Within 12 tracks, singer and songwriter Taylor Swift paints a parallel universe, a fantasy, correlating with the reality through her newest album, “The Life of a Show Girl.”
Prior to the release of “The Life of a Show Girl”, the album cover and other photos were released, displaying Swift in outfits inspired by showgirls and fantasy characters. On Oct. 3, Swift released “The Life of a Show Girl,” breaking the record for the amount of albums sold in a week.
The tracks follow her personal experiences as a world famous singer, her deep inner thoughts about love, what it’s like being in the public eye, tragedy and authority. What was really intriguing about this album was how Swift pays her respects for different people, both fictional and non-fictional, that all represent her.
In the first track, “The Fate of Ophelia,” Swift depicts herself as English playwright, specifically Hamlet, a William Shakespeare play. In Hamlet, the character Ophelia suffers from a mental breakdown and tragically drowns in a brook. What drove Ophelia to madness was her inability to please the men who surrounded her. In “The Fate of Ophelia,” Swift reimagines the ending. Instead of dying like Ophelia, she is saved by, who listeners assume is Swift’s fiancé, Chiefs player Travis Kelce.
“You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia,” Swift sings with a synth and percussion beat, which follows alongside her.
The whole song encapsulates the joy of her new found love with Kelce, along with how that love ultimately rejuvenated her, saving her from a tragic fate. This newly imagined Hamlet, paired with catchy lyrics, was a great start to the album.
In “Elizabeth Taylor,” Swift exposes listeners to an edgy part of her, as she pays tribute to the famous American actor “Elizabeth Taylor.” Taylor is well known for starring in various movies, as well as her different relationships with men throughout her career. Both Swift and Taylor are alike when it comes to both their love lives being constantly under the spotlight of the public.
“All the right guys promised they’d stay under the bright lights, they withered away,” Swift sings.
With her edgy voice paired with a catchy rhythm, this song is effective in sharing a glimpse into Swift’s struggles with her public relationships.
In addition to paying a tribute to Taylor, Swift also acknowledges singer and songwriter George Michael in her song “Father Figure.” In the song, she matches Michael’s 1987 hit’s song name, “Father Figure,” also following the melody and beginning lyrics. However, Michael’s “Father Figure” draws in love and desire, while Swift’s “Father Figure” draws in betrayal and struggle.
Overall, this album was interesting because of Swift’s acknowledgment of other artists, connecting their experiences to her own. It was a well written album, and one that I believe showcases Swift as a person, letting listeners and fans alike take a glimpse into her life. The meanings behind each song, along with her majestic voice and catchy lyrics, took “The Life of Showgirl” and turned it into a masterpiece.
