My brutally honest review of “The Life of a Showgirl”

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mizzou chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” has been highly anticipated (for me, at least). 

It was released on Oct. 3 and has many people in a spiral. I’ve tried to remain an unbiased source when it comes to reviewing this album, but many of my friends and classmates have pretty negative opinions about this new album.

When reviewing albums, I never think deeply about the lyrics or who the songs are about (unless it is blatantly obvious). I truly judge them based on their vibes. 

Disclaimer: I am not qualified to critique albums. I am literally just a girl. Take my opinions on this with a grain of salt. Taylor, I love you. Please, don’t send me a cease and desist. 

With all of that being said, here is my review of “The Life of a Showgirl” by the one and only, Taylor Swift. 

The first track is my favorite so far. “The Fate of Ophelia” is so Taylor Swift-coded. It is poppy and catchy. To be honest, this song has been stuck in my head all day long. The chorus is so “Red.” The lyrics are giving “folklore” I think. This song is such a great mix of all the things I love about Swift. She, once again, has created a new world within her music. I get “betty,” “august” and “cardigan” vibes. But I also get “the last great american dynasty” vibes. The difference is that she is talking about herself, whereas in the other songs, she is talking about other fictional people. To be honest, I’m pretty awful at analyzing songs and their lyrics. But, the vibes, the beat, it’s everything. 

Next is “Elizabeth Taylor.” This song is still not my favorite. Usually, if I listen to a song a few times, it grows on me. This one honestly hasn’t. I think it sounds like something from “reputation” or “Midnights.” I do not necessarily dislike it, but I also don’t love it. I feel like I really have nothing to say about it. It is average for me. 

Third on the tracklist is “Opalite.” I also love the vibes of this song, like a lot. It has pop and ‘70s vibes. Like I’m dancing right now as I’m listening to it. It’s catchy, it’s fun and it’s cute! It is pretty unique compared to anything that I think she has made. The lyrics are so Swift. Like her analogies and metaphors within the song as so consistent with her lyricism. I love it. Definitely one of my favorites on this album. 

Track four is “Father Figure.” I think I get it… but like why is she the father figure? I take it back, I don’t quite get it. Maybe I need a few more listens for me to better understand the lyrics. But like, why is her “d*ck bigger” and why is she “protect[ing] the family”? I like the musicality of this song, and I think it’s trying to give girl boss vibes. Regardless of the lyrics, I think the vibe is good and cute. I like the last lyric, “‘you know, you remind me of a younger me’ I saw potential.” I guess she feels protective of someone and wants to be a father figure for them. Either way, I think this song will grow on me more, but I don’t love it that much yet. 

Fifth is “Eldest Daughter.” So, now I get why some people were hating on this album. Her millennial side is showing. “I’m not a bad b*tch, and this isn’t savage.” That line requires some processing for sure. Ummmmm, I think that I don’t like that line at all. Unfortunately, I’m a sucker for sad and belt-worthy songs, so I do like this song. I will be singing it. Will I be cringing? Likely, yes. Will I still play this song often? Also yes. Thank you, Taylor Swift, for another song to sing in the car when I want to cry. I bet if I listened to the lyrics more, I’d understand the life of the eldest daughter. 

“Ruin The Friendship” is track six. I’m conflicted. Is Swift admitting that she was almost a homewrecker? “But your girlfriend was away, should’ve kissed you anyway” is definitely a statement. I think this song gives “So High School” from “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT,” but I don’t really know why. Maybe it makes me think about a high school relationship. But now I’m confused because she said “..I whispered at the grave” and then “My advice is always ruin the friendship. Better that than regret it.” It’s almost like she is talking about a missed opportunity to be with someone. But knowing Swift, the grave could be a metaphor for something or she is talking about someone who actually passed. I think this song is really good. It is similar to songs we have heard from her before, but I still like it. 

Track seven is stirring up a lot of controversy. “Actually Romantic” is supposedly about a certain dance-pop girly (cough cough, Charli XCX). I do not subscribe to these conspiracy theories, but some of the evidence is stacking up. Swift sings, “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave.” Fans are convinced that this is a direct hint at Charli XCX. There are many other lyrics that hint at the idea that XCX is the subject of this song. Besides the lyrics and their potential meaning, I think this song is fun and has a nice message. That’s definitely one way to look at someone who makes an effort to dislike you. I don’t know why, but I get Olivia Rodrigo vibes from that song. Maybe it’s the guitar and scratchy vocals that remind me of “brutal” from “SOUR.” Regardless, this song is also pretty good. 

Track eight is “Wi$h Li$t.” I get it, Swift, you’re in love. This song really feels like something out of her diary. It is pretty vulnerable and honest about her personal life and her relationship. Some of the lyrics make me cringe pretty hard. Unironically using works like “lit” and “boss up” is kind of crazy in 2025, but once again, Swift is unapologetically herself. And she’s in love, so it doesn’t matter what I think, or anyone else. She said it herself, “We tell the world to leave us the f*ck alone, and they do.” My bad, Swift, I’ll leave you alone. Cute song, but not my favorite. 

“Wood” is track nine. This is easily my favorite song off the album now. It is so dance-worthy. I get ‘90s vibes from it. I’m almost getting Sabrina Carpenter from this. I love it so much. I really have no notes on this song. Ten out of ten. Brilliant. It’s cute and fun. This song will be on repeat for the next few weeks, guaranteed. 

Track ten is “CANCELLED!”. Swift, I can’t defend you for much longer. “Did you girl-boss too close to the sun?”. Please explain this lyric with an elaborate metaphor. I’m getting major “reputation” and “Midnights” vibes. The lyrics, and their millennial-ness, remind me of “Hits Different.” I love “Hits Different” (I have to since it was my surprise song) but I need to tune out some of the lyrics or just embrace the cringiness of it. Enough of my tangent. I think this song has a different vibe than everything else on the album. This song is in the middle of my ranking. It’s just fine for me. 

Track 11 is called “Honey.” This song screams “old Taylor” to me. I get a mix of “Taylor Swift,” “Lover” and “Midnights.” I like this song. It’s not remarkable. It sounds like a lot of her other songs. It is not really unique, but I think it is cute and pop-y. It’s fine. 

Finally, track 12 is the title track called “The Life of a Showgirl” featuring Sabrina Carpenter. This song has actually been stuck in my head for hours and hours. I love the chorus. I know that a lot of people really hate this as the title track, but I think it’s unique and fun. I love Carpenter’s verse. I love the concept of the song. The key changes are catchy and the dialogue within the song is memorable. Overall, this is one of my top songs on this album. I could see myself singing this song in my car with my Swiftie friends. It’s just good vibes. 

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My Final Thoughts 

So that’s “The Life of a Showgirl.” I think that this album is a new vibe for her, but at the same time, it is like a mix of every album. I think people are struggling to enjoy this album for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, fans of “evermore” or “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT” are missing the sad, belt-worthy, poetic vibes. If fans are caught in their “reputation” era, they were likely expecting something a bit more grungy.

My advice is to forget all of her other music. Enjoy this album from a fresh perspective. I think you’ll find that this album is super fun. 

I became a fan right before “Midnights,” so my heart does not belong to a certain era. Meaning, I do not view this album through the lens of someone who was hoping for it to sound like an old era. 

I really love this album. After listening to it a few more times, it has grown on me even more. As someone who was pretty disappointed with “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT,” I am so excited for this new era for her. It is so funky and pop. I’m obsessed.