The Gryphon Gazette

By: Erin M. ‘28

Just last Thursday, Taylor Swift dropped her new album, The Life of a Showgirl. Regardless of fans’ differing views of Swift’s 12th album, its 12 songs still claimed the first 12 spots on Apple Music and Spotify’s Top 50 USA, even breaking Spotify’s 2025 single-day streaming record in less than 11 hours. In the following three days after the album’s release, hundreds of thousands of Swifties flocked to movie theaters to watch “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” which amassed about $33 million in ticket sales from the U.S. and Canada. Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl also seems to be following a new trend, diverging from her previous one word album names. 

So what is there to know about this new album? To begin with, these songs were quite a different tone from Swift’s previous Folklore, Evermore, Midnights, and The Tortured Poets Department tracks. Rather than being mellow like her previous four albums, Swift’s Life of a Showgirl is upbeat, the only exception being her 5th track, “Eldest Daughter.” In addition, 8/12 of Swift’s songs are explicit, making it the most that she has ever sworn in a single album.

Swift’s album cover references Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, and the drowning of Ophelia, featured in Swift’s first song, “The Fate of Ophelia.” In this song, Swift again plays with Shakespeare’s tragedy, giving Ophelia a happy ending, similar to her song “Love Story” in the album Fearless, which reinvents the story of Romeo and Juliet. 

It is also no surprise to Swifties that the majority of Swift’s songs in her new album refer to her fiancé, Travis Kelsey. Here are some of the tracks Swifties believe to be about the famous football star: In “The Fate of Ophelia,” Swift alludes to the fact that Travis is the one who saves her from Ophelia’s drowning. Opalite, the song name for Swift’s third track, is actually Kelsey’s birthstone. In “Eldest Daughter,” Swift’s ending lyrics, “Every youngest child felt

They were raised up in the wild / But now you’re home” is an obvious reference to Kelce, the youngest child of his family. “Wi$h Li$t,” “Wood,” and “Honey” are also songs with a clear connection to Kelce and the couple’s relationship.

In addition to Swift’s current relationship, Swift also discusses several other topics in her songs. “In Ruin The Friendship,” Swift thinks back on her high school life. Swift’s “Actually Romantic” is a diss track many believe to be about a feud with the music artist Charlie XCX. Finally, in Swift’s “CANCELLED!” she discusses the cruelty of the media and how quickly celebrities can be judged through the public lens. 

All in all, Swift’s new album The Life of a Showgirl has a lot to unpack, whether it be the lyrics, their meanings, or the “easter eggs” hidden inside. Regardless, it has already become a hit, and we are sure to see more from Swift in the near future.