Perhaps there is no more exciting event in the music industry this year than the release of a new album by the biggest pop star on the planet. After a fabulous year filled with great releases from the likes of Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and even Taylor Swift herself, 2025 has so far been a rather mundane year for pop music. Therefore, when Swift announced the release of her 12th studio album on a sports podcast hosted by her fiancé and her future brother-in-law in August, the world was taken by surprise. Following her record-breaking Eras Tour, many fans believed that “Tay” would be taking a sabbatical, and rightly so, after being on the road for almost 2 years and releasing a 31-track double album alongside touring.
There is no question about Taylor Swift releasing a record that would sell poorly; however, not all her music is destined to greatness, and The Life of a Showgirl is a prime example of this.
Return of the “pop sound”
One of the most thrilling parts of the album announcement was the return of the pop-whiz Max Martin and his proven partner Shellback as the album co-writers and producers. After a stint with recent collaborators Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, Swift decided to team up with the Swedish duo for the first time since 2017. Martin and Shellback co-wrote and produced her most famous pop bangers of the 2010s including Shake It Off, Blank Space, Style, and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.
But anyone expecting something similar from The Life of a Showgirl is in for a surprise. Gone is the sparkling, synth-driven electropop of 1989 and Reputation, instead, we are met with easy-on-the-ear soft pop with elements of rock accompanied by acoustic guitars, dreamy synths, simple arrangements and subtle references to 70s disco and 80s soft rock/pop music. This sonic shift, while unexpected, shows how willing Taylor is to once again change her sound and move away from the tried-and-true formula many associate with Max Martin and Shellback. It also feels like a reset of sorts after completing a major chapter of her artistic journey with Eras.
The old Taylor is dead, please bring her back
The opening track The Fate of Ophelia sets the stage with a love story that takes the form of a Shakespearean tragedy, albeit with a fairytale ending. The catchy groove reminiscent of 80s new wave combined with a memorable chorus and a surprisingly toned-down, refined production makes for an enjoyable listen and an instant highlight of the album. Following is the track Elizabeth Taylor, that draws a parallel with the life of one of the first big Hollywood stars whose private life got exposed to the public eye, being the second track after Clara Bow, from Swift’s previous album, to directly compare her to the “It girls” of Hollywood. Sonically, the track leans closer to Reputation, with bigger drums, tighter production, and a piano/vocal driven chorus. Another radio-friendly single is the pop-rock cut Opalite, with a groovy soft-rock instrumental verse one could find on a Fleetwood Mac record that transitions into a sparkly chorus with bright vocals drowning in reverb, but somehow still maintaining that same groove from the verse, marking a pleasant start to the album.
Then comes Father Figure, which interpolates a 1988 George Michael hit of the same name, where Taylor revisits her feud with Scott Borchetta/Scooter Braun, but this time with a more playful twist and a “last laugh” moment. It is quite catchy (perhaps owing to the George Michael original) and conveys Taylor’s assumed character as a father figure well, perhaps too well, with a certain dark atmosphere and a sense of control and closure.
Next, there is Eldest Daughter, a piano ballad about love and vulnerability, however, this is where cracks start appearing. Almost a stereotypical ballad, where Taylor portrays herself as somebody drowned in sadness because of how cruel the world is. While featuring some nice melodies and probably the best bridge of the album, this track is massively let down by its story, which feels like tilting at windmills. Corny lyrics such as “I have been afflicted by a terminal uniqueness” or “I’ve been dying just from trying to seem cool” make the song seem disconnected from reality. It’s hard to relate to the idea that Taylor Swift, of all people, struggles with being “uncool”.
Fame fatigue
Ruin the Friendship offers a classic Taylor Swift tale of a high school crush, this time with a tragic ending. It is a fine pop song, with nothing really standing out, making it quite forgettable. The whole song’s premise is strong, however, the messaging is very confusing, like “I should have kissed him”, but also “maybe not to not piss off his ex”. Taylor has written many good songs about unrequited love like Sparks Fly, Enchanted or Gold Rush, however, this one does not earn its place among them.
Following that we reach even lower points on the album. Actually Romantic borrows a famous rock chord progression (used by the likes of Pixies or Weezer) but builds a song with almost no energy to it. It is a shame because a song about a woman who hates Taylor so much it can be only described as romantic warrants a certain punch and energy. Whether or not the rumors about Charli XCX being the song’s subject are true, it feels more like a sarcastic comment than a strong message.
Wish List is Taylor’s personal confession, a dream of a suburban life with a possibility of “two kids” and a “driveway with a basketball hoop”. Despite Taylor’s billionaire status, she claims to be uninterested in material possessions and success, something that again feels very hollow. Sonically, it is a very listenable song, with a sparkly synth and a few impressive key changes, a true rarity these days!
What is not so listenable though is the following track, Wood, Taylor’s first attempt at disco. This audacious pastiche of the Jackson 5 comes across as borderline annoying. Not to mention the track’s lyrics, talking about her fiancé’s “magic wand” that left her feeling “ah-metized”. Suddenly, you cannot say “dick-metized” while singing about “a bigger dick” earlier on the album? This track is surely very personal; however, “horny Taylor” is not her strongest suit.
Following is another Reputation-esque track Cancelled, that deals with judgement and being at the center of the “cancel culture” – a topic that Taylor has covered before, but a completely suitable theme for a true “showgirl”. However, this track is, again, massively let down by its lyrics. Production-wise a solid piece that could easily pose as a Reputation “vault track” that instead feels like a soulless version of “Look What You Made Me Do”.
The penultimate track, Honey, is an easy “pop-bop” with a simple hip-hop beat and live instrumentation that doesn’t really upset, but also hardly captures anyone’s heart. Quite simply the most boring track on the album.
Finally, the closing title track tries to tie the bow of the main “showgirl” theme of this album by going all the way back to Swift’s country-pop roots alongside this album’s only featuring artist Sabrina Carpenter. The Life of a Showgirl is a little sentimental but manages to tell a compelling story and uses Carpenter to contrast two stars at different points of their career to warn of a ruthless life of fame. The track concludes with a theatrical, spoken word ending implying that among all the media scrutiny, criticism and flashing lights, Taylor Swift is a true showgirl.
Summary
Just as Icarus flew too close to the sun, The Life of a Showgirl “girlbossed” too hard and instead became a glittering “money grab”. Going into this album, the promotional material suggested grandeur and glamour, and while it delivered on polish, it lacked true passion. Having averted Ophelia’s fate, Taylor instead became a princess stuck in her own castle, where all is fair in love and war, but the outside world seems far away. Sometimes, even the greatest artists need to take a break and find new inspiration. For the first time, Taylor Swift appears to be devoid of her usual spark, and it shows.
Score: 5/10
Song ratings:
- The Fate of Ophelia: Good single, memorable chorus, classic Taylor; 8/10
- Elizabeth Taylor: Compelling story, tight production, fine song; 6/10
- Opalite: Best song on the album, groovy, good melody, sparkly chorus; 8,5/10
- Father Figure: Feels “familiar” (thanks George), a good conclusion to the “masters saga”; 6/10
- Eldest Daughter: Pretty melody, best bridge on the album, subpar writing: 6,5/10
- Ruin the Friendship: Fine pop song, quite forgettable, confusing writing: 5/10
- Actually Romantic: Punk is calling and wants their chords back! The most anticlimactic “diss track” ever, wasted potential; 2/10
- Wish List: Easy pop-bop that does not upset nor satisfy. Please bring back more chord changes! 5/10
- Wood: Perhaps disco will work out next time Taylor… 1/10
- Cancelled: So close to Reputation, but still quite far… Lowkey worrying thematic. 4/10
- Honey: Does this song even appear on the album? (It is fine, but just that): 4/10
- The Life of a Showgirl (featuring Sabrina Carpenter): Thank God for the feature! Nice callback to the roots, brings somewhat of a closure; 5/10
