Clara Anderson

Taylor Swift promised an upbeat vibe in her newest album, the 1920s-themed “Life of a Showgirl,” which was released on Oct. 3. Expectations were higher than ever as Swift collaborated with producers Max Martin and Shellback on the album for her first time since 2014’s upbeat record-breaking album “1989.” 

Surprisingly, I found that “Life of a Showgirl” sounds like what an Eras Tour album would be, instead of leaning into a sound akin to “1989.” There seem to be some of the 12 songs that correspond to different eras, making it feel less like an album and more like a scrapbook. In some ways, I enjoyed the variety of melodies and beats, but it also made me sad due to the amount of slower songs on the album.

“Elizabeth Taylor” and “Eldest Daughter” are some of the songs that give off slow, lyrical, “Tortured Poet’s Department” vibes. “Eldest Daughter” also has a country girl vibe to it that would be good for scenes in a 2000s romcom where the main character finds her voice (figuratively, of course) and finally goes up on the stage and sings her heart out. This one seems not to have the same quality as Swift’s previous songs, with a slow, boring beat, and a guitar playing in the background that makes it feel like a song from Swift’s first album. “Eldest Daughter” just feels sad and not in the soft vulnerability that Swift’s “Evermore” and “Folklore” invoked. However, as an eldest daughter, I relate to some degree to the lyrics, particularly “I’m never gonna let you down/I’m never gonna leave you out.” As the eldest daughter of my family and an elder cousin, I have always felt like it’s my duty to take care of the younger ones, which Swift recognizes in these lyrics. 

However, there were certain songs that gave me the “1989”-ish vibe I was looking for, most notably “The Fate of Ophelia.” It is kind of like a bridge between some of the slower, contemplative songs and the more upbeat ones. It is so catchy that I sometimes find myself humming the lyrics in my head when I am doing my homework. It is not my favorite song of Swift’s, but it is still pretty good, giving off “1989” vibes with a chill pop-synth that worms its way into the listener’s head. The lyrics are interesting, too, using the story of Ophelia (a character from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”) to symbolize Swift’s lover (presumably Travis Kelce) as saving her from drowning, like Ophelia did in the play. I love the depth in the lyrics and the upbeat-but-chill vibes, but it is definitely not for anyone who prefers bubblegum pop or really emotional ballads.

Surprisingly, I found one of my favorite songs in the gem that is “Opalite,” which is much more upbeat and happy. It resembles “Lover,” and is reminiscent of those end-of-summer teen movies. With lyrics like “you were dancing through the lightning strikes/sleepless in the onyx night,” this song makes me think of those days when you sit by the pool, sleep in, have fun and try to enjoy the last days of summer. 

As mentioned before, this album is not completely perfect. There is the infamous “Wood,” which has a pretty upbeat sound that I love. However, the lyrics are so descriptive that it makes me wonder who would willingly listen to a song with such adult lyrics. Rest assured, this song is definitely not intended for any of Swift’s younger fans.  Compared to “Opalite,” “Wood” is a complete 180, showing a mature, raunchy, and decidedly different side from her previous, relatively innocent songs. 

 And then there is “Actually Romantic,” which gives off serious Olivia Rodrigo vibes, so much that it sounds like Swift simply copied Rodrigo’s music style. Normally, I would be all for anything that has Olivia Rodrigo vibes, but the lyrics make this song one of my least favorites. Swift sings “It sounded nasty but it feels like you’re flirting with me,” and “High-fived my ex and then you said you’re glad he ghosted me.” I do not understand why the lyrics of this song are so weird when Swift has been lauded as a “lyrical genius.”  They do not make sense in my head, and the whole this-person’s-trying-to-hurt-me-but-I-see-it-as-romantic just comes across as strange and not what a logical person would think. I do not know why she chose to write this song, and I see no reason why this song is on the album.   

Last and definitely least, there is the titular song “The Life of a Showgirl.” Surprisingly, this is one of my least favorite songs on the album. The beat is eerily similar to the song “Cool” by the Jonas Brothers, so I hear that song whenever I listen to “Life of a Showgirl.” It seems to me that Swift basically pressed copy and paste on the beat of that song, then used that to make up a bunch of lyrics. However, I like that she collaborated with Sabrina Carpenter on this, and their voices meld together pretty well. It reminds me of a Broadway song, the way it tells a story. It is not the worst, just not remotely close to being my favorite. 

Altogether, “Life of a Showgirl” is a hodgepodge of songs, some legitimately good and others ones you definitely want to skip. However, I will definitely be adding some to my Spotify playlist. But when compared to Taylor’s previous work, the album feels kind of flimsy. The songs are certainly catchy, but not the chart-topping ones of the past.