'The Life of a Showgirl' Sees Taylor Swift Back in Her Pop Smash Era

by Tyler Glover

Photo: Republic Records

One reason pop superstar Taylor Swift is loved, adored and admired all over the world is her ability to write songs that mirror our own lives and make us feel seen and heard. Another reason is her versatility as an artist.

Swift does not "play it safe." She began her career in country music and then transitioned to pop. She also went into the indie folk genre with 2020's folklore and evermore. It is very impressive that she is 19 years into her career and just had the biggest debut week for any artist in the United States with her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. The album sold a staggering 4 million units in its first week. Most singers enjoy that kind of success early in their career, only to see their numbers decline over time. I think the main reason Swift continues to dominate with her album releases is for those two reasons. She manages to put words to situations in our lives that we cannot find. She also creates art across different genres, connecting her with even more fans. 

While I’ve adored every album Swift creates, her pop albums speak to me more than the others. That is why I was excited to hear that her newest album had Max Martin and Shellback attached as producers. Her frequent collaborator, Jack Antonoff, is not part of this album, and while I adore their work together, it was exciting to know she is working with producers who seem to always make massive hits.
The Life of a Showgirl gives us a look behind the curtain, showing us what Swift has been dealing with when she is not on stage. It was released on October 3, and it has been on repeat ever since.

The album begins with the one-two-three punch of "The Fate of Ophelia," "Elizabeth Taylor," and "Opalite." These three songs are so energetic and catchy that if you find yourself not listening to the rest of the album because you're replaying these three over and over again, you are not alone. "The Fate of Ophelia" and "Opalite," especially, are some of the best pop songs in recent years.

"The Fate of Ophelia" has Swift rewriting Shakespearean history again ("Love Story" was the first time). She is saved from the fate of Ophelia, who sadly drowned.

"Opalite" has one of the catchiest beats I have ever heard. My family members, who are not even Swift fans, found themselves vibing to it. 

The rest of the album is great, too, though. Other favorites of mine are "Wi$h Li$t,” "Father Figure" and the title track featuring Sabrina Carpenter.

"Wi$h Li$t" finds Swift singing about how everyone in the world can have what they want, but all she wants is her man. It is one of her sweetest and most romantic songs to date. 

"Father Figure" is the best-written song. It tells the story of Swift as a boss who takes a young prodigy under her wing, but they decide to try to get rid of her. The bridge to this song is epic. 

Finally, "The Life of a Showgirl," featuring Sabrina Carpenter, tells the story of Kitty, a showgirl, who meets a fan who wants her life, but Kitty lets her know that it is not all it is cracked up to be. 

The Life of a Showgirl explores many subjects Swift has written about throughout her career: love, fame, betrayal, public scrutiny and the pitfalls of the music industry. What is astonishing, though, is how she manages to make it all feel fresh and current. She is proving that she is one of the best artists of our generation. There is no doubt Swift will continue to tell us stories that touch our hearts and she will continue to try new things creatively. I cannot wait to see what she does next.