“The Life of a Showgirl” is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on Oct. 3. While the album has received a fair amount of both criticism and praise, I can’t help but feel it falls short of expectations.
There were a few standout tracks, notably “Opalite”, my personal favorite, but the majority of the songs felt lackluster. They lacked the depth and lyricism we have come to expect from Swift, given her extensive discography that thus far has been very well written. This album is clearly designed to be a fun pop experience, but unfortunately, it felt a bit flat and emotionally detached.
Swift has shown many times over that she can create vibrant, catchy pop tunes in previous works like “1989,” which I thoroughly enjoyed. While I know many were eagerly anticipating this release, I approached it with skepticism, especially after my opinion on “The Tortured Poets Department”. The first listen left me questioning whether she really wrote these songs. After a few more listens, I acknowledged that the tracks are undeniably upbeat and pop-oriented, but they seem to lack memorability.
None of the songs struck me as particularly noteworthy; they all blend together, making them forgettable. The innovation and lyrical depth present in her earlier works were sorely missed in this album. While I have no issue with playful lyrics in upbeat songs, this sillier approach feels completely different than what fans expect from Swift, ultimately leading to disappointment.
In my opinion, “The Life of a Showgirl” isn’t a bad album per se, but it doesn’t reach the level of quality fans anticipate from Swift. Perhaps it’s time for her to take a break and realize that it’s perfectly okay not to release new music every year. I believe that if Swift continues to release year after year, the results will continue to be mediocre, and if she were to spend more time on her next project, fully investing her attention and energy, it would do much better.
