The date was April 20, 2024. While it may have seemed like nothing special at the time, that day marked my very first tour of Ithaca College. My soundtrack for the visit? Taylor Swift’s newly released The Tortured Poets Department. As a Swiftie of over six years, I have always felt that she perfectly times her releases for when I need them most in my life. With this, I was absolutely ecstatic when she announced that her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, would be released during my first semester in college.
Whenever Swift releases a new project, the music is met with mixed opinions from critics and fans. As the clock struck midnight on Oct. 3, fans, critics and the like all tuned in for the album drop. Instantly, listeners realized a change in sound. Not only had Swift returned to a more upbeat style of Pop, there was certainly a difference in her writing. This drastic difference upset many longtime fans, with some calling it “her worst lyricism to date”. To be fair, it is a jarring transition to go from “sanctimoniously performing soliloquies I’ll never see” to “did you girlboss too close to the sun?” As someone who fell in love with the lyrical style of folklore, evermore, and Reputation, I felt initially disappointed by the fairly simple and unoriginal lyrics, especially on track 5, “Eldest Daughter.”
However, Swift has commented on fan (or non-fan) criticism, claiming it to be a necessary part of creating art and recognizing that fan’s perceptions of her albums is ever-changing. Upon their debut, Reputation and Lover were slandered across the Internet, called “too different” from her typical sound when now they rank among many fans’ favorites. Time can only tell if the same fate is in store for The Life of a Showgirl.
The Life of a Showgirl starts off strong with track one, “The Fate of Ophelia,” marking Swift’s return to glitter gel pen pop music. While her past few albums featured upbeat songs with heartwrenching lyrics, Swift made it clear that The Life of a Showgirl would be a new direction. At its core, The Life of a Showgirl is an anthem for a woman in love. Tracks “Wood”, “Wi$h Li$t” and “Honey” are all affectionate ballads dedicated to her now fiance, NFL tight-end Travis Kelce. And while the album is dominated by Swift’s personal happiness, she has also taken the showgirl motif to discuss life in the industry. “Father Figure” is rumored to be about producer Scott Borchetta who sold her music, “CANCELLED” tells the tale of dealing with scrutiny in the public eye and “Actually Romantic,” rumored to be dedicated to fellow popstar Charli xcx, is an anthem about finding affection within the hoards of hate comments. Additionally, “Elizabeth Taylor” is loosely about the public figure of the same name whom Swift has spoken of in great admiration. Shockingly, Swift even referenced elements of her childhood in this album with “Opalite” being about her relationship with her mother and “Ruin the Friendship” recalling the heartbreaking death of her high school friend, Jeff Lang. The closing and titular track is certainly a standout, not only for the thematic commentary but also for the feature of fellow showgirl and former Eras Tour opener Sabrina Carpenter. When asked about the collaboration, Swift said there was no one else she could’ve possibly picked other than the 26 year-old “Tears” singer.
For the release of The Life of a Showgirl, Swift tried a completely new approach with her lead single. While she is no stranger to surprise debuts, (I was at the very same show where the first showing of the “Karma” music was played!) this was her first time debuting a music video in theaters. The Official Release Party of a Showgirl consisted of an initial viewing of the music video, followed by behind the scenes content and her explanations between each of the new tracks. At the end, the video for “The Fate of Ophelia” was played one more time, giving the audience time to digest and appreciate the tiny details, like the bread Swift proudly boasted of baking in the earlier footage. Visually, the music video is stunning, with constant changes of scenery and even changes in Swift’s wigs! The video is a tribute to the Eras Tour as it was a reunion with all her dancers, musicians and backstage crew. It was a relatively small audience in the AMC theater I saw it in, but it didn’t feel that way at all, as the crowd was full of cheers and laughs.
Overall, the movie was a perfect reignition of the community Swift creates — one of love and kindness. After the showing, I ran into a young girl half my size who, after I complimented her dress, gifted me a friendship bracelet she made. Regardless of varied opinions, Swifties have always proven their loyalty to their favorite singer as well as each other, fostering an environment where young women — and people in general — of all ages can be true to themselves.