The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD), and it’s subsequent anthology, graced our lives over a year ago.
The Tortured Poets Department (TTPD), and it’s subsequent anthology, graced our lives over a year ago. Swift’s collaboration with Dessner softened TTPD into a melting pot of raw emotion in an album she later described as her ‘lifeline’ during an Eras show in Melbourne in February 2024.
Scattered with references to Swift’s six year relationship with Joe Alwyn and her rumoured fling with Matty Healy the album offered us a stark dichotomy of sorrow and celebration. Characterised by Swift’s signature combination of literary and fictional styles of lyricism TTPD painted us an emotional insight into Swifts relationship breakdown. The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, reminiscent of the yearning power ballads of Dear John and All Too Well, offered a clear step out of heartbreak for Swift.
Following Swift’s stint of 149 shows for the Eras Tour and TTPD being the first album to reach a billion streams on spotfiy her superstardom was no doubt ubiquitous. The Tortured Poets Department Era was characterised by achievement, commercial triumph and new found love as the generational Swifties seemed to insulated her from failure.
Now, 18 months later Swift shimmers in a new album released on the 3rd October 2025. Titled The Life of a Showgirl the announcement came via the New Height’s podcast, co-hosted by her NFL star fiancé Travis Kelce and his brother Jason Kelce. This was the first album to be released since she gained full ownership of her first 6 albums – a landmark moment in her career.
Plunged into a new era of sequins, glamour and humanity the album promised a new pop era for Swifties. Production by Max Martin and Shellbac alluded to tracks reminiscent of the pop fan favourites of 1989 and Lover. The album undoubtedly fell into popularity as the most pre saved album in Spotify history. However, whilst The Life of a Showgirl intended to offer insight into Swifts dazzling life in the spotlight it instead edged into a confusing mix of clunky metaphors, ‘AI’ writing and snide comments towards fellow artists.
The title track, The life of a showgirl which features rising star Sabrina Carpenter, offers us this initial insight. Switching between a fan and a showgirl Swift sings ‘But you don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe And you’re never ever gonna’. The clear divide made between herself and her fans in this song is striking. The lack of relatability across the albums 12 tracks has led to a frosty fan reception. But will Swift ever really be left out in the cold?
Digging deeper into the track list, Wood, littered with quotable lyrics for TikTok transitions, is Taylor’s first track to descend fully into NSFW territory. It makes Reputation’s Dress look PG 13. In an era where lyrics are getting bolder, as seen in Sabrina Carpenter’s Juno and Charli XCX’s 365, Swift appears to be chasing behind. Whilst the track hides behind implicit innuendos the lyrics imply much more for Swift’s satisfaction. Swift recalls how she has reached ‘New Heights of manhood’ with a ‘Redwood tree it ain’t hard to see, his love was the key that opened my thighs’. Despite an attempt to start out with playful innocence the song’s meaning is impossible to ignore.
Track 7, Actually Romantic has sparked speculation of a feud between Taylor and BRAT hit maker Charli XCX. The pair actually have a surprisingly linked history. Charli XCX opened The Reputation tour in 2018 alongside Camilla Cabello but many believe Charli’s track Sympathy is a Knife (from BRAT) was a subtle critique of Swift.
Swift (allegedly) claps back from this in her new album. Actually Romantic confronts XCX of her unreasonable feelings towards Swift as she accuses party girl Charli of calling her ‘boring barbie’ ‘when the cokes got you brave’. To further complicate things… Charli is married to George Daniel, drummer of the 1975, the same band that Matty Healy sings in, Swifts alleged 2024 fling. Rival or romance, it seems they are both intricately intertwined.
These scattered lyrics have led to a mixed reaction from fans. Whilst no doubt generational Swifties have welcomed the album with open arms this has not been universal. With a consistent expectation of authenticity and innovation from Swift, her standards are sky rocketing. The Guardian labelled the album ‘dull razzle dazzle from a star who seems frazzled’ and it seems the fans. The New York Times praised it for its ‘catchy and substantive’ nature with some ‘goofy’ references to a reliable NFL lover.
I will say… the album does not quite possess the life evaluating lyricism of folklore. But comparison is the thief of joy and this album in isolation is full of fun easy listening tracks, go give it a listen!