Record sleeve for “The Life of a Showgirl” vinyl The Xavierite
Edited with Photoshop
Taylor Swift has said herself that her albums fall into one of three lyrical “pen” categories each representing the style of storytelling she uses: the “Glitter Gel Pen” (fun, playful pop songs), the “Fountain Pen” (personal, vivid, and emotionally confessional writing), and the “Quill Pen” (poetic, intricate storytelling). She first shared these categories at the 2022 Nashville Songwriter Awards, giving fans a framework to understand the different eras of her songwriting.
If that’s true, then “The Life of a Showgirl,” released October 3rd, might be what happens when a glitter gel pen explodes all over the page. It’s messy, sparkly, and at times, feels like a chaotic mix of every version of Taylor Swift we’ve ever met.
As a lifelong Swiftie, I’ve adored her lyrical genius since I could form a sentence. There’s nothing I love more than putting on the right album for the right mood, whether it’s screaming Reputation in the car or crying to Folklore at 2 a.m. But “The Life of a Showgirl” is an interesting case: longtime fans are calling it her weakest record, while newer fans are eating it up.
The standout track by far is “Opalite.” It’s classic Swift: melodic, moving, and beautifully written. It’s a song about finally finding joy after searching for it for so long. Some interpret it as a love song, but I see it as an ode to the people who pull you out of your darkest moments and to being that person for someone else.
The album opens strong with “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” “Opalite,” and “Father Figure”– the last of which even samples George Michael’s “Father Figure,” a notoriously difficult sample to clear. These first tracks feel so Taylor. Then comes track five.
For fans, “Track 5” isn’t just any song–it’s a sacred tradition. It’s the slot reserved for her most vulnerable, gut-wrenching writing: think “All Too Well,” “White Horse,” “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” and the recent “Eldest Daughter” doesn’t live up to that legacy. With lyrics like “every joke’s just trolling and memes” and “I’m not a bad bitch… this isn’t savage,” it feels worlds away from the emotional depth of “My Tears Ricochet.” Going from “And I can go anywhere I want / Just not home” to lines about memes is… jarring, to say the least.
To celebrate the album’s release, Swift hosted “Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl”- an AMC-distributed 89-minute listening event. It wasn’t quite a concert film, but rather a curated experience featuring the “Fate of Ophelia” music video premiere, behind-the-scenes footage, lyric videos, and Swift’s personal reflections. Fun? Sure. Worth the $14 ticket? Maybe not. Let’s just say, paying theater prices to watch a dozen lyric videos feels a bit on-brand for the world’s most self-aware capitalist billionaire, especially one releasing over 20 vinyl variants of the same album. (Which most artists do these days! It’s getting out of hand!)
Then there’s “Actually Romantic,” a song I love conceptually as it explores the strange way hatred and attraction can blur. But the choice to reference another artist’s substance abuse crosses a line that feels unnecessary. Swift has long cultivated her “girl next door” image. Earnest, wholesome, and lightly suggestive without ever being explicit. Here, though, she’s pushing boundaries that don’t quite fit her established voice. Lines like “He (ah!) matized me” and “Had the key that opened my thighs” feel oddly out of place, especially for an artist whose fan base famously ranges from ages seven to seventy.
Still, there are bright spots. Watching Swift direct the “Fate of Ophelia” video and seeing her genuine excitement for her craft was refreshing. For a moment, we saw the artist, not the “Taylor Swift” brand.
The title track, “The Life of a Showgirl,” featuring none other than Sabrina Carpenter, is another standout and one of my most anticipated tracks since Carpenter herself is a longtime Swiftie. The song is reminiscent of “Betty” from “Folklore” since it includes a fictional story. “The Life of a Showgirl” is about a performer named “Kitty” who meets a girl at the stage door after her show, confessing how treacherous the life of a showgirl can be. It’s a stunning, theatrical closer that finally delivers the drama and emotion I wanted from the entire album. Not to mention, Carpenter’s vocals shine beautifully here perfectly complementing Swift’s storytelling style.
Maybe the key to enjoying “The Life of a Showgirl” is to think of it not as a cohesive album, but as a collection of singles. Taken individually, many of the songs are catchy and full of heart. But as a body of work, it lacks the narrative, cohesion, and emotional depth of “Red,” “1989,” or “Folklore.”
That’s what makes this release such a mixed experience for longtime fans. Taylor Swift has always been more than a pop star. She’s a diarist, a chronicler of emotion, a mirror for growing up. With “The Life of a Showgirl,” she’s experimenting with spectacle, image, and reinvention- but in doing so, she’s lost a bit of the intimacy that made her so special.
Taylor Swift has set her own bar incredibly high, she’s proven she can write music that feels timeless. I’ll always love her for that and that’s where my disappointment stems from.
But still, even when she stumbles, Taylor Swift remains a master of her craft. “The Life of a Showgirl” may not be her sharpest pen, but it’s proof she’s still writing, still evolving, still daring to try something new.
And maybe that’s the real legacy of a showgirl to keep performing, even when the spotlight feels a little too bright.