In less than a week, Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” has caused a stir of controversy, criticism, and praise from music lovers worldwide. As always, Swift has topped the charts and made headlines with her inside perspective on the true “Life of a Showgirl.”
In her opening track, “The Fate of Ophelia“, Swift draws inspiration from “The Prophecy“, a heartbreaking song from her latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department: the Anthology”. In “The Prophecy”, Swift gets real with her listeners, claiming that she feels as though it is her fate to never find true happiness. However, in “The Fate of Ophelia”, she claims her fate has shifted. She has been saved from fears of being alone, and she has found the love she believed that she would never find.
In her second track, “Elizabeth Taylor”, Swift compares herself to film icon Elizabeth Taylor, who similarly experienced years of scrutiny in the public eye, as well as numerous failed relationships and intense fame. “Elizabeth Taylor” draws from …”Ready for It?”, featured on “Reputation”, released in 2017, where she says, “Burton to this Taylor,” comparing her relationship at the time to the intense relationship between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. It seems that this song has multiple purposes, and one of them is to correct the false analogy made on “Reputation”, which was written about a relationship that ultimately failed.
Track 3, a classic Taylor Swift “Glitter Gel Pen” song, “Opalite”, gives a look into a showgirl who has fallen in love. Its fun beat and happy melody has fans everywhere dancing.
Some more happy songs on the album include “Honey”, “Wood”, “Wi$h Li$t”, and “The Life of Showgirl”(featuring Sabrina Carpenter). If you’re looking for something a bit more emotional, “Father Figure” or “Eldest Daughter” are great options.
Overall, this is a great album. Not only does it show how Swift has grown as a songwriter, but how her life has developed and improved. However, she may have lost a bit of relatability with her younger audience. While she used to write songs about failed relationships and juvenile feelings, she is now engaged, and these new love songs may no longer resonate with young girls.
