Album Review: Life of a Show Girl

MUSIC & THE ARTS

So the haters gonna hate.

I haven’t read a single review yet about Taylor’s album and though it’s been less than 72 hours since it’s official release and my experience at her movie theatre watch party, I already know it’s getting flack. How? Because I talked to two people — yes, just two people — and one said the comments online weren’t great. The other said Taylor’s getting crapped on for promoting “red pill” content.

Right. OKAY. LOL.

So, HATERS GONNA HATE.

But I’m not hating this album, or even disliking it. In fact, I think it’s utterly brilliant, I absolutely love it and I’ll tell you exactly why.

First, let’s start with the basics — a review of the songs. Then, I’ll get into the release itself. Then, we’ll do some takeaways.

Sidebar #1 — I’m a writer. So, when doing this album review, I’m definitely taking into consideration her writing abilities. However, I’m NOT a ___ (can you guess)? But I am also an artist of other mediums (see Sidebar #2), so I do take into consideration other aspects of her artistry, what it means to be a performer, etc.

Song Reviews

(Listed in no particular order.)

1. THE FATE OF OPHELIA — 10/10
   Okay, yeah it’s a hit. It was:
   – Super musically awesome. Catchy, fun, beautiful, bouncy, loved it.
   – Inspired by Shakespeare. Um, like, OKAY TAY. Didn’t know you were such a NERD. LOVE IT. (When she gets a little embarrassed for liking Shakespeare when she’s explaining the song — SO FUNNY. I was like, yeah, that comes from being a show girl. If you’d completed college you wouldn’t embarrassed. You’re smart. OWN IT.)
   – I don’t like the classics so I don’t even know the story of Ophelia and I was like half lost during most of it, like, what is this about? I still need to go back and read the song to actually understand it better.
   – I did get the JIST of it though, and what I love is that Tay has literally just gotten engaged and she wants to imagine what it would be like for Ophelia not to have been left without love. Travis Kelce has saved her from the fate of Ophelia.
   – I mean, sorry, but HOW BRILLIANT IS THAT? And I don’t even … I honestly hate the classics. LOL.
   – She also TIES all the historical versions of SHOW GIRLS INTO THIS SONG. Um, ALSO BRILLIANT.
   – She also has easter eggs hidden all over the music video, which we don’t notice until the very end of the movie. I haven’t been a Swiftie for most of my life, so I’m not great at spotting those but I definitely saw some and was like OH SHIT!
   – Yeah, girlfriend is FIRE.
   – Obvious hit. DUH.
2. ELIZABETH TAYLOR — 10/10
   This song will be a hit. For many reasons:
   a) It’s timely and timeless. Timely for Tay, timely for women today and it’ll be timely for us women — and the culture — always. Women constantly face that battle of wanting to “have it all” but being cursed with the biological ability and, at least in today’s modern times, necessity to bear offspring. (Will there be a world one day where someone else can do it for you, and it’s common and acceptable and easily accessible financially? Now THAT would be INCREDIBLE.)
   b) What’s so fun about Taylor is that she’s so personal with us. I was eating up this whole like, OH MY WORD, so WILL SHE HAVE KIDS, WHEN WILL SHE HAVE KIDS, IS SHE PREGNANT, WHEN WILL SHE BE PREGNANT? And everyone else will be, too.
   c) It was beautifully written and the music was beautiful, too.
   d) Again, what’s so unique about Tay is her ability to be so very vulnerable with us. What a fascinating opportunity to see into the mind of the most famous, richest, successful artist on the planet in today’s modern world, and see her working out the details and the thoughts and the emotions of every woman’s question of the past few decades — can I have it all?
3. OPALITE — 10/10
   This was a BOP. SO CATCHY. SO CUTE. SO FUN. The music stuck with me and it’s SO IN MY HEAD ALL THE TIME. On a personal level, I TOTALLY IDENTIFIED WITH THIS SONG. Lol. On an objective level, I think a lot of people will, too. What’s beautiful about Taylor’s music is that romantic love can be applied to so many other things in life. So many of her songs, for most of my life, I have not identified with because I was dating someone or in a breakup, but simply because romantic love can translate to platonic love or to a love for something, for a dream, for a place or thing or time, etc. And the up’s and down’s of love can translate even further into the seasons of life that are good and those that are bad. This felt very personal for me at this time in my life, BUT, I think it has the awesome ability to transcend the meaning of romance as well, and it actually did for me, too. I’ve been in a super tough season, and for that reason it ALSO struck me so much. (Yes, I WAS crying. Lol.)
   This was a bop musically. Very catching. Extremely well-written. Intelligent. Highly relatable. Unique — who the hell knew what opalite was? I did NOT. So, yeah, she’s gonna be a hit for sure.
4. FATHER FIGURE — 7/10??
   I don’t quite know what to make of this one. I’ll be honest that I started wondering off a bit in my head and missed some parts of it. I think what makes Taylor SO VERY INTRIGUING to all of us is how ridiculously personal she is in her music and has always been. This album delved away from that extreme intimacy with her life — the creative nonfiction she provides up to us as art, which is really just her life. She has done this in the, for instance, with Folklore. I’m not sure I can adequately rate this one, as I got distracted and then tuned back in later. The writing seemed very smart; it didn’t stick with me musically. Don’t remember what it sounds like. Erm . . . 7???
5. ACTUALLY ROMANTIC — 10/10
   Um, EXCELLENT. Like, TRULY. This was SO FUN, witty — and for being pretty and then being hated, LOL — that I just could NOT STOP LAUGHING in the theatre. Neither could anyone else. It was so smart, so catchy and hysterical — so sassy — and it was bold and fun and extremely catching. This has the potential to be a hit for sure.
6. HONEY — 6/10
   For whatever reason, I wasn’t super impressed with this song. On a personal level, I didn’t connect with it a ton while a close friend of mine said it was her favorite. It feels especially personal to Taylor and her journey as a female artist over the years. For that, I appreciate it and like it. But I didn’t feel like it was a hit.
7. CANCELED! — 10/10
   INCREDIBLE. Oh my GOODNESS. This one is definitely going to be a hit; at least that’s my predicition. And for so many reasons. Firstly, it’s extremely culturally relevant and timely, while at the same time timeless. This is a song that can be immortal — it can literally become historical and reflect a period of time in our culture while at the same time, lol, it is timeless because the idea of being “cancelled” has actually existed throughout human history. It has just looked very different and wasn’t a culturally phenomenon like it is today until the dawn of the good old darn, say it with me people, INTERNET.
8. RUIN THE FRIENDSHIP — 6/10
   This song was extremely sweet and kind. It surprised me at the end with SPOILER — WHO HASN’T HEARD IT BY NOW THOUGH, FOR REAL, LOL — the death of the main character. Oof! A bit of a stab in the heart! I wasn’t super impressed with the music itself; I don’t predict it’ll be a huge hit.
9. WISH LIST — 7/10
   I personally loved this one. I identified with it SO MUCH. Tay and I are the exact same age, and I have been feeling the same way lately, ish, about wanting to settle down with a husband and starting a family. The starting a family part though I am not ready for quite yet. Eek! It would have been nice to be married yesterday, but I definitely don’t want kids tomorrow, lol. Objectively, I think it’s very, very smart, culturally relevant and fun. It was especially neat to see Tay’s switch from “Midnights,” where she essentially leaves Tom Holland, who wanted a simple, settled down life, to pursue her “Life of a Showgirl.” Clearly, he just wasn’t it. 🙂
   I wasn’t super impressed with the music on this one; I don’t necessarily think it’ll be a huge hit. Apparently, if I’m guessing and predicting right (can’t wait to read other reviews), it’s getting flack for promoting “red pill” ideology. (LOL. I couldn’t be LAUGHING HARDER.)
10. ELDEST DAUGHTER — 6/10
    I felt the same way about “Ruin the Friendship” here. Sweet, interesting, but wasn’t vibing with the music too much. I honestly can’t even remember what it sounds like.
11. WOOD — 6/10
    I felt similarly about my other 6/10’s with this one. However, however, HOWEVER, there were some super funny, snarky moments in this one, and it definitely was a bit of a bop. The audience was having fun with it and laughing. Maybe it deserves more of a 7 or 8/10. We’ll see how people like it.
12. LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL — 10/10
    Um, yeah, obvious hit. Beautiful musically, beautiful lyrically, pulled the whole album together, which was essentially, in my opinion, a reflection on Taylor’s life thus far in her career. Taylor is now at a major, major turning point and milestone. She just got engaged to the love of her life and now that big old question looms — will I be able to have my number one, and also have you? Will I be able to have two? Will I be able to have it all, to do the things I want to do, without losing them or you? What sacrifices will I have to make?
    Thank god Trav is a star. She was meant to find someone else in that beautiful sky of life. And none of them were it. She literally needed someone On Her Level. Same playing field.
    “Life of a Show Girl” is super reflective and beautiful lyrically and musically, and her inviting Sabrina into it is a nice little added bonus. It was a super nice, fun feeling to watch them rotating in that kaledicope motion with the words “pretty and witty.” It felt so fun and interesting, and it gives us insight into a world we truly don’t understand, that you just can’t, unless you’re in it, and that, apparently, others warn you not to pursue.

Sidebar 2— Let Me Take a Moment

Um, can I just pause and say, THANK YOU TAYLOR FOR MAKING THIS ALBUM? And JUST LIKE EXISTING?

?!?!?

What an amazing, fun, exciting, relaxing, enjoyable thing to be able to sit down and listen to a fun album JUST FOR FUN in the midst of what feels like a dumpster fire of a world sometimes.

And my own life has felt stressful lately at times.

So, chef’s kiss. Chef’s kiss to you and your album and just YOU, MISS TAYLOR! Queen Tay. Hats off. Thank you for existing. You rock, and I’m so glad You’re Still Here. Some great karma for all of us, honestly.

The Release

Okay, so obviously the way Tay released this plays a significant role into the album itself and people’s experience of listening to it, experiencing it, understanding it, reflecting on it, judging it, etc.

I have several, several thoughts on the release:

• Firstly, it was brilliant. What an AWESOME marketing move on part of Tay and her team. So, so smart to make an album release an actual event for people to come and participate in. It also seemed like it was almost this, like, extension of era’s tour nostalgia. People, including TS, had such a good time and it was like she wanted everyone to come together again.
• Secondly, it could feel disappointing. I did personally feel a level of disappointment, and I didn’t even go to the era’s tour — I just saw it at the theatre. But I mean, the era’s tour was unbelievable. It is a cultural event that will likely become historical. I mean, I think it already is. It will go down in the history books. For how long, I’m not sure, but it was a phenomenon like no other, one in which a female artist rose to the same level as famous male musicians of ages past. For the first time, in history. So yeah, actually, that’ll last a hot minute. ;D
  It’s pretty hard to meet that level of amazement right after it all. On so many levels. Physically — Tay is probably exhausted and it would be insane for her to pull of anything like that again, even physically, right after it all. Mentally it would be hard for sure. So, if people are disappointed, well, I think that’s natural after something that caused the kind of high and hype that Era’s did.
• Marketing mishap? I’ve only spoken with two people — just two — about their thoughts, so thankfully I am mostly a clean slate for this review. BUT, in one of the conversations I did have — the other was just a few messages — my friend said she felt confused about what the album was supposed to be about or mean. She felt like it was supposed to be about the Life of a Show Girl, but it wasn’t.
  I heartily disagree — it was about being a show girl. However, not all the songs were. BUT, it was Tay reflecting on that life. Now that she is at a turning point.
  My friend also mentioned feeling like the pre-marketing of the event made it out to be like it would feel like the Era’s Tour somehow? Well, I’m not sure if I’m getting that right and if I am, well, that’d be pretty hard to top.
  So … question mark?
• Overall, I felt this release was brilliant on several levels, the main one being that it took us behind the curtain, behind the magic and provided this super, super intimate experience, up close and personal, with the magical, wonderful Taylor Swift. It was different, it was new and they were giving it a shot and, frankly, I think it worked. I think most people will walk away saying they had a fun, great time and they enjoyed the experience, no matter how they felt about the album itself. I’m personally excited to see Tay try this again in the future. I’d love to go to more.

Sidebar 3 — My Favorites, In Order

Actually, stay tuned, I’ll drop that another time.

The Takeaways, aka: THE **HOT** TAKE

OKAY! So, my overall takeaways and ultimate conclusion . . .

The album itself? I think it’s very, very solid.
There were several, several hits. The potential for half of the album to be hits, according to my predictions.

I could see fans feeling disappointment and let down post era’s tour, in which Midnights and TTPD were released. It may feel disappointing to experience an album via a movie screen, as opposed to via something like Era’s. HOWEVER, Era’s was expensive, for fans unable to go, they’ll really have appreciated this (like mwah).

That being said, the way it was released was brilliant. Taylor and her team likely knew that anything post-Era’s would have a flavor or feeling of let down, which is completely natural. So they made an effort to make it special while also drawing on what was so great about Era’s — the togetherness. It was, in my opinion, an extension of the Era’s experience — making the album an Event — while also countering for the potential for highly likely natural post-Era’s high disappointment.

If I rate the album mathetically, it comes to 8.166.

BUT, you have the RELEASE EVENT.

I would rate it as a 7/10. It was solid. It was good. It was their first time, so it could have had some improvements. Almost like a pilot of a really good show that is going to get even better as time goes on.

So that brings it to . . . 7.583.

Hm. That doesn’t feel right, personally, but objectively, sure.

I think this album will:

• Be one of her “solids.” Not flashy, not over the top, not super new or amazing — not like 1989 or Reputation. But it will be memorable, and some people will absolutely love it, others really won’t like it and there’ll be people in between.
• I DO think there is the potential for it to be more like an 8 or 9, because of the release party experience. It really depends on how many people go and how it affects their view of the album. What’s actually really, really neat is that Taylor and her team will actually extended her fan base with this event. Individuals who had never gone to a concert or who wouldn’t even think to go — due to a lack of interest, money, age restrictions, etc. — could not go. I saw several husbands and boyfriends there and a gaggle of junior high girls. None of those people would have been at a Tswift concert alone. But they came this time. That makes this a whole other animal, compared to her previous albums and how they’ll be perceived.
• What Taylor and team really, really have going for them with this is the utter level of intimacy that we were given with this album. Can you imagine being twelve, unable to go to Era’s and getting to have this experience? I would GEEK. And to go with ALL MY FRIENDS?! It would be a night to remember. Like the Barbie movie, BUT BETTER.
• As much as she “shares” with us through her creative nonfiction writing, Taylor actually does value some semblance of her privacy, and she rarely does interviews, or has in the past, from what I remember. To see someone as powerful, as iconic, as utterly famous as she is right now up close and personal on the movie screen — I mean, that camera was NOT far away from her face at the beginning and end — was so truly intimate and interesting and real and different.
• I saw a whole different side of Taylor I’d never seen before: just how truly, utterly and completely normal she is.
• I think that was what suprised me the most about the experience. She’s just a normal girl.

I’m no hardcore Swiftie — I’m more like that fairweather Cubs fan who suddenly started getting into when they finally went to the World Series. I think many of us find ourselves in that place with Taylor. It wasn’t until Era’s that I was like, Wow, you’re still here. And so am I, and you’ve been here all this time and you’ve made it. And I’m so impressed and so … proud? Like, why, how and what am I proud for and of? I can’t even explain it. All I know is that I love you, and you have my heart.

Granted, I listened to Taylor a lot more than I’ve ever had an interest in the Cubs, EVER. (Go White Sox! Lol!)

While I’m curious what a true Swiftie’s take would be on TS12 — and I’ll find out, ’cause I’ll be reading about it after I publish this — for now, what I’ll say is this:

We got intimate, personal time with the One and Only Taylor Swift. That’s super special.

We saw sides of her we normally don’t. How loving and caring she was with her staff. Her commitment to perfection, her drive. Her politeness, her empathy, her enthusiasm, her innonence (giving everyone high fives — what a sweetheart).

We also got to see something I don’t think we normally get to see, and don’t and maybe haven’t before (unless you’re a Swiftie):

Her humility.

Taylor Swift hasn’t always just been likeable because she’s your Girl Next Door — your Anne Hathaway, your Emma Watson, etc. — she’s so likeable because, in reality, girlfriend is actually super humble.

I could see this in little moments, and I saw it in bigger ones.

In some ways, at times, it also felt like a mix of insecurity. But it was vulnerable, and it made me appreciate her even more.

On a big screen, seeing her up close, we saw The Taylor Swift self-deprecate for liking Shakespeare. A little embarrassed, she then shrugs it off and moves forward.

We got to see her natural physicality, always walking with the slightest hunch, which tall people, especially very tall people, often do. (I am tall, and yes, my posture is not great.)

And then, best of all, we got to see her super up close, and see all the things a camera close up, a screen can reveal, that a Broadway show or a concert or anything “long-distance” can’t: emotional layers.

At the very end of the movie, Taylor thanks her fans, immensely, as she always does, for being there and for making her dreams come true. We have known she loves her fans and she appreciates them — Swifties obviously know this, and music critics, certainly — but the general lay person may have just heard about it, but never really seen it.

Well, we get to see it, and then we get to see what comes next.

She thanks us, looks down at the ground, back up at us and is just so grateful and humble and kind. She knows that, without her fans, without the love of people loving her music and her, that all of her work and her career could be gone in a heartbeat.

And then we see another layer. It is slight, and it is … hard to pin down exactly, but it almost seems like insecurity.

A little embarrassment. A shrug of the shoudlers. A shyness. A looking down at the ground.

When I saw this, it obvoiusly stuck with me. Because it was vulnerable and something different and unique and this little moment I didn’t expect — an iconic, powerful superstar being utterly, completely down to earth and normal.

Utterly, completely, totally normal. Insanely, regularly, completely human.

In that moment, when Taylor’s confidence fades for just a little bit, when her light dims for whatever reason — uncertainty, embarrassment, fear and/or just plain tiredness — we see into a side of her we normally don’t, and that you can’t get from a stage, a perfectly produced song or an interview well-prepped for.

We get the real, human Elizabeth Taylor Swift.

And it’s utterly brilliant.

It’s small, but it’s powerful, and I think this little moments, and all the others, will change the dynamic somehow for her audience, for THE audience and potentially the world.

And you can’t put a rating on anything like that. Not even remotely close to it.

Long live Queen Tay. Personally, I love. Objectively, right now the world does. And I hope they continue to.

Thank you for being the very normal, down-to-earth human that you are and have always been, despite your overwhelming super stardom.

May you happily be able to fulfill your two number one’s, and no matter where you go from here, you’ll always be immortal in our hearts and history itself.

I had so much fun writing this. Want more TSwift content? Don’t worry, it’s coming! Stay tuned for the “Sidebars” mentioned in my article and for some other fun items, including:

Sidebar 4 — Am I a Swiftie?

Sidebar 5— What’s My Artistic Background?

Sidebar 6— Who is Hannah R. Kiefer and why is she writing on Medium anyway?