The Fate Of A Showgirl: The Life Of A Showgirl Album Review

By Kayla Harper

Taylor Swift’s twelfth studio album The Life Of A Showgirl arrived at midnight on October 3 and let’s just say it was underwhelming after two months of anticipation, over a year of decoding meticulously plotted easter eggs, eight vinyl variants and of course all the release week festivities.

Maybe we should’ve known when Swift’s fiancé and Kansas City Chief’s Travis Kelce described The Life Of A Showgirl as bangers all the way through, after saying that “Blank Space” was his favourite Swift song, that it would be a shallow project in comparison to Swift’s previous work (I am not saying “Blank Space” is a bad song, it’s a satirical pop masterpiece, however, it is a basic choice considering her vast discography).

However, I had hope when Swift repeatedly praised the project as the album she’d been wanting to make for a long time; the perfect album.  Clearly we have very different ideas of what that means, personally, I think folklore earned her that feat.

 

I have always declared, and I still do, that Swift is one of, if not the best songwriters of the current generation.  The complexity of the figurative language she weaves into her lyrics is on par with what we’ve studied in my advanced poetry and english classes and in some of the greatest and most renowned writers of all time.  Aside from the common metaphor, some of Swift’s favourites are allusions and epigrams, rhyme and meter, antithesis, personification, satire, hyperbole, idioms, paradox and apostrophe, these are only some of the figurative devices we can learn from studying Swift’s lyrics.

In addition, Swift’s emphasis on storytelling is painted through imagery so vivid it makes even the inaccessible experiences that only happen to someone of Swift’s magnitude feel personal.  Swift doesn’t just stimulate the auditory senses through her music, she aims for all five –this is how she achieves such vivid storytelling that is so relatable.  Something that can be easily achieved for anyone writing a novel or even poetry, but it becomes much more difficult when you’re writing lyrics restricted to a specific meter (tempo), rhyme-scheme and even the key in which it’s sung and Swift pulls this off almost every time.

 

While The Life Of A Showgirl certainly opposes my claim, it does not diminish Swift’s artistic credibility.  Eleven albums over 20 years in the industry against one that doesn’t compete does not undermine Swift’s standing, in fact there’s very few artists that come to mind where I love every album in their discography. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t disappointing, especially because it is the first of Swift’s that has missed the mark by so much for me. Although, if 1989 came out now instead of in 2014 I might feel the same way, except that 1989 has phenomenal production and lacks the cringe lyrics– it’s just nowhere near the rest of her discography in terms of lyrical and emotional depth.

I have always said that as a writer myself, it is more difficult to write a happy pop song or even just an upbeat pop song for that matter, that does not sound “cringe” than an emotionally and lyrically complex ballad.  Although Swift has done this successfully many times, she has missed the mark before The Life Of A Showgirl (i.e. “Welcome To New York” and “You Need To Calm Down”) and she will miss the mark again.  No one is perfect all the time.

 

The Life Of A Showgirl is lyrically the weakest of Swift’s albums, but even then I have heard much worse and not all of it is bad.  It only seems so bad because other projects she’s put out are so incredible.  There are many gems hidden within it.  However, it’s the use of many Gen Z “slang” terms and excessive, ineffectively placed curse words that ruined it for me.

I’m not saying Swift can’t swear, that’s not it at all, it’s just that the way she’s using curse words in a lot of these songs feels less intentional and more lazy. Curse words are something we resort to when we run out of words to express the way we’re feeling, so when they are used they should be placed with meticulous intention to ensure the effect is there, such as on reputation’s “I Did Something Bad”: “If a man talks shit than I owe him nothing” -the lyric carries a lot more weight in context of the song because of this.  Or in folklore’s “betty”: “would you tell me to go fuck myself or lead me to the garden?” where it’s used to convey the tone of a specific character.

In The Life Of A Showgirl and even on other recent Swift projects like Midnights the placement of curse words is starting to feel excessive, less intentional and therefore is taking away from the craft of songwriting.

Aside from the lyrics, I almost felt like The Life Of A Showgirl could have been saved if it had better production.  Most of the project felt rather bland, with monotone drum machines, single note keys and the occasional rhythm guitar.  In addition, all of Swift’s best vocals kept getting drowned out in the back of the mix.  Maybe you guys should’ve stopped complaining so much about Jack Antonoff because I think his touch along with other Bleachers’ members could have made something great of this record.

 

After finding out it was a pop record produced by Max Martin and Shellback, I was certain it would not be my favourite Swift album, I tend to not be as fond of most of her pop music.  However, the aesthetic was intriguing and visuals were stunning so I was excited to give it a chance.  During my first listen I failed to see the way the showgirl theme carried through the record. It was strong in certain tracks like “The Fate Of Ophelia”, “Father Figure”, “Cancelled”, “Actually Romantic” and of course “The Life Of A Showgirl” but it seemed to get lost in the other tracks.  I was definitely expecting more songs to tackle the darker sides of fame, even “Wi$h Li$t” could’ve kept the same concept, but aligned better with the showgirl theme if she had gone the direction of “I don’t want the fame, lights or glamour anymore, I just want you.”

Most of these thoughts were after my initial listen, while I still stand by most of them, I have given the album a couple more listens (as I always do before finalizing a review) and I attended the Life Of A Showgirl Release Party at my local theatre which did shift my perspective little bit.

Swift did something I have yet to see another artist do – celebrate an album by throwing a listening party in theatres across the globe.  These release parties mimic the secret sessions Swift used to hold in her house prior to an album release –she would select fans to come to her home and hangout while listening to the album track-by-track and giving fans exclusive insight into each song.  These listening parties were set-up similarly, but on a larger scale, with Swift talking about the creation and meaning of each track, revealing the stunning lyric videos and visuals that accompanied each track, as well as “The Fate Of Ophelia” music video and behind the scenes of that. Whether you liked the album or not, this was an amazing thing for Swift to do, using the music for its purest and most important purpose; bringing people together to celebrate.

Hearing Swift talk about the songs and the creation of them definitely helped me understand their direction better and therefore appreciate them a little more.  I also learned that the clean versions of most of these tracks are a lot better than the original.  Now that it’s had time to soak in, here is my review of each track on The Life Of A Showgirl and Swift’s personal insight into each track from the release party!

1. “The Fate Of Ophelia”

The opening track is my favourite on the album and actually comparable to my favourites off of 1989.  The chord progression is unfamiliar compared to usual pop songs, the vocals and melodies are dynamic with classic Swift lyrics! I’m a sucker for Shakespeare and I love the way Swift alluded to so many key moments in Hamlet in the lyrics of this track and then tied them back to her own life.  It’s not the first Shakespearean tragedy Swift has been inspired to give a happier ending, her 2008 Fearless hit “Love Story” -one of my favourite Swift songs and the one that made me a fan, also does this with his famous play, Romeo and Juliette.  

I don’t want to spoil too much before the official release of the music video, but I will say it was especially beautiful and impressive, probably one of the best in her discography.  Swift certainly has an eye for directing. The way she went through what could be considered “Showgirls” of each era was exciting!  It ends with a shot mimicking the album’s cover which is a reference to the famous painting of Ophelia.

I had hope when this track opened the album, but it only made everything following it feel even more underwhelming.

 

Swift on “The Fate Of Ophelia”: 

Swift explains that the song came about when she was humming along to the chord progression Shellback was playing while scrolling through a running list of random words and phrases in her notes app. When she stumbled upon “Ophelia” and hummed it to the melody she knew that was where she wanted to go with the song.

 

2. “Elizabeth Taylor”

Immediately the production and lyrics of  “Elizabeth Taylor” reminds me of a reputation track which is funny considering the famous actress was also alluded to on the reputation track “…Ready For It?”: “he can be my jailer / Burton to this Taylor” and now she has an entire song written about her.

“Elizabeth Taylor” is one of the few songs on the record that I liked after my first listen. The moody atmosphere of the verses makes the beat drop in the chorus hit even harder.  It’s clever how many lyrics are direct references to very specific niche aspects of Elizabeth Taylor’s life even down to her White Diamond perfume.

Swift on “Elizabeth Taylor”: 

Swift explains that “Elizabeth Taylor” is written about the famous actresses life, but also about the singer’s own life too because there are many parallels between the two.  The first line that came to mind was “I’d cry my eyes violet / Elizabeth Taylor” referencing [Elizabeth] Taylor’s famous violet eyes.

3. “Opalite”

“Opalite” is another favourite of mine because it immediately felt like an older Swift song and it reminds me so much of the way my Aunt Cera lived her life.  She was a Swiftie and we always celebrated all of Swift’s albums and even attended the reputation tour together. Unfortunately she lost her battle to breast cancer last year at only 36 years old.  I think that emotional tie is why it’s been difficult for me to accept a new Swift album so soon.  However, she truly lived her life for her despite everything she went through she was always “dancing through the lightning strikes.”

Hearing the meaning behind the song only made me love it more and relate it back to Aunty Cera.  Now I know for sure she would’ve loved this track and probably the whole vibe of this album because she loved Swift’s pop style!

Swift on “Opalite”: 

Swift and her mother have always loved opals, going to the stores to look at them would always cheer young Swift up when she had a bad day at school, which is why she mentions her mother on the track.  Swift explains that Opalite is man-made Opal so in the song it represents how you can create your own happiness and choose your own path even in difficult times.

4. “Father Figure”

I was really intrigued by this track before hearing it and even after first listen.  Based on the title I would’ve loved feminism banger, maybe I only saw the vision in my mind because of an activity we did in my poetry lecture earlier that week, but it seemed fitting.  “Father Figure” is one of the lyrically stronger tracks,”I pay the check before it kisses the mahogany grain / said they wanna see you rise, they don’t wanna see you reign”.  There is an interesting theme throughout the track that seems to address the power dynamic between artists and industry elites such as label executives. More specifically Swift’s relationship with former label CEO Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun who bought and resold her masters and how this power dynamic shifted -Swift ended up devaluing the original masters with her re-recording project and buying them all back in the end.

Despite the lyrical intellect and riveting themes the production feels boring.  Better production could’ve saved this track, making it feel grander, less clean cut and more sonically interesting.

Swift on “Father Figure”: 

Swift beams about her love for alliteration and how the phrase “Father Figure” is an interesting and creative writing prompt.  She was inspired by the power dynamic between a young ingenue and their mentor and how this can shift. Swift admits that she can relate to both characters portrayed in the track.  She received permission from George Michael’s family and estate to interpolate his famous song “Father Figure” on the track.

 

5. “Eldest Daughter”

I’m sharing the clean version of “Eldest Daughter” because the regular version is terrible!  The lyrics “I’m not a bad bitch” absolutely ruined the track, Swift needs to stop using Gen Z slang terms in her songs, it’s cringe and immediately makes it feel unserious. However, after hearing the clean version of the track at the cinema, I was able to focus on the actual message being displayed in the track and it’s relatability, the universal experiences that many eldest daughters seem to share; sense of perfectionism, reliability, and fear of vulnerability.

Since the first listen I loved the Lamb To The Slaughter allusion in the second verse as I’ve always appreciated that story, however it was almost immediately ruined for me with the lyric “we looked fire” at the end of the following line.  I understand Swift was trying to play into the modern-day internet/social media theme established in the first verse, but like I said previously, the Gen Z slang just doesn’t do it for me.

Swift on “Eldest Daughter”: 

In “Eldest Daughter” Swift recognizes the pressure social media and the internet puts on people to be a certain way; unbothered, “like they don’t need anything” and a vulnerability that comes along with that is admitting that we are not all the things we aspire to be but actually being able to admit we do need/want somebody.

6. “Ruin The Friendship”

I didn’t mind “Ruin The Friendship” on the first listen. The tragic twist in the ending reminded me of a very personal situation I went through last year, although the circumstances were not exactly the same as they are in the song.  Additionally the lyricism, melody and production reminds me a lot of Red which is my favourite Swift album.  The imagery feels very vivid in this track, taking me back to high school through the scenery, scents and sounds.  The high school themes are reminiscent of “august” and “betty” off of 2020’s folklore. 

The song starts to fall off for me at the bridge right before the devastating final verse.  It feels unnecessary and the way it’s sung sounds rushed.  I think the song could’ve been better if she cut that part out.  I still can’t decide if I like the outro or not, I like the lyrics, but the way she sings it over the production almost feels forced.  A different execution could have been a lot more effective here.

Swift on “Ruin The Friendship”: 

Swift explains that “Ruin The Friendship” is about the chances we never took because we were overthinking the consequences, which happens a lot in high school when we’re young and unsure of ourselves.  The idea stemmed from reflecting back on high school and was inspired by multiple different stories including her own and friends she had in school.

7. “Actually Romantic”

Despite being quite controversial, “Actually Romantic” was one of the few songs I didn’t mind after first listen.  It felt similar to reputation, but with weaker production.  People are upset because it’s speculated to be a Charli xcx diss track however this has not been confirmed.  I can see where certain lyrics nod to this, but it could also just be a general song pointed towards anyone in Swift’s life who wastes time hating her.

I personally loved the track because it takes an unbothered approach to the negative actions of others.  It reminds me of a Sabrina Carpenter song especially the lyrics in the bridge.  It’s a good mentality to view hatred and bullying with because it’s true that no one talks about or thinks about you as much as your haters.

Swift on “Actually Romantic”: 

Swift describes “Actually Romantic” as a love letter to someone who hates you.  She explains how she’s at a point in her life where she no longer gets involved with drama, “I don’t hate you, but thank you for all the effort.”

8. “Wi$h Li$t”

“Wi$h Li$t” is a cute song and I love the concept, but something about the delivery just doesn’t do it for me completely.  It reminds of “The Alchemy” from The Tortured Poets Department because I want to love it, but the lyrics and production ruin it (although I do like the production on “The Alchemy”).  The redundancy in the pre-chorus, the cliche “driveway with a basketball hoop”, as well as certain lines like “spring break that was fucking lit” and “bring me a best friend who I think is hot” paired with the incredibly bleak production ruins what could have been a sweet Lover-esque track.

Like quite a few songs on the album, it reminds me a lot of a Sabrina Carpenter style song and to be honest I might like it better if it was by Carpenter.  Though I realize now this is a double-standard I think it’s only because the lyrical quality is something I would expect from Carpenter (with a couple witty puns in there).  Whereas with Swift, we are used to something with a lot more punch.

Swift on “Wi$h Li$t”: 

Swift shares how proud she is of the vivid imagery throughout this track and how it makes her feel like she’s flying through clouds. It’s simply about how she thinks everyone deserves the life she wants, and how it compares to the life she wants.

9. “Wood”

“Wood” is another track that’s sparked controversy and another one that reminds me of a Sabrina Carpenter song only because of it’s excessive, but cleverly hilarious use of innuendos. Personally, I find the instrumental on this one cute and similar to a 1989 track…weirdly enough a Jack Antonoff 1989 style track specifically, think “I Wish You Would”. Swift displays the confidence she has in her current relationship by shaking off all previous superstitions because she no longer needs to worry.  The melody of this track is catchy and the lyrics, while unserious and at times, are fun.  It’s definitely not my favourite, but I don’t think it’s as bad as some people are saying. If it was a Sabrina Carpenter song they would love it.

Swift on “Wood”: 

Swift smirks and says “Wood” is about superstitions and things like that.

10. “CANCELLED!”

I love the concept behind this one, it had potential. It’s reputation coded, but unfortunately it’s lyrically weak. Revenge seems to be another emotion that’s difficult to convey in lyrics without coming across cringe and “CANCELLED!” could not break that, which we should’ve known based on the title. The lyrics wouldn’t be such an important aspect if the production were more interesting, but unfortunately there’s just nothing here to distract from or justify “did you girl boss to close to the sun?” 

Swift on “CANCELLED!”: 

Swift explains the song as being very tongue-in-cheek in it’s approach to societal outrage. She says it was inspired by how she’s been under a lot of scrutiny and now she’s the one all of her friends call when they’re going through something of a similar magnitude.  Swift feels that in the age of the internet, this consistent judgment and scrutiny is not something that just celebrities go through anymore, but everyone.

11. “Honey”

I have very mixed feelings about “Honey.”  I like the chorus, but the verses feel rushed.  The concept is sweet and I love the way it addresses the condescending nature of pet names that results in most women hating them, but how this can be changed when it’s the right person using it in the right context.  I think it’s a track that will grow on me because I do like the overall tone, concept and melody in the chorus.  It sounds like Lover x Midnights.  

Swift on “Honey”: 

“Honey” was one of the first songs written for the record, or at least the first where Swift knew she was writing a new album.  She explains that it stemmed from the passive-aggressive, way pet-names had been weaponized and used in relation to her in the past and how awesome it feels when someone can alter that negative connotation and turn it into something sentimental and sweet.

12. “The Life Of A Showgirl (Featuring Sabrina Carpenter)”

It’s fitting that Sabrina Carpenter is featured on the album with so many songs that reminded me of her.  Her feature on this track specifically felt really endearing considering Carpenter covered Swift’s songs when she was a little girl who dreamed of being a singer one day, now she’s singing a song with Swift about chasing those very dreams.  The pairs voices blended really nicely together which I was surprised by becasue they did not when singing their duet at the Eras Tour, maybe “Espresso” is just not in a good key for Taylor… speaking of the Eras Tour, including audio from the final night at the end of the song was really sweet, I loved the personal touch it added.

As for the song itself, it reminds me of “The Lucky One” as it follows a bright-eyed fan girl who dreams of making it big herself one day, of course the idol warns the young dreamer that a life of celebrity is not always as glamorous as it seems; it comes with a lot of scrutiny and you have to have thick skin to withstand it.  However, “The Lucky One” is one of my favourite Swift songs ever off of my favourite Swift album, Red, so of course, “The Life Of A Showgirl” doesn’t even come close. But I do love the concept, it’s relatable as someone who also longs for a life where my art can entertain people.

The production on this track actually compliments it well, the lyrics are deeply rooted in storytelling and follow the life of this made-up character “Kitty” and Taylor and Sabrina in their pursuit of The Life Of A Showgirl.  It’s the perfect closer for this record and while not Swift’s strongest, one of the better ones off this album.

Swift on “The Life Of A Showgirl”: 

Swift explains that “The Life Of A Showgirl” was originally a solo song, following the story of Kitty and Swift’s pursuit of the showgirl life.  However, she felt Carpenter was the perfect person to have on the song because she’s well-equipped for the lifestyle she lives.  Swift admires the way she deals with the backlash, criticism and scrutiny that comes with the life they live.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Life Of A Showgirl is definitely not Swift’s strongest project, but it’s also not the worst pop album I’ve heard.  It only falls so short because Swift has given us so much more in terms of lyrical content and production on past records.  Overall it’s very cohesive, it definitely seems to start off stronger, “The Fate Of Ophelia”, “Elizabeth Taylor” and “Opalite” felt really optimistic, after “Father Figure” it began to drag, but even then songs like “Eldest Daughter” (Clean Version), “Ruin The Friendship”, “Actually Romantic”, “Wood” and “The Life Of A Showgirl” have the potential to grow on me, I don’t think they’ll become favourites by any means, but I don’t see myself hating them anymore than some of my least favourite 1989 and Midnights tracks.

Speaking of Midnights in trying to formulate a realistic and open-minded review that was well-rounded and based in multiple perspectives rather than my intial negative first listen review, I revisited Swift’s past projects and realized the “cringe” lyrics, bland melodies and production choices that I disliked in The Life Of A Showgirl were not far off, in fact were on par with previous Swift songs that have become some of my favourites or songs that I like -such as Midnights’ “Karma” in which Swift sings: “Karma is a cat, purring in my lap ’cause it loves me” – it’s a silly lyric, but I didn’t really blink a critical eye at it, I just accepted it as a fun pop song about Karma and how great life can be; Swift loves cats, she was in a good mood, writing a silly fun song.  A lot of The Life of A Showgirl is no different.

Similarly, on The Tortured Poets Department which is one of my favourite albums from Swift, she sings on the title track, “you smoked then ate seven bars of chocolate / we declared Charlie Puth should be a bigger artist / I scratch your head you fall asleep like a tattooed golden retriever”  it’s one of my favourite songs on the album, but these lyrics still don’t always do it for me, however, I’ve grown to love the way they fit into the story.  I think a lot of The Life Of A Showgirl will end up being the same way for me.

I don’t see it climbing very far up my album ranking, it’ll probably sit at the bottom with 1989 and Midnights, however, I love throwing those albums on when I want to have a good time, whether it’s dancing around while I clean the house or just to feel lighthearted.  I feel less disappointed and am actually enjoying the album more now that I’m able to look at it as it’s own entity rather than compare it to my favourites and get mad when it doesn’t compete.  Actually, even after comparing it to my favourites I was able to peel back the double standards I was holding it to and accept that it’s not that bad, it’s just not for me as much as other albums have been.

 

Authors Note. 

I’ve seen a lot of really strong opinions about The Life Of A Showgirl. Negative and positive. As someone who initially was on the negative side of this and still isn’t completely sold on the entire album, it makes me so happy to see so many of you are genuinely enjoying it.  Don’t listen to the people saying you’re only listening to it and liking it because you’re “pretending” or too much of a “die-hard” or can’t accept that your “faves can do bad”.  If this music is resonating with you, that’s awesome and I’m so glad you’re dancing to your new favourite songs and living your best life! That’s truly awesome.

I am someone who believes there is no such thing as good or bad art, there is just art and it’s either for you, or it’s not, or it’s not for you yet.  Art is subjective and it is fluid, what we like and dislike is always changing.

For people on the positive end of the spectrum I have also seen a lot of negativity towards people who aren’t digging the album as much.  This also shouldn’t be tolerated.  People are allowed to not like it, it doesn’t make them “less of a fan”, or “tasteless”, it just means the music doesn’t resonate with them and that’s okay! It’s really rare for even our favourite artists to make a perfect album every time.

Let’s stop being so negative towards each other and just let people like what they like.  If you don’t like the album, say it, get it out and move on.  The amount of people that I’ve seen repeatedly hating on it and fans who like it is exhausting…it’s not my favourite either, but seriously why do you spend so much time on something you hate? It’s giving “Actually Romantic”.  Try talking about something you like, you might feel happier.

As for me, I am definitely underwhelmed, but I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed.  I know if Aunty Cera were here we would’ve thrown a big party and danced to the record together.  I think she would’ve liked it a lot more than me and I like it for her.  I am happy and enjoying it a lot more now that I’m being less pretentious and more open-minded.  I like some of the songs, I don’t have to like them all!  As always, thanks for reading, especially if you made it this far!!

– Kayla <3