Thoughts on Life of A Showgirl
TLDR: I dig it. I'm having fun. Thanks Tay.
Art is subjective. Not every piece of art is made for you.
Art and creation finds you and speaks to you when you need it most.
Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, “Life of A Showgirl” is glitter-pen pop filled album with rhythmic percussion, satisfying bass lines, ear-worms melodies, and key changes that make me feel something.
The lyrics of this album are not as profound or as poetic as her other albums, but they are true. They’re tongue and cheek. They’re clever. They continue to create vivid imagery. (“You were dancing through the lightning strikes/ sleepless in the onyx night”, “I pay the check before it kisses the mahogany grain” “Like a toy chihuahua barking at me from a tiny purse / that’s how much it hurts” )
The sound of this record is what spoke to me over the lyrics by ten-fold. The joyous perspective and playful attitude is infectious. The songwriting made me laugh out loud at some points but what keeps me listening is production value of this record. Thank you Max Martin, Shellback, and Taylor for creating a world that we can giggle and do a little dance to.
As a life-long fan of Taylor, I know one thing to be true — she will always compete with herself and make some *new* noise. And she will always, always, always create for herself. This record was another example of that. If you were expecting something like Folklore, Evermore, TTPD… that was your mistake, not hers ;)
Tops (no order)
Wi$h Li$t, Opalite, Ruin the Friendship, Honey, Actually Romantic
Mids (no order)
Fate of Ophelia, Elizabeth Taylor, Father Figure, Wood, The Life of a Showgirl
Skips (sry!)
CANCELLED!, Eldest Daughter.
If you didn’t like this record: that’s okay and not a crime. (Also- I don’t care. You don’t need to tell ME your negative thoughts on it. I am not the art police nor the Taylor police.)
My hope for you is that this record (and any record) finds you when you need it and makes you feel something or gain something that you have not before.
keep it 100 on the land, the sea, the sky!
- Julia