By: Holly Catalano, Grade 11
Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl,swamped the Internet and topped the charts, but with the highly anticipated success of this album, there came a wave of critique. Swift announced both her engagement and her new album, opening a new era in both her personal and professional lives. The excitement was overwhelming, and dedicated Swifties overanalyzed every reference and emoji, using spinning theories including bonus tracks (and of course, Reputation Taylor’s Version).
When the album finally released, everyone tuned in, but the album was exactly what Swift promised: no bonus track, no elaborate clues, just 12 songs, a happier era for Taylor. The fans then jumped into analysis, but instead of the deep, heavy-crafted lyricism Swift has become famous for, the album was simpler: no double meaning, less to dig into. She abruptly switched from “I’m only cryptic and machivillian because I care” (“Mastermind”) to “Did you girlboss too close to the sun?” (“CANCELLED!”) This led to extreme criticism of the drop in lyric quality.
Regardless of the lyrics, the songs remain catchy, flooding the Internet. However, fans struggle to find their standout pop anthem, noting that though some of the songs are upbeat, there is no album hit close to songs like “Blank Space” or “Cruel Summer,”which were radio repeats from the start. Taylor Swift released her new album and it was met with the expected success, breaking records and filling the top of the charts. The album full of catchy beats missed the expected deep lyricism or a standout song.