After the emotional and thought-provoking album “The Tortured Poets Department”, Taylor Swift switches up with her newest album, “The Life of a Showgirl”. She returns to collaborate with renowned producers Max Martin and Shellback to create 12 songs that are fun, peppy, and make you feel like a showgirl on stage. This album deep dives into what it’s like experiencing everyday life in the spotlight, how to balance the glamour and the not-so-amazing parts of it.
The Fate of Ophelia
The title track opens the album by telling a story and comparing the life of a modern woman in the spotlight to Ophelia, a character from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. Opelia was in the spotlight and admired, but ultimately misunderstood and overwhelmed by society’s expectations. Swift uses this character as a reference to how fame, love and public pressure can push people to break. She has rewritten the story with Ophelia taking control of the narrative, instead of drowning in it.
Elizabeth Taylor
Again, Swift focuses on both the sides of fame: how captivating celebrities are to the world and how alone they feel once in the spotlight. She uses the actress “Elizabeth Taylor” as a metaphor and explores how women are idolized, but then torn apart by public opinion. Choosing to reference her violet eyes and numerous marriages highlights her experience in the public eye, including being shamed for her relationships. This song ultimately discusses whether or not the price of fame is worth it.
Opalite
In the song Opalite, Swift uses the symbol of a man-made opal to represent how happiness can be intentionally created. This stone is a reference to her fiancé, Travis Kelce’s birthstone, as well. The song itself harps on her past heartbreaks and tribulations before yearning and hoping for the future. She doesn’t see it as Kelce rescuing her; instead, it’s a mutual understanding of having past relationships and friendships that don’t last, which allows her to reach a better headspace.
Father Figure
This song focuses on Swift’s past professional relationships and how Scott Borschetta abused his power over her within the entertainment industry, referencing a father-daughter relationship. While the song starts by acknowledging the misplaced power dynamic, Swift eventually shifts the narrative to discuss how she now holds power over him because of her success. It critiques a paternal figure who promised a young girl protection and success in exchange for her innocence, flipping the power dynamic.
Eldest Daughter
Swift reflects on the pressures and expectations placed on her by being an eldest daughter, in both her personal and public experiences. It uses the rough and heightened expectations of being an eldest daughter to help them become stronger. Swift opens up and discusses how finding a lover in her romantic relationship has allowed her to drop her outer layer of responsibility and not care about how people think of her. This song becomes an anthem for the oldest daughters to be vulnerable and to allow themselves not to put the pressure of the family on their shoulders.
Ruin the Friendship
This song is a personal reflection by Swift, emphasizing the importance of not letting moments go unnoticed and not holding yourself back. She discusses her high school experience of having a crush on a boy and whether or not to go after him. Ultimately, she decides not to and she later finds out that he passed away after they both left school. This song is the true “what if” anthem, wondering if things would be different if she had maybe just made the move. She’s making an effort to convince her audience to take action, even if the outcome might be bad, in the hope that something good could result.
Actually Romantic
Swift changes the narrative of this song, emphasizing that her presence on people’s minds, even in a negative way, is beneficial. She doesn’t think of them, but their spewing of hate and negative thoughts about her keeps her in the spotlight and receiving attention regardless. She’s poking fun at her haters, not caring about what they think of her and saying that their attention equates to love and is romantic.
Wi$h List
This song delves into what Swift truly desires in her life: just her fiancé. All the superficial things many celebrities desire don’t matter to her now that she has found true love. She now cares about the simple things in life: her fiancé, her future children, settling down, and having a simple life away from the public eye.
Wood
Swift starts this song by making playful references to superstitions, such as knocking on wood, black cats and crossing cracks in the road, creating dual meanings between luck and love. Now that she has found her fiancé, she doesn’t feel the need to play around with these superstitions. She continues the song by making sexual comments and playful images to reference being in love and how that can change you.
CANCELLED!
Cancel culture has become a significant part of society, this song addresses the importance of standing with friends when they engage in controversial actions. Taylor discusses how she stands by her friends who stood by her when she was cancelled and how they have gotten through tough times together. After getting cancelled, she wears a badge, which makes her stronger and allows her to flip the narrative once more.
Honey
Swift discusses how words can have double meanings. Depending on who says them and how they’re delivered, they can be condescending, but also tender. This song credits her fiancé, Travis Kelce, with redefining the blues, empowering his love to change the negative connotations associated with these double words. It highlights the change in her focus from the public to private love.
The Life of a Showgirl (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)
In the final song of the album, Swift uses the character of Kitty to explore what it really means to be a showgirl, with glitz and glam, yet also vulnerable. It again ties into the starter track “The Fate of Ophelia,” reflecting once again on whether the cost of fame is worth it. The collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter fosters a friendship and a shared narrative, offering a deeper perspective on what it is like being a showgirl.
The Life of a Showgirl captures Taylor Swift’s raw vulnerability between finding love while struggling with being in the spotlight. It reflects how she embraces the spotlight without losing her identity, enabling her to deliver her most powerful performance yet.