Genius: Taylor Swift’s new 12th studio album is a record filled with bold production and more insight into the person behind one of the best-selling artists of all time. “The Life Of A Showgirl” is a facet of Swift we have not yet seen before in her discography, and it is time we talk more about it. 

Taylor Swift is an artist like no other. Swift is forced to constantly reinvent herself in order to have a truly successful album cycle, but does the pressure of creating something new and original actually fuel her creativity as an artist? Every album of hers holds its own unique sound, visuals, and tone. In this album specifically, the imagery of a “showgirl” takes on a new meaning of a lover and a performer, tired and desperate to break the mold that her competitors and saboteurs have established for her.

On tracks like “Father Figure” and “Ruin the Friendship,” there is a distinct “Swift Signature” that is ever so present because of its unique storytelling elements intertwined with clever lyricism and concise production. But the track that emulates this formulaic strategy the most is the closing and title track, “The Life Of A Showgirl,” which portrays an idyllic and glamorous performer by the name of “Kitty” who is meant to represent an idol of Swifts who tells her frankly “You don’t know the life of a showgirl babe, and you’re never ever gonna,” crushing her dreams of becoming just like her. As the song continues, the perspective slowly shifts to the featured artist, Sabrina Carpenter. Carpenter portrays a character parallel to Swift’s at the beginning of the song. In this case, Swift is the performer who “made it,” defying Kitty’s expectations. She flips the narrative around, asserting to a young Carpenter that, “you don’t know the life of a showgirl babe, and you’re never gonna wanna.” She breaks down the glamour of the life Swift is now living and describes the trials and tribulations of what it actually means to be a showgirl. This rare moment of Swift’s seemingly “lost” feminism reappearing once again seems performative.. In the bridge, Swift continues the cycle with “Now I know the life of a showgirl, babe, and I’ll never know another,” solidifying her undeniable success as a performer. As the outro concludes the album and track itself, we see both Swift and Carpenter joined after their performance on what appears to be the stage of “The Eras Tour” as they join in their shared experience of what it’s like to be dissected by the public eye in a seemingly constant cycle. Swift said herself, “[Sabrina Carpenter] is so good at moving through backlash or criticism,” also noting that Carpenter is “really well-equipped for this career.” Once again, this uplifting of Carpenter seems like a “passing of the torch” disguised as feminism rather than genuine female empowerment.

Taylor Swift has established a legacy of producing heartwrenching and almost melodramatic ballads to some of the most iconic and catchy pop songs of the century, and “Showgirl” falls somewhere in between the two and can’t be construed as a true Swift pop record, considering its predecessors such as “1989” and “reputation” whose writing is some of her most consistent and precise. It can be said that this record lacks some of Swift’s more methodical songwriting, which is a key component in her nature as an artist. This claim cannot be 100% denied; however, it can also be said that Swift’s redefinition of her own sound on this album is part of what makes her a “once-in-a-lifetime artist.”

Check out Ines’ counterpoint: https://swhsnavigator.com/3436/variety/ts12-lyrical-genius-or-shallow-grievance-2/