On October 3rd, Taylor Swift released her 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl. The album consists of 12 songs, as well as a music video for the song “The Fate of Ophelia.” Along with the album, she also released an 89-minute movie titled Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.
I have been a listener of Taylor Swift for years, and although this new album is not my favorite of hers, it is definitely an impressive piece of art that reflects her experiences while on the record-breaking Eras Tour.
The release party movie included a lyric video for each track on the album and a behind-the-scenes look at “The Fate of Ophelia” music video. Before each song, Taylor spoke for a few minutes about what each song means to her and what she intended while writing it. As a fan, it was really fun to get a glimpse of the work put into the album and gain a greater understanding of her songs’ meanings.
The song and music video “The Fate of Ophelia,” was written about one of Shakespeare’s characters named Ophelia, a young noblewoman who drowned after being betrayed by her father and love, Hamlet. Taylor relates the story of Opheila to her own sadness and heartbreak, conveying in the song how she was saved from a similar fate by love with her new fiance, Travis Kelce. Even though the topic is tragic, the song is catchy and fun. It broke Spotify’s record for the most streamed song in a single day.
The title track, “The Life of a Showgirl,” features fellow artist and friend, Sabrina Carpenter. The song depicts Sabrina and Taylor’s experiences on their own tours and the ups and downs of being pop artists. The sound of the song is unique in how it captures the storytelling and conversational tone of a musical theatre piece.
Most of the songs on this album fall into the pop genre with upbeat rhythms and production. On my first listen at midnight when it was released, I liked it but was not convinced it was her best work or that it would be my favorite album. However, as I’ve listened more, I find it growing on me. The songs get stuck in your head in a good way and show her range and depth as a singer and songwriter.
While there have been criticisms of the album, its release broke new records, including exceeding Adele’s record for the most release-week sales and surpassing 1 billion streams. Taylor Swift has been a top-hits artist for years and continues to set a higher standard for the industry. Overall, I’m impressed with the creativity of The Life of a Showgirl, and excited to see where this takes Taylor Swift and her fans next.
