It’s here! Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ just dropped, and we’re SAT to listen to the full tracklist front to back.
We’ve been eagerly waiting for two months, since Taylor officially announced TS12 during her first-ever appearance on her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s podcast ‘New Heights’ back in August.
Our resident Swiftie, Laura, has already listened to a few tracks, and, whoa, does she have some THOUGHTS.
“Okay, yes, we are immediately switching it up from ‘TTPD’ - we’re firmly in glitter-gel-pen territory now (IYKYK), but with that big heavy concept that Taylor always nails (one of my favs being The Last Great American Dynasty from Folklore).
The Fate of Ophelia
“With ‘The Fate of Ophelia’, Taylor’s pulling from the tragic Ophelia story, but instead of sinking, she’s flipping the script: she’s not drowning, not deceived, and honestly thriving because she’s in love.
“The ‘eldest daughter’ reference is a little terrifying, knowing Track 5 is around the corner (and we all know how devastating those are), but here she’s balancing heartbreak with cheeky, cute moments - like literally pledging allegiance to Travis’s hands lololol.
“At its heart, this song is about being saved from the darkness, and you can just feel how happy and secure she is right now. Blondie is in love, and she wants us all to know it.
Opalite
“‘Opalite’ is pure dreamy, sparkly vibes. It’s light, romantic, and totally feels like lying on your bed, giggling and kicking your feet.
“The opalite imagery is gorgeous - especially since Travis’s birthstone is opal, it just makes it even cuter and more personal. No wonder he said it was his fave on the podcast.
“It’s just her being soft, in love, and letting herself glow. They've made it through the dark (‘onyx’) sky. Honestly, it feels like a deep sigh of happiness set to music. Blondie is so in love, I just love knowing she wrote this during the ‘Eras Tour’ while dating Travis, like it's all just so sweet and happy, and I love this for her. HEHEHEHE.
Wi$h Li$t
“Okay, lol, Taylor saying 'fat ass’ in ‘Wi$h Li$t’ and being ‘fucking lit’ - that's our millennial gal.
“I feel like some people might not like this one, but I think it’s actually really sweet. She’s basically saying: I don’t need the flashy stuff, I just want love, privacy, and the people who matter. All she wants is the world to leave her and Travis alone, and they actually do.
“Plus, the ‘best friend who I think is hot’ lyric is a mood. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Blondie is IN LOVE. She is happy, in love, unbothered.
“Now to re-listen to them ALL and hunt out all the references and Easter eggs…HAPPY THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL DAY EVERYONE!!”
Elsewhere on the album, there are a few key tracks that people have been hyped over.
Actually Romantic
'Actually Romantic' is allegedly a diss track against Charli XCX, with some fans claiming the song's title is a dig at Charli's hit 'Everything's Romantic'.
One of the lyrics - "I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke's got you brave" - could be a nod to Charli's frequent references to cocaine in her music.
Some speculation points to the diss track actually being a letter to an ex; however, that theory somewhat goes out the window with the line - "How many times has your boyfriend said 'why are we always talking about her?'"
Father Figure
Another track that has gained major attention in the lead-up is ‘Father Figure’ - an interpolation of George Michael’s ‘80s hit of the same name.
The chorus left our jaws on the floor - “I'll be your father figure / I drink that brown liquor / I can make deals with the devil 'cos my dick's bigger.”
CANCELLED!
'CANCELLED!' was the one that Travis Kelce described in the podcast announcement as a "banger", and it’s not hard to see why, with its MAJOR reputation vibes.
"It's easy to love you when you're popular / The optics click everyone prospers / But one single drop, you're off the roster / Tone deaf in the heart, let's f*cking off her"
"Welcome to my underworld where it gets quite dark / At least you know who your friends are/They're the ones with matching scars"
Bear in mind, it's only the first listen, and there will be many more references and Easter eggs to uncover.
And with appearances and interviews with Graham Norton, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers all on Swift’s agenda, I’m sure she’ll unpack plenty more even the most dedicated of us Swifties can’t decode.
Her first interview with Graham Norton will happen tomorrow morning at 9:40am NZST. So you'd best bet our alarms will be set to catch all the clips in our morning scrolls.
If you’re not already, join The Edge Arvos right now to listen to the full album front to back.
