Christmas comes early for Taylor Swift fans as they await her docuseries on Disney that airs December 13th. Recently though, both fans and foes of Swift have shared mixed reviews on her recent release, her 12th album, The Life of a Show Girl. Some are praising it for its fresh sound and emotional lyrics; others have been more critical. Swift herself was heard via the “New Heights” podcast saying that she feels the new album highlights her growth as an artist; some loyal fans and critics are questioning this new vibe.
“As always, fans are rushing to figure out the deeper meaning in Swift’s work, studying the lyrics to understand what she is singing about. Along with fans, the critics are also chiming in,” according to Drew Weisholtz, a reporter for Today.
Rolling Stone reporter Rob Sheffield wrote that, although The Life of a Showgirl is the year’s biggest album to date, it has sparked some controversy.
“Something about Taylor will always trigger those over-the-top love-or-hate reactions from people,” he wrote.
In a recent Eye of the Gale questionnaire to gather fans’ reactions to Swift’s new album, some fans praised the album while others offered more critical feedback.
LHS senior Nicholas Beam expresses his constructive feedback on the album.
“I really love the album; it’s so good and so fun. I’d say it’s also probably in my top three favorite albums of hers, right after Speak Now and Tortured Poets,” said Beam.
LHS senior Cameron Pico-Tate stated that he loves this album and that “Wish List” and “Ruin the Friendship” are his two favorite tracks.
“I absolutely love it; this album may get a lot of hate but it’s a stark contrast from her previous album, ‘The Tortured Poet’s Department,’ with the new album having a lighter and more romantic theme throughout. The wonderful lyricism and amazing soundtracks really make this album a great work of art,” said Pico-Tate.
LHS freshman Sara Joos expressed her opinion that the album appears to be influenced by artificial intelligence.
“I think it sounds very AI-generated. It doesn’t feel lyrical or enjoyable to listen to,” she said.
LHS sophomore Haylie Fox left a positive review on the album, highlighting her appreciation for other albums and Swift’s new fiancé.
“I love it. It reminds me of her Fearless or Debut album because it’s upbeat and fun. I love it even more knowing that she’s happy with Travis,” she said.
Lillian Hayman, a senior at LHS, said that she is not a fan of this album, expressing her personal disappointment with its style and content.
“It’s juvenile compared to Folklore and Evermore, and kind of misogynistic, with the song “Life of a Showgirl” outright saying that rising, presumably female, stars (she uses an expletive to refer to them) want to take her down, which encourages the sexist competition of women for spots when in reality there is room for these girls and for Taylor in the industry. The song “Wood” is especially awkward sounding, and it rips off a Jackson 5 song with no credit. A lot of what she says on the album is just hypocritical to me as well,” she said.
LHS freshman Luke Foley expressed that he found the album to be rather average, indicating that it did not particularly stand out to him.
“I am a big Swiftie and my first listen to the album…it was mid. I felt like the lyrics were interesting at first then listening to it, I started to like most of the songs. The album was mid. The Tortured Poets Department is still my favorite album,” said Foley.
“Too bloody much? Hey, that’s business as usual for Taylor. And on Showgirl, she’s the kind of too bloody much who leaves you wanting even more,” wrote Sheffield.
