Taylor swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ Follow-Up, ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ Shatters Streaming Records
Melbourne, Australia – Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” released today, is already breaking streaming records, marking a distinct shift in sound from her recent work. The album follows the 2020 releases of “Folklore” and “Evermore,” the 2022 album “Midnights,” and 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”
Swift described the new album as coming from “the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life.” The album features pointed lyrics, including on the track “Elizabeth Taylor,” where she sings, “You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby.”
“Father Figure,” a reimagining of George michael’s song of the same name,addresses power dynamics within the music industry. Lyrics suggest a possible commentary on her past experiences with Big Machine Records founder Scott Borchetta, who discovered Swift as a teenager, and Scooter Braun, who later acquired the label and control of her early album masters. The song includes the lines,”You want a fight,you found it / I’ve got the place surrounded / you’ll be sleeping with the fishes before you know you’re drowning.”
Fans speculate that “Actually Romantic” is a response to a rumored dispute with pop singer Charli XCX.
“The Life of a Showgirl” is available on all major streaming platforms. Target is offering special editions, including “Portofino orange glitter vinyl” and “summertime spritz pink shimmer vinyl.”
A weekend of screenings accompanying the release features behind-the-scenes footage and lyric videos, with the one-time cinematic event projected to gross between US$30-50 million (S$38-64 million), according to Deadline.
The title track features a collaboration with pop singer Sabrina Carpenter, who previously opened for Swift during select dates on the Eras Tour. Swift sings, “And now I know the life of a showgirl, babe,” concluding with, “wouldn’t have it any other way.”
