Only a few weeks after she broke the internet with her engagement news, Taylor Swift has once again caused a tsunami over the internet with the release of her highly anticipated 12th studio album. Yes, this is not a drill. We have officially entered a new era!

After weeks of incredible concept photos showing the pop icon clad in glitter and feathers, and multiple vinyl and CD editions that truly sold the Showgirl vibes and aesthetic, the curtain rises on “The Life of a Showgirl,” a shiny and new pop compilation set to take over the airwaves.

Everything about this album screams glamorous, from the concept down to its marketing, which consisted of pop-up takeovers, listening parties, and even a cinematic premiere for “The Fate of Ophelia” — the album’s lead single — which had fans flocking to theaters to get a first watch on the music video. Aesthetic-wise, Taylor might just have released her most beautiful album yet, with the concept photos truly capturing cabaret vibes, taking us front row and center to her very own “Moulin Rouge.”

However, as the first drum beats of “The Fate of Ophelia” echoed from our speakers, followed by pop tracks layered with Taylor’s signature instrumental hooks and infectious melodies, it quickly became clear that the Showgirl aesthetic we anticipated was conveyed more through the album’s themes than its sound. In short, if you’re expecting theatrical trumpets, precision choreography in musical form, and big-stage cabaret glamour, “The Life of a Showgirl” doesn’t deliver the sound of what happens on stage. Instead, it spotlights the spectacle of a showgirl’s life behind the curtain.

We gave the album a thorough listen, and here’s what we mean.

‘The Life of a Showgirl’: More Pop Show than Cabaret Glow

One of the highlights of this album is Taylor revealing that she’s once again working with songwriters/producers Max Martin and Shellback. For those who don’t know, they’re just some of the singer’s most important collaborators, having worked with her in some of her most iconic eras, including “1989,” “Reputation,” and “Red.” If we were to find a common denominator between these albums, it’s that Taylor has defined new sides of her music in these records, from creating genre-bending tracks to fully changing her sound or immersing herself so deeply into a concept that it has taken on a life of its own. These two producers have helped her release some of her biggest hits, such as “Shake It Off,” “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “Blank Space,” and “…Ready for It.”

So it’s safe to say that we had high expectations. After an incredible run of her past eras, with her Grammy-winning albums “Folklore,” where she revolutionized the indie sound, the bedroom pop-clad “Midnights,” and even the mammoth of a record “The Tortured Poets Department” where she released a total of 31 songs, which can easily be describe as her most lyrically thought-provoking and heart wrenching album to date, the singer-songwriter makes a sharp pivot in this new record as she returns to her pop roots. But while some expected it to be “1989” Pt. 2, “The Life of a Showgirl” sounds a bit more like how “Midnights” looked, but with a dash of “1989’s” euphoric vibe.

“The Fate of Ophelia” opens the album with a dramatic flourish, but not the kind of showgirl entrance we were expecting. Instead, she leans into the Shakespeare reference, giving us a story that perfectly captures how she was “saved from her fate” of drowning in the tides of her sadness and previous pains — whether caused by personal relationships or her career. It’s theatrical and narrative-heavy, which we believe was a great start, as it was the kind of music that’s familiar to her avid listeners.

In “Elizabeth Taylor,” the singer turns to an Old Hollywood motif as she references the late actress. In her introduction of the song on Amazon Music, she described it as “a love song kind of through the lens of the motif of what she had to go through in her life and sort of the parallels that I feel in my own life.” The song felt posh and glamorous, and definitely gave us a glimpse into the girl behind the makeup and sparkly dresses.

Taylor channels her inner pop princess with “Opalite” as she delivers a catchy dance tune, which embodies the essence of happiness. Out of all the tracks, we believe this song captures where the musician is at the moment the most. In several of her radio interviews in the UK, she had openly expressed how it was the first time that she was releasing an album that mimics the current state of her life. And how juicy it was to know that Opal also happens to be her fiancé’s birthstone. We’re sure this song will soon become a TikTok dance hit.

“Father Figure” interpolates George Michael’s 1988 hit of the same name and talks about power dynamics. It’s an interesting track, but slightly less memorable compared to the previous ones. Taylor continues her tradition of putting her most vulnerable and gut-wrenching songs on track 5, and “Eldest Daughter” was the most emotional of the bunch, lyrically and sonically. The song reflects the role of the eldest daughters, listing their core traits, which makes this song one of her most relatable ones. Lines, “When I said I don't believe in marriage, that was a lie. Every eldest daughter was the first lamb to the slaughter, so we all dressed up as wolves and we looked fire,” were a crowd favorite and have since been circulating online. However, it may also be less memorable as it's more stripped down, with only piano and guitar in the instrumentation, a sharp contrast to the pop-heavy tracks on the record.

“Ruin the Friendship” had us scratching our heads a little bit, because it strays away from the showgirl or celebrity life motif and instead was more nostalgic in parts as it talks about a teenage romance and the “what ifs.” Sonically, it was catchy enough with a laid-back pop beat, but lyrically, it sounded like something you would be hearing in “Fearless” or even her debut. Taylor then returns to the theme in “Actually Romantic,” which ironically is anything but romantic as it has a lot of bite and quite possibly a diss track directed at another artist. The sound is sassy, seductive, and shady at the same time. We love the electric guitar strumming in the beginning, which is reminiscent of the 2000s pop-rock era.

We believe “Wi$h Li$t” is a shimmering highlight on the album, as it cleverly juxtaposes people’s extravagant desires with more personal, simple longings. Staying true to narrating stories behind the curtain, we think Taylor got personal in this one, sharing her own desires of wanting a family (“I just want you. Have a couple kids, got the whole block looking like you.”), which presents a contrast between public personas and private wishes. The music is also catchy and is our favorite so far — even Taylor revealed in an interview that it was her favorite song on the record!

“Wood” might be her most controversial track ever, with some saying it might have been a risk to put it in there as it’s very provocative and woven with so many sexual innuendos. For long-time Swifties, it’s definitely different and bold. However, it did remind us of Sabrina Carpenter, who has made these kinds of songs popular in the past year, like “Tears” and “Juno.” Production and sound-wise, it’s giving Jackson 5, so we weren’t sure if Taylor sounded Taylor in this at all.

The dark sound of “CANCELLED!” is reminiscent of her “Reputation” days, which we love, and plays around with the idea of cancel culture. It has a cathartic feel and dark energy that will surely get a spot on our “on repeat” playlist. In contrast, “Honey” is as sweet as it sounds and is probably the most romantic song here, with a 2000s pop vibe. However, like “Ruin the Friendship,” it felt a little off-theme.

Closing the album is “The Life of a Showgirl,” which features Sabrina Carpenter. The lyrics do go all out theatrical, leaning heavily on the showgirl image, but sound-wise, you can hear a bit of country (guitars), pop synths, and everything in between. Many musicals have big, bold finales, but this sounded more like a credits song or perhaps a curtain call, giving the album a more gentle end note.

Final Verdict

“The Life of a Showgirl” may not be Taylor’s most consistent album, but it is undeniably bold and daring — traits that have long defined her music. She has always pushed the boundaries of her sound, fearlessly reinventing genres and making them her own. While this might not be her strongest body of work, it’s infectious enough to keep listeners hitting replay.

In a recent interview, Taylor openly shared her dark fear that her writing had always been tethered to pain and torment. It’s an open secret that poets and songwriters often draw from their deepest, saddest emotions, and she’s turned that vulnerability into some of her most powerful songs, like “All Too Well,” “Exile,” and “Tolerate It.” But she’s also given us moments of pure joy in tracks like “ME!,” “Enchanted,” and “Karma.” TS12 might just be the happiest we’ve ever seen her. She’s quite literally at the peak of her career and personal life. And as parasocial as it may seem, fans or even distant observers can't help but join her in her happiness and would gladly dance to “Opalite” all night long.

True, it’s not her most emotionally layered album, nor does it boast the understated lyricism and subtle storytelling of her previous work. But joy often brings simplicity and directness, and that, in many ways, is the essence of this record. Still, the album could have soared even higher had its sound leaned more into the theatrical, bombastic “showgirl” aesthetic it promises.

At the end of the day, it’s a fun, vibrant listen with plenty of standout moments to love.

The album is currently on sale on her website. You can follow Taylor Swift on Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram.