The influential singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has just debuted a new album, provoking public debate and controversy. The album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” was announced on her fiancé, Travis Kelce’s podcast “New Heights” on Aug. 13. She shared the album cover art, tracklist, and release date on her social media accounts the following day. She also revealed that the theme of the album would be covering the offstage aspect of her life and tour, rather than the onstage spectacle, noting that this album would be “more upbeat.” This is a far cry from the melancholy, 31 track-long album which was “The Tortured Poets Department.” Instead, “The Life of a Showgirl” only contains twelve tracks, including “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” “Opalite” and “Father Figure”–all of which are bright, catchy, and reminiscent of her 2014 album, “1989”.
Fans have had mixed reactions, with some praising its fun and vibrant themes while others find it to be disappointing in terms of the lyrics, and a drastic change from her previous album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” “Taylor’s new album differs from her other albums because it isn’t as innovative in terms of her lyricism,” AP Music Theory teacher Sidney Clarke-Lequerique said. “She goes for a more of a catchy vibe which she achieved compared to her other albums. In terms of lyrics, she didn’t add that much depth into it. There were a lot of samples from other songs, which makes it sound unoriginal.” Ms. Clarke expressed the album seemed to focus on being popular and catchy rather than creative or deep. Even many superfans who have been listening since the pop mogul’s early days have reported being disappointed by this new addition to her repertoire, because of how it has deviated from the innocent pop standard of “Fearless” or “Speak Now.” However, Swift said that she isn’t the “art police” and respects listeners’ reactions to “The Life of a Showgirl,” so she doesn’t worry about an initial lack of relatability.
The Life of a Showgirl takes a massive leap from Swift’s previous discography, with its 80’s pop styled sound. After all, part of track 4, “Father Figure” is interpolated from George Michael’s hit 1987 song of the same name. Still, this ‘interpolated’ sentiment seems to linger throughout the rest of the album, leaving many feeling that the music is “recycled.” While Swift’s track record of diverse albums, each with their unique styles, have garnered fans worldwide, “The Life of a Showgirl” seems to fall flat in this regard.
Indeed, many fans believe that Swift’s new fiancé, Travis Kelce, had a significant impact on her less innovative lyrics. “Travis has changed her personality a lot by placing an influence on her song writing. Her lyrics aren’t as mature as the lyrics she’s done in the past, they aren’t as deep and metaphorically challenging,” junior Constance Coutsos said.
Despite disagreements over Swift’s lyricism and negative speculations, lots of fans enjoyed the upbeat, vibrant style. “I like the upbeatness of the album, I do think that some of the song sounds similar to some of her past work but I don’t believe that it is necessarily a bad thing. I just think that she has a specific style, and I really like it,” sophomore Koko Kudashov said. With peppy tempos and repetitive lyrics, this album invokes senses of nostalgia and fun, a style and familiar sound which still resonates with some fans, despite the album’s mixed reviews.
“I feel like a lot of the hate of the album is probably just people hate Taylor Swift,” sophomore Wendi Ling said. Swift has been the center of the spotlight recently, with her engagement, drama surrounding her close friend Blake Lively, and naturally, her new album.
Regardless, Swift has described “The Life of a Showgirl” as a culmination of her previous eras, discussing her experience with constantly being in the spotlight. And while it may not be the quintessential sound of Taylor Swift, this message remains clear.
