Editor’s Note: Katie Bunn is a third-year applied health science major from Spokane, Wash. She is planning on attending medical school when she graduates. She enjoys attending kinesiology, biology and chemistry club events, and likes to get involved with pickleball, basketball and soccer intramurals. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of The Point.
“The Life of a Showgirl” is like a Warhead candy to most Swifties; at first taste, it destroys the tongue, but given time, it brings a certain undeniable sweetness to it.
Since I was a young girl, my dad has always inspired me to find niche, undiscovered, up-and-coming artists who would be a comfort in life’s deepest valleys. Intensive searching through the darkest corners of Spotify allowed me to stumble upon the perfect candidate: Taylor Swift. The hunt was over, but the journey had just begun.
Over the years, Swift has built an empire with her 11 albums, which have enticed millions of fans (also known as Swifties — avid listeners of Swift who, at times, participate in erratic and illogical behavior). Part of this success stems from her uncanny ability to change her style and genre of music, giving each album a distinct voice and purpose.
Listeners connect to deep lyricism and heartbreak from her album “The Tortured Poets Department,” while others can enjoy the storytelling and dreamier sounds of “folklore,” or the faster-paced country pop album “Red.” After over a year of waiting, Swifties sank their teeth into her 12th album on Oct. 3 — “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Many fans expected a narrative focused on the mental and emotional tightrope of constant media attention, nonstop touring for two years, frayed and snapped relationships and meeting her current fiancé, Travis Kelce. However, upon listening, Swift has indeed entered a new era, one in which her usually complex messages were crafted in a sarcastic, crude, yet sweet tone. Critics have written essays about it, fans have shed tears, while others have enjoyed it. And it has led third-party observers to wonder — is it worth listening to? Is it a bad album?
“The Life of a Showgirl” is not a bad album. Most of the 12 songs have been stuck in my head for weeks, and I have no desire to remove them. Are they lyrical masterpieces? No. But they weren’t designed that way. Are there some songs that I don’t like? Yes. Will I replay “Eldest Daughter” again? Only if it is from the time stamps of 2:39 to 3:12. But I still find myself relistening to the album and enjoying the experience.
Swift’s intention, I think, with “The Life of a Showgirl” was to express the relief, happiness and fear of finding that one person to write songs about forever. “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor,” “Opalite,” “Honey” and “Wi$h Li$t” are all examples of this. Other songs convey other messages, but fit the genre, vibe and upbeat drums and tempo. The lyrics are slightly simpler, but I would argue that her songs do not need to be deciphered with hieroglyphics to have meaning.
However, I do find a couple of lines to be a failed attempt at connecting with younger generations. For example, all but 30 seconds of “Eldest Daughter” and one line from “CANCELLED!” make me want to “girlboss” my AirPods in front of an incoming bobsled. But apart from that, the songs are catchy, enjoyable and have great beats. Her whole career has involved switching styles and experimentation; this is simply her next step.
For the past couple of weeks, Swift’s album has been receiving criticism on social media. Why does the internet roast it like a turkey in November? I believe there are three main reasons for the outcry. The first is that more fans means more opinions. With the kind of fame that Swift has accumulated, it is impossible to avoid scrutiny and criticism.
The second is that she stepped further than normal for an “era” switch. New tendencies and slightly more promiscuous themes have interrupted an unspoken stereotype that people assume about her. Songs like “Wood” shake these foundations. However, if a different artist had released this album, would people bat an eye at this language?
The lyrics have also been controversial in its simplicity, but this is the same artist who released “ME!” and “Shake It Off.”
Lastly, it’s new. For almost two decades, critics have claimed that Swift has released her worst album as soon as it comes out. “Fearless” was too pitchy, “Speak Now” was cheesy and genre-blending, “Red” was too pop, and so on. After a couple of months, this album could have an entirely different reputation surrounding it.
“The Life of a Showgirl” deviates further than Swift’s normal path, and this time, I’m following, while dodging the occasional wasp. I can understand if you don’t want to join, just don’t set fire to the forest around us.
Adee Tulcan