By MARIA SHERMAN, Related Press Music Author
Who’s Taylor Swift’s inheritor obvious? Her twelfth album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” gives a solution. It’s Taylor Swift.
Her final album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” ended with the cautionary “Clara Bow,” an allegory that appeared to counsel her tenure atop the cultural mainstream was inherited from stars of the previous, just like the namechecked Stevie Nicks — and {that a} new era of youthful, elastic feminine pop performers might quickly take her place. In 2025, there are numerous to select from: Contemplate Chappell Roan’s full-throated theatrics, Olivia Rodrigo’s fiery punk-pop feminism, Sabrina Carpenter’s cheeky sexuality. Within the knotty themes of Friday’s “The Life of a Showgirl,” greatest illustrated within the title observe, Swift asserts that the baton hasn’t been handed, however moderately shared. As a result of she isn’t going anyplace.
“And all the headshots on the walls / Of the dance halls are of the b—— / Who wish I’d hurry up and die,” she sings with a wink, “But I’m immortal now, baby dolls / I couldn’t if I tried.” Notably, if she has a selected successor in another person, it’s the album’s sole function: Carpenter, who sings on the stomp-clap nearer in her newly adopted twang. The mournful glissando of lap metal — the album’s most nation second — arrives solely with Carpenter’s introduction. The western style is Swift’s previous and Carpenter’s future.
Suggestive bangers and a ‘New Heights’ namecheck
If Swift is co-signing Carpenter, she’s additionally studying from her. Carpenter has cornered the market on tight pop songs with pert, provocative messages; Swift does the identical with the manspreading swagger of the George Michael-interpolating “Father Figure,” which mentions a protege, and the funky “Wood.” (A fastidiously veiled PG-13 lyric: “His love was the key / That opened my thighs,” she sings. “Girls, I don’t need to catch the bouquet / To know a hard rock is on the way.”) Interwoven are suggestive, sensual ad-libs … and a direct reference to fiance Travis Kelce’s podcast.
Throughout a brisk 12 tracks — Swift’s tendency towards abundance doesn’t present itself in a double album this time round, however as a substitute in her infinite vinyl variants — “The Life of a Showgirl” principally delivers on its promise of up-tempo pop “bangers,” to borrow her personal vernacular. Followers needn’t wait up for the long-anticipated “Reputation (Taylor’s Version),” as a result of “The Life of a Showgirl” pulls from its essence. However this time, with a variety of affection, like a more true “Lover” period.
Swift has lengthy internalized criticisms and responded to them in her artwork, most straight in 2017’s “Reputation.” Right here, she is as soon as once more involved together with her notion, articulated over booming, lush manufacturing on “CANCELLED!” or “Elizabeth Taylor.” On the latter, she sings, “Hollywood hates me / You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby.” Besides this time, her love acts as an anchor. “I can’t have fun if I can’t have you,” she flirts.
Welcome (again) to Sweden
For “The Life of a Showgirl,” Swift enlisted Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback, the hitmaking duo she collaborated with on 2012’s “Red,” 2014’s “1989” and, after all, “Reputation.” Notably absent is her frequent producing companion Jack Antonoff. It’s a sensible determination: In years previous, Swift, Shellback and Martin’s pop experiments shifted not solely her profession trajectory however the style itself. Earlier than “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” an EDM drop in the course of a radio pop hit was unimaginable. After, the model would dominate for half the last decade.
“The Life of a Showgirl” isn’t as seismic, however there are addictive and idiosyncratic Swiftisms right here: acerbic wit and thick literary references in glassy pop hooks. The place a tune like “Opalite,” if tried by one other different performer, would lose its weightlessness beneath its voluble aspirations, Swift manages to swoon. Stacked, opalescent harmonies and a classic swing give the tune, fittingly, an virtually iridescent high quality.
And there are bops, just like the plain opener “The Fate of Ophelia” with its Eighties-via-Robyn synth-pop and momentary “Summertime Sadness” vocal supply.
There’s a treasure trove of deliciously quotable strains, too, as anticipated. “Please God bring me a best friend who I think is hot,” she manages to make easy in the “Midnights”-esque “Wi$h Li$t,” a stunning tune concerning the mundanity of romance and the suburban fantasy of “a couple kids … a driveway with a basketball hoop.”
The dictionary of a showgirl
Swift’s dense vocabulary is on full show, usually filled with attraction. However it’s generally unwieldy, a standard criticism of “The Tortured Poets Department,” like when she overstuffs “Our thoughtless ambition sparked the ignition on foolish decisions which led to misguided visions” into “Father Figure,” momentarily overvaluing intelligent writing over intelligent cadence.
Or she is just too modish. The colloquial “Eldest Daughter,” for instance, mentions “trolling,” “memes” and “comments,” instantly relationship itself. However sonically, it’s a considerate acoustic ballad with emo motion, by which Swift contends together with her “terminal uniqueness” and deep dedication to a beloved one. It juxtaposes properly with one thing just like the casually merciless, pop-punk affected “Actually Romantic.” It’s laborious to not hear some transient Hayley Williams within the distorted speakerphone vocals within the tune’s coda or boygenius in its harmonies: one other instance of Swift pulling from these she’s influenced — and enlisted on her excursions.
Swift has stated “The Life of a Showgirl” is supposed to embody her “Eras Tour” — a singular world phenomenon, a canonical occasion within the historical past of pop efficiency that, in its over three-hour runtime, was a sensory explosion. On these 12 tracks, she’s approximating glitz and glamour with humanity and humor. She spends no time ready within the wings. So let the present start.
“The Life of a Showgirl,” Taylor Swift
4 out of 5 stars.
On repeat: “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite”
Skip it: “Honey”
For followers of: Witty one-liners, cocktails served in crystal glasses, Las Vegas, lechery
