Taylor Swift has been a defining force in the music industry for well over a decade, constantly reinventing herself through a series of distinct “eras.” Everything she touches seems to turn platinum, from her chart-topping albums to her record-breaking “Eras Tour.” Last week, Swift released her newest album, The Life of a Showgirl (TLOASG), marking what appears to be a transition from heartbreak to happiness, or her engagement as “a football princess era.” However, despite the album’s marketing being glitzy and glamorous, the final product feels tarnished.
Let’s start with the obvious. While I don’t consider myself a true Swiftie, I’ve been a fan for years. Reputation remains my favorite album, and 1989 was the first record I ever bought on Apple Music. TLOASG introduces a new chapter for Taylor, moving fully past the introspective heartbreak that has defined much of her catalog. Unfortunately, despite all the glitz and spectacle promised by the “showgirl” theme, the album feels surprisingly dull, polished on the surface, but hollow underneath.
Musically, several of the tracks sound too familiar, but not in a comforting, nostalgic way. The title track, “The Life of a Showgirl (feat. Sabrina Carpenter),” mirrors the same chord structure as “Cool” by the Jonas Brothers and has a bridge that’s nearly identical to “The Other Side” from The Greatest Showman. Meanwhile, “CANCELLED!” echoes the same rhythm as “I Did Something Bad,” by Taylor Swift in her album, Reputation, but without that edge that makes Reputation so iconic. The rest of the album feels like it is caught between multiple eras, never too clear on what the message is meant to be.
Lyrically, the album represents a more disappointing shift. One of the hallmarks of Swift’s songwriting ability has been her lyrical craftsmanship and carefully chosen words. She’s most known for layered metaphors that perfectly convey her personal experiences to resonate with. Songs like “Right Where You Left Me” or “The Prophecy” are lyrically dense and showcase Swift at her most poetic and introspective. Compared to those, the lyrics on TLOASG felt overly simplified and rather rushed. Coming right after The Tortured Poets Department, which was an album with emotional complexity, it’s a shock to the system in all the wrong ways.
The thematic core of TLOASG seems split between the glitz of performance and the grounded reality of Swift’s relationship with Travis Kelce, straying far from the “showgirl” theme. For instance, “Wood” aims to be sultry, but I think it comes off as inauthentic and forced, which is a complete tonal shift from the natural sensuality of “Dress” on Reputation. Swift has proven she can write about intimacy with nuance and restraint, but here, the execution seems hollow and mechanical.
Still, it’s not a complete disappointment. A few tracks managed to break through the noise and make their way to my playlist. “Elizabeth Taylor” has an extremely catchy beat with an edgy tone similar to Reputation, but not quite. “The Fate of Ophelia” also stands out, feeling like Swift’s folklore era with her literary allusions and upbeat melody. Even the title track, despite its recycled chord structure, has an infectious energy and is a fun duet with Sabrina Carpenter.
Normally, I like to end my reviews on a positive note. I usually hold out hope for the repeated listens, uncovering a newfound love for the tracks. But in this case, the opposite happened. The more I revisited TLOASG, the less connected I felt to it. There is an emotional vacancy at the heart of this record that repeated plays only emphasize. It’s not a bad album, but rather one that is uninspired.
For some fans, this album will be a perfect addition to Swift’s ever-expanding catalog, but for other longtime listeners, it may feel like an intermission rather than a headline act.