Every showgirl has her spotlight, and sometimes, the light can flicker. The curtain has risen once more as pop’s most captivating storyteller, Taylor Swift, has dropped her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. The album glimmers with heart, vulnerability, and a little theatrical flair, even with a few songs stumbling in their heels. Yet every song brims with her signature energy, and after all, that’s show business for you. 

Some of the album’s tracks are impossible not to love. “The Fate of Ophelia” draws you in with its infectious beat, reimagining Ophelia’s story and paying tribute to her fiancé, whose love saved her from tragedy. Moving to track two, it immediately evokes her Reputation era; it’s bold and unapologetic, reflecting on her life in the public eye, the pressure that comes with it, and the toll it has taken on her relationships. Other tracks that really stuck with me were “Father Figure”, “Opalite”, and the actual song “The Life of a Showgirl” featuring Sabrina Carpenter.

That said, not every song landed perfectly with me. “Wi$h Li$t”, “Eldest Daughter”, and “Honey” each have glimpses of her storytelling genius, but they never quite reach the lyrical expectations I have come to expect. While they all show her craft, they lack the emotional punch that makes her best work so memorable. 

For anyone longing for the “old Taylor” or the lyricism of Evermore, Folklore, or the Tortured Poets Department, go stream those albums. Not every album is going to be a hit on the first listen, and that’s okay. This one has its own energy, depth, and moments worth savoring. 

Lines like “Oftentimes, it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me” remind you that she has always been able to show her messy, human side. 

Listening to this album feels like stepping into a theatre full of lights, glitter, and whispered secrets. Some acts falter, others leave you breathless, but the overall experience is undeniably hers. Taylor reminds me why I and so many others keep coming back to her music: for the honesty, the emotion, and the dedication she pours into every song.