Taylor Swift Responds to Criticism of Life of a Showgirl Album

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Taylor Swift knows that being a showgirl comes with critics. 

The 35-year-old singer said she’s decided to embrace the unpredictable reactions to her new album, *The Life of a Showgirl*, and won’t worry about what everyone thinks.

She told Zane Lowe of Apple Music in a recent interview that she respects everyone’s personal opinions about art. ‘I don’t think anyone should be told how to feel about it,’ she said.

Taylor actually enjoys the constant discussion surrounding her work, even when it’s critical—she finds it flattering.

She joked that in the first week of her album’s release, any mention of her or the album itself was a good thing – it all helped with promotion.

Taylor Swift believes it’s natural for people to connect with different sides of her music, whether they enjoy the upbeat pop songs or the more reflective tracks on *Folklore*.

As performers, we aim to reflect what our audience is experiencing,” she explained. “An album can be a deeply personal experience, and the music people connect with often depends on what’s happening in their own lives at that time.”

Taylor Swift understands that not everyone will love her music right away, and she’s okay with that. She believes people might grow to appreciate an album later on, and she isn’t too concerned about immediate reactions.

It makes me so happy when fans tell me they’ve grown with my albums. They often say they didn’t connect with *Reputation* at first, but now it’s their favorite after going through life changes. Or they’ll tell me they used to love *Fearless*, but now they’re completely obsessed with *Evermore*.

Taylor wants her music to remain popular for years to come. She feels strongly about creating something lasting, saying, “We’re doing this for good.”

I’m very aware of the lasting impact I want my music to have,” she explained. “I’m proud of what I’ve created and I truly love it.

It’s simply what showgirls do – everything you see is part of the performance.

For more on The Life of a Showgirl, read on.

The first song on Taylor Swift’s album, *The Life of a Showgirl*, alludes to Ophelia, a character from William Shakespeare’s play *Hamlet*, who experiences a heartbreaking story.

The song suggests Taylor could have been overwhelmed by sadness if it weren’t for her partner’s love and support.

“I heard you calling / On the megaphone,” Taylor sings. “You wanna see me all alone.”

The song seems to reference Travis Kelce playfully teasing Taylor Swift on his podcast, *New Heights*, about not joining him after her Eras Tour concerts – a moment that sparked their relationship.

“I swore loyalty to me, myself and I,” the lyrics continue. “Right before you lit my sky up.”

Just before she met Travis, Taylor had recently ended her relationship with Matty Healy and had publicly described herself as enjoying being single in July 2023.

But after Travis went to her concert in Kansas City that same month, sparks began to fly.

Taylor’s fiancé is now participating in her tradition of hiding clues, or ‘Easter eggs,’ for fans. Back in July, he hinted at lyrics from her song “The Fate of Ophelia” in an Instagram post. He captioned photos of himself with Taylor, saying they had a fun summer (“Had some adventures this offseason”) and were being authentic (“Kept it [100].”)

How does this relate to Taylor’s song? The lyrics say, “You rescued me from a really low point and saved my heart, but be honest with me.”

In the second song on the album, Taylor pays tribute to the iconic Elizabeth Taylor, referencing some of her beloved haunts like the Plaza Athénée in Paris and Musso & Frank’s in Los Angeles.

Taylor’s lyrics also compare her to Elizabeth Taylor. Just like Taylor experiences today, Elizabeth was frequently in the news for both her romantic relationships and her glamorous style.

But, as Taylor notes in her song, “Oftentimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me.”

In the cheerful song “Opalite,” which Travis had previously said was his favorite from the *Showgirl* musical, Taylor Swift alludes to their relationship.

Taylor has experienced a lot of heartbreak in past relationships, but now she’s found peace and tranquility with Travis, like a calm, shimmering sky.

She shared on Capital radio that she’d noted down ‘opalite’ after discovering it’s a human-made opal. Since Travis’s birthstone is opal, she’d always been drawn to the stone and remembered it fondly.

She explained the gemstone’s meaning, saying, “I saw it as a metaphor – just like the opal is created by people, happiness can be, too.”

But some fans believe Taylor subtly referenced Travis Kelce’s former girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, in her song, suggesting he once felt used as a social media accessory.

She sings, as if addressing him, “You didn’t get it, you didn’t understand why you felt so lonely. You were truly invested, while she was distracted by her phone.”

The lyrics continue, describing someone who was only pretending to be something they weren’t. It questions our attempts at love, giving everything we have to it. Then, it notes someone finally walking away, followed by the realization that desire fades – you crave something until you don’t anymore.

Taylor Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback are officially listed as the songwriters for the song “Showgirl.” However, the late George Michael is also credited on “Father Figure” because that song samples his 1987 hit of the same name.

I was so thrilled to see Taylor include George in her show! And his team clearly felt the same way – they publicly thanked her on Instagram on October 2nd, saying how special the moment was for him. It just warmed my heart to see everyone acknowledging this!

Many fans believe the first part of the song is told from the point of view of Scott Borchetta, the head of Big Machine Records, who sold Taylor Swift’s original recordings to Scooter Braun. They think the song then shifts to Taylor’s perspective as she works to regain ownership of her music.

Taylor herself admitted that the song was “written in character.”

She mentioned on BBC Radio 1 that writing the piece was enjoyable. She explained it explores the concept of a father figure in a new way, using it to discuss power, how power is organized, and how those dynamics can be reversed.

She’s particularly proud of a risqué line in her work where she jokes about making deals with the devil, boasting that she has the upper hand.

We’re now at the fifth track on Taylor Swift’s *Showgirl*, and historically, this is where she places her most emotionally devastating songs.

In her song “Eldest Daughter,” Taylor Swift reflects on the ups and downs of life, emphasizing her unwavering loyalty to her family. Her parents, Andrea and Scott Swift, welcomed her before later having her brother, Austin.

The song expresses a promise of loyalty and strength, stating, ‘I’m not someone who’s cruel, and this isn’t about being overly aggressive.’ It continues, ‘I’ll always be there for you, and I won’t abandon you.’ Despite facing betrayal from others described as deceitful and manipulative, the singer vows to remain true to their commitment.

The sixth track on the album *Showgirl* reflects on a missed romantic opportunity. The song evokes a feeling of longing, with lyrics like, “Have fun, it’s prom / Wilted corsage dangles from my wrist / Over his shoulder I catch a glimpse / And see…You looking at me / And it wasn’t an invitation / But as the 50 Cent song played / I should’ve kissed you anyway.”

Taylor Swift references her close friend Abigail Anderson – who inspired the song “Fifteen” – in a particularly poignant part of a song about loss. The lyrics read: “When I left school, I lost track of you / Abigail called me with the bad news / Goodbye, and we’ll never know why.”

Many fans believe the heartbreaking song is about Taylor Swift’s late friend, Jeff Lang, who passed away in 2010. He’s also thought to have been the inspiration behind her earlier song, “Forever Winter.”

In the song, released in 2021 as part of the *Red* album’s vault tracks, she sings about being unaware of someone’s struggles, admitting she’d be devastated if they weren’t there. She reflects on being too young to realize things improve, promising to be a constant source of happiness (‘summer sun’) but fearing an endless sadness (‘forever winter’) if they leave.

Despite its title, “Actually Romantic” isn’t really a love song. Instead, it’s Taylor Swift’s reaction to someone who has talked about her extensively in their lyrics.

Taylor sings about a confusing situation: she recently high-fived her ex, and then you expressed relief that he had cut off contact with her. He even wrote a song about how much he dislikes her, which she finds strangely endearing, though she acknowledges some might find it offensive.

Taylor Swift usually keeps the inspiration behind her songs private, but many fans think a recent one was about Charli XCX. Charli opened for Taylor on the Reputation Tour and is also friends with Taylor’s former boyfriend, Matty, and his partner, Gabbriette Bechtel.

After Charli released her album *brat* in June 2024—Charli is married to George Daniel, who plays in the band The 1975—some people thought her song “Sympathy is a Knife” was a diss track aimed at Taylor Swift. But two months later, Taylor appeared to dismiss those rumors by publicly complimenting Charli’s work.

Taylor Swift shared that she’s been impressed with Charli XCX’s musical talent ever since hearing her song ‘Stay Away’ back in 2011. In an interview with *New York* magazine published on August 26th, Swift praised Charli’s songwriting as unique and imaginative, noting her ability to take songs in unexpected directions consistently for over ten years. Swift expressed admiration for Charli’s dedication and success.

Fans are speculating about another possible connection to Charli XCX. Taylor Swift’s Spotify cover art features an apple, which is the title of Charli’s hit song from 2024.

TopMob News has reached out to reps for comment on the speculation and has not heard back.

On the very top of Taylor’s wish list? A forever with Travis. That includes starting a family.

“I just want you,” she sings. “Have a couple kids / Got the whole block looking like you.”

The artist even admitted it’s one of her favorite tracks on the album. 

She explained to Magic radio that recording that particular song signaled the end of the album process. She described it as a deeply emotional and honest reflection of her current life, and felt it confirmed they had finished everything they needed to do.

Taylor says hoping for love never worked for her in the past. But now that she’s with Travis, she feels confident and doesn’t need to rely on luck at all.

In her song, she explains she doesn’t need to catch the wedding bouquet to realize a difficult time is coming.

She was correct: Taylor and Travis got engaged in August 2025, two years after they started dating.

The song features suggestive lyrics and also references *New Heights*, the podcast Taylor Swift says brought her and Travis Kelce together.

In the tenth song, Taylor describes supporting someone who’s facing public backlash, drawing from her own experiences with being ‘canceled.’

She warned, “Let’s leave now, because people will panic when they see us.” She then added, almost to herself, “It’s actually good my friends bailed – I prefer them mysterious and a little bit rebellious.”

People have guessed the song might be about Taylor Swift’s sometimes-criticized friendships with Brittany Mahomes or Blake Lively.

The singer explained that this ability comes from her own experience with public struggles, possibly referencing the highly publicized conflict between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West in 2016.

I’ve seen firsthand what it’s like to be publicly judged, to be at the center of drama and scandal – it felt like everyone had an opinion! Because of those experiences, it’s really changed how I navigate life now. It’s made me approach things differently, for sure.

Taylor added that seeing others face challenges often makes you realize they’ll likely grow from the experience. If they can overcome those difficulties, they’ll become stronger and learn valuable lessons along the way.

As a lifestyle expert, I’ve always believed in forming my own opinions. My new project, ‘Cancelled!’, really dives into that – it’s about how I refuse to automatically dismiss someone just because others have decided they’re ‘out.’ I judge people based on *my* experiences with them – how they treat me and their behavior in my life. It’s about making independent decisions, not blindly following the crowd.

As lovely as the name suggests, honey is a sweet sentiment in Taylor Swift’s eleventh track. She sings about how Travis Kelce has changed the meaning of words like ‘honey’ and ‘sweetheart’ for her – now, instead of recalling painful memories, she thinks of him.

Taylor sings about feeling uplifted and joyful whenever someone calls her ‘honey.’ She describes a perfect summer scene – bright pink skies and a refreshing drink – and playfully suggests she’s the person her lover desires.

In fact, Travis did call Taylor “sweetie” during her debut appearance on New Heights in August.

For her final act, Taylor teamed up with friend Sabrina Carpenter.

The song “Elizabeth Taylor” offers a peek into the life of a showgirl, revealing that even though the job appears glamorous, it comes with sacrifices. An experienced performer shares this reality with a rising star.

The song’s words tell a story of a woman who dreams of a wonderful life, one she can call her own, and is willing to give anything to achieve it. But the lyrics point out that’s not the reality for showgirls – they’re often used and then discarded.

Finally, after experiencing what it’s like to be a showgirl, the performers come together for a closing bow, cheerfully saying, “That’s our show! We love you all, goodnight!”

The song is about encountering someone you admire, but instead of living up to your expectations, they actually advise you *not* to pursue the same path, simply because they want to be truthful about the difficulties of the entertainment industry. Despite the warning, the song’s narrator goes ahead with their dreams anyway.

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2025-10-07 23:20