By Grace Campagna, Newswire Intern

Taylor Swift’s 12th album elicited mixed reviews from its listeners, but I enjoyed its themes and lyrics. 

“The Life of a Showgirl” is an upbeat pop album featuring 12 tracks. Along with the release of the album itself, Swift partnered with AMC for “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” in theatres Oct. 3 through Oct. 5, giving fans insight into the themes, focus of the album and songs.

In its advertisement, I envisioned the album as a behind-the-scenes look into a seemingly glitzy lifestyle and world tour setting. I figured it would likely include nods to and songs about Swift’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, still with an introspective lens.

In this way, I pictured the album as most likely being a crossover between Swift’s sixth album, “reputation,” and her 11th, my personal favorite, “The Tortured Poets Department.”

“The Life of a Showgirl” centers around themes of fame and living in the public eye, as well as exploring personal relationships. 

“The Life of a Showgirl” has much more of a romantic focus than I had initially predicted. “The Tortured Poets Department” provides more of a look behind the curtain of Swift’s Eras Tour and into her complex thoughts than her newest album. 

The song “Eldest Daughter” has perhaps received the most criticism on the internet. The fifth track on each of Swift’s albums is typically known to show profound lyricism and to be one of the most reflective on its respective album. Some do not believe that it is up to par for Swift and find the lyrics to be cringe-worthy in their use of modern vocabulary.

As an eldest daughter myself, aspects of the song are relatable; however, I think it is more about not fitting into modern culture than about the eldest daughter experience. Typical of a fifth track, the song breaks the album’s trend of an upbeat tune and brings a melancholy mood to listeners.

I appreciate the nods to classic literature in “The Fate of Ophelia,” as well as the imagery of “CANCELED!” alongside the ambiguity of who Swift may be referring to, also tying in her relatability to her friends through past experiences. The album’s title track, “The Life of a Showgirl” reminds me of the song “Clara Bow” from “The Tortured Poets Department” with its focus on the starlets of the music industry, its “showgirls.”

As someone who will forever be in my reflective Tortured Poet era, I still appreciate the fun nature of “The Life of a Showgirl” and its personal look into Swift’s relationships and experience with fame. As always, Swift’s lyricism engaged me from the first track to the last, and I look forward to the many times I will blast these songs at full volume moving forward.  

As your resident eldest daughter, I suggest you listen for yourself, no matter what negative feedback may be circulating on TikTok.