Taylor Swift “The Life of a Showgirl” Album Review

Marguerite Urbain, 11th grade, Staff Writer

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   Any release by Taylor Swift receives immense buzz, since she is perhaps the most famous artist of the decade. Her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl”, has been highly anticipated since its announcement. However, it seems to have been met with extremely mixed opinions, even from her most fervent fans. 

    One of the most discussed aspects of the album has been its dive into more adult and sensual themes, particularly on “Wood”, which is full of innuendos, some more subtle than others. While some have appreciated Swift’s attempt to transition to a more mature theme, the general reception has been less than favorable. 

    “Really bad,” said Liv Kingsley (‘27), when asked about the song. “Wood was certainly an interesting artistic choice to put that into the world.”

    Another source of criticism for the album was what many felt was a lack of originality and artistic growth. 

    “As a writer,” said Ms. Solomon, a music teacher at the High School of American Studies, “I don’t believe there’s any real growth; but in terms of content, I see the maturity.” 

    Most agree that “The Life of a Showgirl” meets a much lower bar in terms of lyrical profoundness than Swift’s other works. This is especially evident when comparing it to “Folklore”, “Evermore”, and “The Tortured Poets Department”, three of her most recent and also lyrically complex albums. Also, others are just simply disappointed with the album in general: 

    “She could do better," said Jhilianna Sanchez (‘28) “especially compared to her other albums.”

    While Swift is known for having extremely passionate and loyal fans, even they are criticizing this latest release. 

    “I feel like it just gave her haters a further excuse to hate on her because it pales in comparison to her  previous albums lyrically and compositionally,” said Hayley Tong (‘29).

    This sentiment reflects many people’s opinions, showing that the criticism is being given regardless of feelings about Swift herself or her previous works. Lots of people have been taking note of this phenomenon, which is very atypical for Taylor Swift.

     “The fact that her fanbase is critiquing it so much really shows the quality of it”, said Aiden Castro(‘26). Another major source of criticism has been what many consider a more traditional and potentially politically conservative message, especially in the song  “Wi$h Li$t”, which features lyrics such as “I just want you, Have a couple kids, got the whole block looking like you”. 

    However, the general consensus still appears to be that she is quite liberal, especially given her endorsement of Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential election. 

    Even with all of that, there has still been considerable positive feedback on the album. 

    For example, some have praised her Shakespearean references on the song “The Fate of Ophelia” (in which she mentions Hamlet’s Ophelia) for introducing her younger audience to classical literature.

    “Anytime you expose anyone to great literature or even allusions to great literature,” said English teacher Mr. Digruccio, “it's an opportunity to learn and grow.” 

    Finally, some have said that the general public is seeking depth where they shouldn’t: “I think people are taking it way too seriously,” said Ruby Genesi (‘27), “it’s not meant to be a serious album.”