As she steps into a new era, Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album “The Life of a Showgirl” last Friday. Her latest album was “The Tortured Poets Department,” which was released on April 19, 2024. “The Tortured Poets Department” consisted of many unique songs with poetic elements which deepened the meaning of each song. With the recent release of “The Life of a Showgirl,” many Swifties are excited to hear the new songs she has been working on.

Track 1: “The Fate of Ophelia” 

Michelle: 8/10

The first song on the album starts off with a catchy beat, showing a successful return to producing with Max Martin and Shellback. Instead of falling victim to her fame like the Shakespearean character Ophelia, Taylor Swift flips the script of the notorious story. The music is bright and vibrant, creating an energetic start to the album.

“The fate of Ophelia / The eldest daughter of a nobleman” 

Track 2: “Elizabeth Taylor”

Elise: 8/10

Track two references a famous Hollywood star named Elizabeth Taylor, who like Taylor Swift, was an icon among many who faced backlash for her multiple relationships. In the song, Swift seems to write through the lens of Elizabeth Taylor and her lifestyle. Personally, I think this song has a very pop feel similar to Swift’s albums “1989” and “Reputation.” “Elizabeth Taylor” explores themes of romance and the point of view of a showgirl.

“’And if your letters ever said ‘Goodbye’ / I’d cry my eyes violet / Elizabeth Taylor’”

Track 3: “Opalite”

Michelle: 7/10

Track three reflects on past heartaches and finding love. With Travis Kelce’s birthstone, opal, as a lyrical centerpiece, Swift revisits her “track three” tradition of emotionally raw songs but colors this one with a newfound optimism. While some may find it a bit safe compared to the experimental track that precedes it, “Opalite” offers self forgiveness. 

“You were dancing through the lightning strikes / Sleepless on an onyx night / But now the sky is opalite”

Track 4: “Father Figure”

Elise: 6/10

This track resembles how Swift portrays herself as the bigger person. People expect her to do everything perfectly, and this track emphasizes how Swift finds herself putting others before herself. This track closely resembles a song from one of her previous albums, “Lover,” which is “The Man.” “Father Figure” almost almost serves as the follow-up song to “The Man” by proving that Swift has come to terms with becoming stronger and more fierce as a person.

“I dry your tears with my sleeve / Leave it with me”

Track 5: “Eldest Daughter”

Michelle: 7/10

Track 5 is an emotional ballad about the stress of being the eldest daughter. While the lyrics are very relatable, some listeners may find the slow, piano-based song a little underwhelming. It’s good, but not the strongest track on the album.

“Every eldest daughter / Was the first lamb to the slaughter” 

Track 6: “Ruin The Friendship”

Elise: 7/10

This song is about regretting not taking chances. To me, it seems as if this song is a tribute to one of Swift’s old friends from high school, Jeff Lang. In the song, she mentions flying home to what might be a funeral, where she whispers at the grave her remorse for feelings that went unsaid. This song has an overall melancholic feel while Swift references how she should’ve ‘ruined the friendship.’

“My advice is always ruin the friendship / Better that than regret it for all time”

Track 7: “Actually Romantic”

Michelle: 6/10

In track 7, Swift reflects on finding genuine love after a history of heartbreak. The song’s cheerful tone and loving lyrics are a sweet moment on the album, though the theme might not be fresh for every listener. It’s a solid, enjoyable pop song, but to me, it doesn’t stand out as much though as the others. 

“It’s honestly wild / All the effort you’ve put in / It’s actually romantic”

Track 8: “Wi$h Li$t”

Elise: 6/10

This song has a very romantic feel to it, which I think is likely referring to Swift and Kelce’s relationship. Swift makes it obvious that she only has one thing on her “wish list,” referring to her fiance, Kelce. Overall, this track was decent, but the lyrics feel unoriginal, like some of the other songs in the album.

“Got me dreaming ‘bout a driveway with a basketball hoop / Boss up, settle down, got a wish list / I just want you”

Track 9: “Wood”

Michelle: 2/10 

This song isn’t my favorite since it’s not relatable to a younger audience. In the song, Swift explains how she doesn’t want to jinx her relationship and how she is confident in it. Personally, I don’t like this song because it isn’t very appropriate, and it will definitely be skipped when I listen to the album. Overall, this track has up-beat tunes on guitar in the background, which creates a pop-like vibe and creates a catchy tune.

“Girls, I don’t need to catch the bouquet / To know a hard rock is on the way” 

Track 10: “CANCELLED!”

Elise: 8/10

Track 10 is a rebellious song which reminds me a lot of Swift’s album “Reputation.” It has an eerie feel to it which some listeners might not like, but it has an overall good tune and bass to it which makes it a good listen. It references Swift’s more rebellious side which isn’t often seen throughout the album.

“Good thing I like my friends cancelled / I like ‘em cloaked in Gucci and in scandal”

Track 11: “Honey”

Michelle: 5/10 

The track is a sweet song, but the tune isn’t very catchy. A new love fixing an old heartbreak has also been told many times before. It’s an okay song, but isn’t the best on the album. 

“You can call me honey if you want / Because I’m the one you want” 

Track 12: “The Life of a Showgirl (ft. Sabrina Carpenter)”

Elise: 8/10

During the last track, Swift collaborates with Sabrina Carpenter to portray the point of view of a showgirl’s life to the listeners. The track feels like it’s from a musical which makes the listeners become more engaged with the song. It has an up-beat feel to it that creates a happy tone for the listeners. Overall, it has a good musicality to it, making it fun to listen to while simultaneously being a good song to end the album off on.

“Hey, thank you for the lovely bouquet / You’re sweeter than a peach / But you don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe”

Overall, we would say that Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album is a 6.5/10. The album creates a new picture of Swift to the listeners, with songs that were unexpected and songs that greatly resemble her new ‘era’. Some of the songs feel unoriginal, with familiar beats and reused lyrics from her past albums. In the end, Swift’s new album doesn’t live up to her previous albums which consist of unique elements and lyrics that relate to the listener on a different level, but there are still some goods songs in it that are worth listening to.

This article received edits from Kate Duncan, Emily Logan and Amelia Hamilton.