From tortured poet to ebullient showgirl: A look into Taylor Swift’s new album

After ending the 632-day Eras Tour about ten months ago, Taylor Swift is dazzling fans once again with her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Years of planning and Easter egg planting have built up much anticipation for Swift’s 12th studio album, which fans expect to be one of her most exciting releases yet.

This past year has been a whirlwind for the star as she wrapped up the Eras Tour, acquired her masters for a whopping $360 million from Scooter Braun and got engaged to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Despite all of this, she managed to find the time to produce another album with Max Martin and Shellback — the same duo who helped her create “1989” back in 2014.

Swift’s empire has long surpassed the idea of “just breakup songs.” She has intricately woven cryptic messages throughout her lyrics, music videos, outfits and even appearances — notably, she joined the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast on Aug. 13. This infatuation with detail and intentional planning reflects Swift’s extreme passion for her music, as well as her devotion to her fans.

Listening to “The Life of a Showgirl” may bring a wave of nostalgia. The album feels like a complete 180 compared to “The Tortured Poets Department” and draws parallels to her 2017 comeback album “Reputation.” Swift emulates the true life of a showgirl as she tells stories of love, friendships and enemies.

Track one, “The Fate of Ophelia,” sets the stage with a playful and peppy energy. Swift reasserts her erudite writing style by quoting Shakespeare: “’Tis in my memory locked, and you yourself shall keep the key of it.” This line nods to Ophelia’s dialogue in Act 1, Scene 3 of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” References to Ophelia appeared during the Eras Tour as well, such as on the back of the surprise song piano and now on the new album cover itself, where Swift appears to be drowning, which is the same fate that Ophelia faced.

The fourth track, “Father Figure,” has stirred much anticipation thanks to its sampling of George Michael’s 1987 hit of the same name. Here, Swift flips the narrative: the woman, often called “mother” by her fans, steps into the role of the father figure. The song explores a protégé’s betrayal with lyrics like, “I was your father figure.” Some may think this references Swift’s past with Oliva Rodrigo; however, other listeners might interpret it as a reflection of her early career and complicated relationship with Scooter Braun.

One of the most heartbreaking tracks on the album is “Ruin the Friendship.” Some speculated it was about Blake Lively and her rumored falling out with Swift. Instead, the song seems to revisit Swift’s high school days with her longtime best friend, Abigail Anderson Berard, as she reflects on regrets about a past love.

The album’s eighth track, “Wi$h LiSt,” is already a presumed fan favorite. Many believe it reveals Swift’s longing for an ordinary life, which is something she hasn’t had since childhood. The lyrics reference a failed love, presumably Joe Alwyn. However, Travis Kelce enters the stage as Swift sings, “I made wishes on all of the stars / Please, God, bring me a best friend.” Now, Swift’s “Wi$h Li$t” includes a driveway with a basketball hoop and a shared future with Kelce.

Lastly, from the mouths of two real-life showgirls, Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, the album’s title track tells the story of a conversation between two wannabe showgirls and their dreams of performing. However, by the end of the song, both Carpenter and Swift have assumed the life of a showgirl, and say they wouldn’t have it any other way.

As the curtain closes on “The Life of a Showgirl,” Swift thanks her fans for an “incredible night” and promises to see them next time. On one of her most ebullient albums in recent years, fans can delight in watching the once-tortured poet transform into a lively showgirl, as Taylor Swift enters a new era and finally gets her color back.