Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl Songs Inspired by Travis Kelce

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Travis Kelce has become much more than just Taylor Swift’s guy on the Chiefs.

And her latest album The Life of a Showgirl, which came out on October 3rd, demonstrates this perfectly. Several songs on the new 12-track album seem to be direct tributes to Taylor’s partner.

First up is Travis’ most-loved song, “Opalite,” which gets its name from a crystal believed to promote peace and emotional recovery. In fact, when the New Heights podcast aired on August 27th, the Kansas City Chiefs player sharing that this, the album’s third track, was his top pick should have signaled that the lyrics would be a tribute to their romance.

In the beginning of the song, Taylor sings about her past tendency to dwell on old relationships, describing it as “Eating out of the trash” – a phrase her brother used. However, the chorus shows how much things have changed for her.

She exclaimed, “I’ve never met anyone like you. You always had to create your own happiness / But now, things are radiant and beautiful, like the sky filled with opal.”

Also, did we mention Travis’ birthstone is opal? 

As a huge Taylor fan, I was completely captivated by her new song! It’s clearly inspired by her relationship with Travis, and it’s so clever. In “The Fate of Ophelia,” she draws a really interesting parallel between her own life and the story of Hamlet. She basically explains how finding love with Travis saved her from a potentially tragic ending, like the character Ophelia. It’s a beautiful and literary way to describe how he rescued her!

Taylor sings, “You rescued me from despair and / Saved my heart from a fate like Ophelia’s.” She continues, “Be completely honest, whether on land, at sea, or in the sky / Dedicate yourself to your loved ones, your group, your energy / It doesn’t matter what you’ve done before, because you belong to me now.”

It appears Travis included a subtle hint about the song way back in July. He shared some photos with Taylor and wrote, “Had some adventures this offseason, kept it 100.”

Travis also described the album as a step back towards more mainstream pop music for Taylor, following her recent and more emotionally complex The Tortured Poets Department-but he promised fans it would still showcase her signature skill with words and storytelling.

“I can’t stop listening to this album,” the athlete shared on the podcast. “She said it would have more upbeat, pop-style music, but her songwriting and the meanings behind her lyrics are still really beautiful.”

“It’s just so much fun to listen to,” he added. “I’ve been dancing all throughout the house.”

For more on the many Easter eggs across The Life of a Showgirl album’s twelve songs, read on.

The song “Wood” contains a very direct-and we mean that quite literally-mention of Travis. Beyond hinting at the NFL player’s physical attributes, Taylor also name-checks his and Jason Kelce’s podcast within the chorus.

She sings, “It looks like you and I create our own opportunities.” Then she adds, “Reaching new levels of maturity / I don’t need to tempt fate anymore.”

Are there even more songs hinting at her fiancé? “Eldest Daughter” seems to describe a relationship between the oldest daughter (Taylor) and the youngest child (Travis). And “Honey” is reportedly one of Travis’ nicknames for the Grammy-winning singer.

In the song “Wi$h Li$t,” Taylor Swift expresses her desires for a future with Travis, singing: “I just want you / To have a couple kids, and for everyone on the block to resemble you / I made wishes on every star / Please, God, give me a best friend / Who I find attractive.”

It’s understandable that Travis Kelce has a significant presence on Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album. Over the past two years, he’s transitioned from being a relatively private person in her life to a central figure. Plus, Travis accompanied Taylor on much of the Eras Tour-the year-and-a-half-long concert series that Taylor herself identified as the primary source of inspiration for this new album. He’s become a key part of her world, both personally and creatively. It’s a natural extension of their relationship.

“This album was about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour,” she said during her Aug. 13 appearance on New Heights, “which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant.”

She explained further, “This album really reflects the incredibly happy, energetic, and passionate headspace I was in during that time. That bubbly feeling definitely shines through in the music.”

Travis also described the album as a step back towards more mainstream pop music for Taylor, following her more emotionally complex The Tortured Poets Department-but he promised fans it would still showcase her signature clever songwriting.

“I can’t stop listening to this album,” the athlete said excitedly on the podcast. “I knew she hinted it would have more upbeat, pop-style music, but her songs are still so beautifully written and full of meaningful allusions.”

“It’s just so much fun to listen to,” he added. “I’ve been dancing all throughout the house.”

For more on the many Easter eggs across The Life of a Showgirl album’s twelve songs, read on.

The first song on Taylor Swift‘s album The Life of a Showgirl alludes to Ophelia, a character in William Shakespeare‘s play Hamlet, and her unfortunate story.

The song suggests Taylor could have been overwhelmed by sadness if her real love hadn’t rescued her.

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

The song’s words seem to reference Travis Kelce jokingly teasing Taylor on his New Heights podcast about not joining him after her Eras Tour concerts – this is actually how their relationship started.

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

Prior to meeting Travis, Taylor had recently ended things with Matty Healy. She had playfully described herself as one of the “independent girlies” back in July 2023.

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

Even Taylor’s fiancé is participating in her tradition of hiding clues, playfully referencing lyrics from “The Fate of Ophelia” on Instagram back in July. He shared photos with Taylor, captioning them, “Had some adventures this offseason,” and adding, “Kept it [100].”

So, how does this relate to Taylor’s song? The lyrics say, “You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia / Keep it one hundred.”

In the second song on the album, Taylor pays tribute to the iconic performer Elizabeth Taylor, referencing places the actress loved, including the Plaza Athénée in Paris and Musso & Frank’s in Los Angeles.

In the song, Taylor also makes comparisons between herself and the Cleopatra actress. Similar to Taylor now, Elizabeth was frequently in the news for everything, including her relationships and stunning fashion choices.

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

As a lifestyle expert, I’m loving the buzz around “Opalite!” It’s a really sweet track – Travis actually shared that it’s his favorite song from Showgirl, and it’s clear Taylor is referencing their beautiful love story within the lyrics. It’s a personal touch that fans are really connecting with!

Having experienced a lot of heartbreak in past relationships, Taylor now seems to have found peace and tranquility with Travis – her current relationship feels calm and serene, like the gentle glow of opalite.

Taylor, Max Martin and Shellback are officially listed as the songwriters for Showgirl. However, the late George Michael is also credited on the song “Father Figure” because it uses a portion of his 1987 song with the same title.

Taylor Swift received praise from George’s team, who expressed their gratitude on Instagram on October 2nd, writing, “Thank you @taylorswift for including George in such a special moment.”

Okay, so we’re at track five on Showgirl now, and honestly, this is *always* where Taylor puts the songs that absolutely destroy me. It’s like, she *knows* track five is the emotional center of any album, and she just… unleashes the heartbreak there. I’m already bracing myself, because this is going to be intense. I’ve been waiting for this moment since the album was announced, and I just can’t breathe thinking about what’s coming. Seriously, track five… it’s a *thing*.

In “Eldest Daughter,” Taylor, the child of Andrea Swift and Scott Swift-who later had another son, Austin Swift-sings about the ups and downs of life and remaining loyal to her family.

You know, as a huge fan, these lyrics really hit home. It’s like she’s saying, ‘I’m not about being mean or overly aggressive – I’m not a bad bitch,’ and this song isn’t about being ruthless, ‘And this isn’t savage.’ What really gets me is the promise – I’m never gonna let you down.’ She’s making it clear she’ll always be there for us, ‘I’m never gonna leave you out.’ It’s a powerful message, especially with her acknowledging all the fake people around – ‘So many traitors, smooth operators’ – but still vowing, ‘But I’m never gonna break that vow.’ It’s incredibly loyal and inspiring.

The sixth track on Showgirl recounts a story of wishing things had been different in a relationship that never really began. The song is full of longing for the past, 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 was not an invitation / But as the 50 Cent song played / Should’ve kissed you anyway.”

“Actually Romantic” isn’t really a song about love, exactly. Instead, it’s a reaction to someone-unnamed in the lyrics-who has apparently spent a great deal of time discussing Taylor herself.

I was completely stunned when Taylor sang about high-fiving her ex, and then even more shocked to hear she said you were actually glad he ghosted her! It’s like, she wrote a whole song about how it makes you sick to see her face. Some people might take that the wrong way, but honestly? She says it’s actually sweet. I just… I can’t get over it!

Although Taylor doesn’t often share the real-life inspirations behind her songs, many fans online think this one was influenced by 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.

When Charli-whose husband is George Daniel, a member of the band The 1975-released her album brat in June 2024, some people thought her song “Sympathy is a Knife” was a dig at Taylor Swift. But two months later, Taylor appeared to dismiss those rumors by publicly complimenting Charli’s work.

Taylor shared that she’s been incredibly impressed with Charli’s musical talent ever since first hearing ‘Stay Away’ back in 2011. In an article published on August 26th in New York magazine, Taylor explained that Charli’s songwriting is consistently imaginative and unique. She noted that Charli has a knack for taking songs in unexpected directions and has been doing so reliably for more than ten years. Taylor expressed her admiration for seeing such dedication rewarded. “Her writing is surreal and inventive, always. She just takes a song to places you wouldn’t expect it to go, and she’s been doing it consistently for over a decade. I love to see hard work like that pay off.”

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.”

Taylor says that hoping for love by wishing on a star didn’t work for her in the past. However, with Travis, she feels so secure that she doesn’t even feel the need to rely on luck-she doesn’t even need to “knock on wood.”

Girls, I don’t need to catch the bouquet,” she sings in the lyrics, “to know difficult times are coming.

You know, I always suspected they were a perfect match! And I was right. Taylor and Travis made things official, announcing their engagement in August 2025 after enjoying two years together. It just goes to show, sometimes the biggest love stories unfold right before our eyes. They really seem to have found something special, and I’m so happy for them! You can find more details about their relationship here. It’s a beautiful thing to witness, isn’t it?

The song also references New Heights, which Taylor says is where their relationship began.

On track 10, Taylor is mentoring someone who has faced public backlash – a situation she understands all too well, having gone through it herself.

She told me, “Come with me, because people will flee when they see us.” Then she added, “Something ominous is approaching / Luckily, my friends bailed / I prefer them mysterious, dressed in Gucci, and a little bit controversial.”

“Honey” truly lives up to its name! On the 11th song of the album, Taylor shares that Travis has completely changed the meaning of certain words for her. Previously, terms like “honey” and “sweetheart” might have brought up unpleasant memories, but now, she associates them with Travis.

Taylor softly sings, “Redefine all of those sad feelings / When you say ‘honey,'” and continues, “Summertime spritz, pink skies / You can call me ‘honey‘ if you want / Because I’m the one you want.”

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 connects with “Elizabeth Taylor,” offering a look at the life of a showgirl from the inside. Although it appears dazzling, everything comes at a cost, and an experienced performer needs to make that clear to a rising star.

The song’s words create a vivid image: “She confessed she’d give anything – even her soul – to experience a truly wonderful life, one that belonged solely to her.” However, the lyrics continue, “But that’s not the reality for showgirls. They’re simply discarded and forgotten.”

Finally, after getting a glimpse into the world of a showgirl, the performers come together for one last moment, offering a closing message: “That’s our show / We love you so much, goodnight!”

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2025-10-03 14:49