Figure”
It’s heavily speculated that this track is about Olivia Rodrigo and even though that may not be how Taylor meant it, it’s how it’s being perceived. Rodrigo has referred to Taylor as mother multiple times in the past and in turn Taylor has called her ‘her daughter’. Rodrigo took inspiration from Swift as she was growing up and has said that on multiple occasions. So the “protege” that’s talked about in the song could very well be her. The last lyrics in the song, “you know, you remind me of a younger me I saw potential,” almost bashes Rodrigo and feels targeted to her for daring to become bigger than Swift.
“Eldest Daughter”
When I saw the title I was expecting Folklore level lyricism and got,“but I’m not a bad bitch/And this isn’t savage,” instead.
As a Black woman, this line feels like microaggression. Black women are often referred to as baddies or ‘bad b’s’ and the word savage is also highly associated with Black woman (e.g. Meg the Stallion and Rhianna’s SavageXFenty) Taylor writing this makes it seem like Black women will “let you down” and “leave you out” and when you understand that these lyrics are to Travis Kelce whose last ex was a Black woman, it just feels wrong. The only redeeming part about this song is the bridge which I think has quite lovely lyrics and is sung well, but overall it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
“Wood”
The ninth track “Wood” is what I was least looking forward to. It sounds exactly like “I Want You Back” by the Jackson Five and she has effectively ruined the beat for me. If she likes it I don’t love it, but I get what she was trying to do. She tried something different and I commend her for being different.
“Cancelled”
When celebrities and influencers get cancelled it’s because they said or did something offensive to an entire community. It isn’t an act of misogyny like the song is alluding to. This song feels like a big smack in the face to the people who actually get hurt in these situations. The reasons her friends get cancelled don’t affect her so she doesn’t truly understand the impact the cancellable offences have on others. It’s a very privileged look at the situation.
“The Life of a Show Girl”
The final and title song of the album “The Life of a Show Girl” features Sabrina Carpenter and I’m so glad for that. Honestly the song feels more like a song Sabrina would write and sing than Taylor and it shows through the vocals. Sabrina really adds to this song. Her voice is smooth and clear compared to Taylor’s breathy notes. I found myself wishing Sabrina had sung the whole song. Even though I didn’t like it very much, it was a good song to end the album.
Final Thoughts
The Life of a Show Girl is full of melodic microagressions and distasteful themes. I wish I could say I expected better, but I think Taylor Swift has continuously shown her true colors as the years have gone on. I’m not sure who this album is for, but it is certainly not for me, a Black woman who has experienced feeling small in white spaces. It’s very strange how this album comes at the expense of tearing others down. Whether that be her boyfriend’s Black ex-girlfriend, her rising protege or a fellow pop girl who’s struggling with insecurity, in this album no one was spared.