Rolling Stone Gives ‘Showgirl’ A Rave
In its official review, the music magazine gave “The Life of a Showgirl” a five-star review. Headlined, “Taylor Swift Conquers Her Biggest Stage Ever on ‘The Life of a Showgirl,'” the review says the singer “hits all her marks” with her 12th studio album.
‘The Life of a Showgirl’: Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter Explore the Price of Stardom
Taylor Swift hints at the price of living life on stage with the title track on her new “The Life of a Showgirl” album.
The song, which is one of the longest on the album at just over four minutes, marks the first collaboration between Swift and Carpenter. The two have been friends for years, with Carpenter’s music career skyrocketing after opening for Swift on the “Eras Tour.”
On the closing song, Swift and Carpenter sing from the perspectives of women who want “the life of a showgirl,” but are told by one that it’s not something they should seek. By the end of the song, they become showgirls themselves.
Click here for the full lyrics.
Taylor Swift Embraces Terms of Endearments on ‘Honey’
Since Swift’s fiancé, Travis Kelce, made a sticky, honey-filled appearance in Netflix’s “Happy Gilmore 2” back in July, fans immediately speculated if “Honey” could be a reference to her beau.
It seems to be true, with “Honey” proving a saccharine song about embracing terms of endearment like “sweetheart,” “lovely” and of course, “honey,” after previously hearing them in passive-aggressive contexts.
Swift Returns to ‘Reputation’ Form with ‘Cancelled!’
The opening verses of “Cancelled!” may have listeners checking to make sure they are still listening to “Showgirl.” The guitar and angsty beats feel reminiscent of 2017’s memorable “Reputation” era. The lyrics match, too.
In “Cancelled!” Swift sings about embracing controversy with the hook, “Good thing I like my friends cancelled.” With lyrics like “Can’t you see my infamy loves company,” she embraces her previously alleged “canceled” status, which she spoke at at length after the success of “1989.”
Taylor Swift Gets Playful About Travis Kelce With ‘Wood’ Lyrics
With every album she releases, Taylor Swift never fails to find creative and unexpected titles for her songs, and “Wood” is no exception.
“Wood” is the ninth track on the Grammy winner’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which arrived Oct. 3 after weeks of anticipation. “Wood” is the shortest title on the LP and also happens to be the shortest song at just two-and-a-half minutes long.
Despite its brevity, the song still packs a punch with tales of chasing luck in relationships only to realize she had everything she needed with fiancé Travis Kelce. And yes, there are a few double entendres in the lyrics, as the title might suggest.
Click here for the full lyrics to “Wood.”
Taylor Swift Dreams Big on ‘Wi$h Li$t’
After singing about a critic on “Actually Romantic,” Swift transitions to a relaxed lo-fi track about what’s on her wish list — and compared to some people, she implies her dreams are pretty simple.
“I just want you,” she sings, plus, “a couple kids.”
Like a sequel to “So High School,” “Wi$h Li$t” imagines pure domestic bliss, represented by “dreaming about a driveway with a basketball hoop.”
Of note, “So High School” dropped less than a year after Swift went public with her then-boyfriend Travis Kelce.
Kelce is now her fiancé.
‘Actually Romantic’ Is Actually About a Critic
Despite plenty of romantic themes on “Showgirl,” “Actually Romantic” is decidedly not a love song. Instead, it refers to someone whom the singer accuses of writing a diss track, calling her “Boring Barbie” and celebrating her breakup.
“It’s actually sweet/ All the time you’ve spent on me/ It’s honestly wild/ All the effort you’ve put in/ It’s actually romantic,” Swift sings.
‘Ruin the Friendship’ Brings a Jaunty Tune — and Brutal Lyrics
Moving right on to the sixth track, “Ruin the Friendship,” and Swift seemingly looks back on high school and someone she should’ve kissed.
After listing all the reasons why things between her and a friend didn’t progress romantically, the song takes a dark twist: that high school friend had died.
“But I whispered at the grave/ Should’ve kissed you anyway,” she sings.
The title of the track comes from the singer’s advice for listeners: “My advice is always ruin the friendship/ Better that than regret it/ For all time.”
Click here for the full lyrics to “Ruin the Friendship.”
Track 5 Takes Sentimental Turn With ‘Eldest Daughter’
True to form, “The Life of a Showgirl’s” track 5 strikes a more emotional chord. (Other famed track 5’s include “All Too Well,” “Dear John” and “Tolerate It.”)
But instead of chronicling heartbreak, “Eldest Daughter” is more of a promise.
“I’m never gonna break that vow/ I’m never gonna leave you now,” she sings in the chorus.
Swift herself is an eldest daughter. She has one sibling, a younger brother named Austin.
The track’s title is addressed briefly in one of the pre-choruses: “Every eldest daughter/ Was the first lamb to the slaughter/ So we all dressed up as wolves and we looked fire,” seemingly describing the pressure on a family’s oldest daughter and the ways they try to hide that vulnerability.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Father Figure’ Lyrics Re-imagine George Michael’s Classic With a Sinister Twist
Taylor Swift pays homage to late music legend George Michael on “Father Figure,” the fourth song on her newly released new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
The song not only shares a title with Michael’s 1987 hit, it also borrows a melody from the original track in its chorus, thus earning the British musician a songwriting credit alongside Swift and her collaborators, Max Martin and Shellback.
Michael’s original song is sung from the perspective of a man who wants to be a “preacher” and “teacher” — and, notably, a “daddy” — to his younger lover.
Swift sings her version from the perspective of someone in the music industry, possibly a mentor or an executive, who is allegedly taking care of his “protégé,” demanding only “loyalty” in return.
The song has a sinister tone and contains a lyric about the “love” between this person and his protégé being “pure profit.” It also contains multiple Mafia metaphors about “protecting the family,” and features the threatening lyric, “You’ll be sleeping with the fishes,” which should sound familiar to fans of “The Godfather” film franchise.
Click here for a full breakdown of the “Father Figure” lyrics.
Currently Googling, ‘What Is Opalite?’
Track 3 brings the “1989”-esque bubblegum pop vibes. On the track, Swift sings about someone who “makes their own sunshine” and as a result, “the sky is opalite.”
Per a cursory Google search, the International Gem Society says opalite is a synthetic glass that resembles the milky white hues of a traditional opal, with shades of blue and peach.
Sounds like a beautiful day to me.
‘New Heights’ Celebrates Release of ‘Life of a Showgirl’
After Taylor Swift announced her 12th album on her fiancé’s podcast, “New Heights,” the official social media accounts for the sports show celebrated the album’s official midnight release on Oct. 3.
Re-creating the famous Oct. 3 scene from “Mean Girls” — from which pop culture was given the unofficial holiday Mean Girls Day — the podcast shared a photo of co-hosts Jason and Travis Kelce re-creating the classroom scene.
“On Oct. 3, he asked me what day it was,” read the text over the picture.
“It’s The Life of a Showgirl release day,” Travis Kelce (photoshopped over Lindsay Lohan’s Cady Heron) responds in the meme.
Track 2: ‘Elizabeth Taylor’
“The Fate of Ophelia” is followed up by another big reference — this time to Hollywood starlet Elizabeth Taylor. In this track, Swift leans into a “Reputation”-era angst of lost love, seemingly drawing a connection between her and Taylor’s shared notoriety for high-profile romances.
In the storyline of the song, the singer says she’s found someone whom she “can’t have fun” without, so she asks none other than Elizabeth Taylor, “do you think it’s forever?”
First Up: ‘The Fate of Ophelia’
With a jaunty back-beat and sultry vocals, already “The Life of a Showgirl” marks a departure from the lyrical ballads of Swift’s 11th album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”
As promised, we are back to a pop era, but with the literary references fans have come to depend on. In the opening track, Swift seemingly compares herself to Shakespeare’s Ophelia, who tragically drowns in “Hamlet” after heartbreak at the hands of the titular prince and her father’s death.
Only Swift is spared a similar fate.
“You dug me out of my grave/ And saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia,” she sings.
As for who that “you” could be? A reference to “pledging allegiance” to the savior’s “hands,” “vibes” and most significant, “team,” leads this writer to surmise we may have our first reference to Swift’s newly minted fiancé, Travis Kelce, on our hands. (Kelce plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.)
Taylor Swift Calls ‘Life of a Showgirl’ a ‘Self-Portrait’
Taylor Swift celebrated the official release of “The Life of a Showgirl” with a post on Instagram, opening with a poem — fitting as track No. 1 references none other than William Shakespeare:
“Tonight all these lives converge here
The mosaics of laughter and cocktails of tears
Where fraternal souls sing identical things
And it’s beautiful
It’s rapturous.
It is frightening.”
She expressed gratitude for her co-producers Max Martin and Shellback and called the album a “self-portrait.”
“If you thought the big show was wild, perhaps you should come and take a look behind the curtain…,” she added.
She previously said on “New Heights” that the album represents a look at her life amid her record-breaking “Eras Tour” from March 2023 to December 2024.
Now Listening to ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
It’s officially midnight, and this TODAY.com team is officially listening to “The Life of a Showgirl.”
‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Now Available on Apple Music
A few minutes ahead of schedule, “The Life of a Showgirl” is now streaming on Apple Music. (This writer will be streaming via Spotify.)
T-Minus 3 Minutes!
The show is about to begin.
Limited Target Vinyl Release Draws Crowds and Ticketed Lines
We’re less than 30 minutes away from release time, and Target appears to be gearing up for its limited drop of an exclusive album vinyl.
Fans on X are already sharing posts from lines outside their local stores, including photos of tickets being handed out to secure a copy.
One fan noted their store only received 288 copies, underscoring just how limited this drop may be.
‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Release Comes Amid Travis Kelce’s Birthday
Taylor Swift fans know: an album release is a days-long affair.
“The Life of a Showgirl” officially drops at midnight ET on Oct. 3, but the singer has assigned her fans to be on standby for plenty more events into next week.
One big moment: the official YouTube premiere of “The Fate of Ophelia” music video and the album’s lyric videos, set for 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 5.
But Oct. 5 also marks another big day for the singer. Oct. 5 will mark her fiancé Travis Kelce’s 36th birthday.
While Kelce’s Sundays are typically spent on the field, this weekend, his schedule is a little different. Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs are set to play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, Oct. 6.
In New Radio Interview, Taylor Swift Says ‘The Crowd Is Your King’ When Touring
Magic Radio in the U.K. dropped a clip previewing Taylor Swift’s interview that will drop in full tomorrow morning. (7:10 a.m. local time or 3:10 a.m. ET)
In it, she discusses the demands of “The Eras Tour” and how she always showed up for her fans.
“Every one of us on that tour operated from that standpoint of, like, the crowd is your king,” she says. “I think that’s sort of the manifesto of how I approached this tour. There wasn’t the option of, if I’m sick, I’m not going on stage. There wasn’t an option of, I’m feeling terrible, I’m not doing the show tonight. The crowd is your king. Like, it’s not the other way around.”
Caitlin Clark, Like You, Will Be Listening to ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
Basketball superstar and fellow Swiftie Caitlin Clark spoke in a presser today following the end of the Indiana Fever’s 2025 season and wrapped with a shoutout: “Thanks, guys. Make sure you listen to ‘Life of a Showgirl’ tonight.”
A First Look at Taylor Swift on ‘Graham Norton’
Taylor Swift taped her appearance on “The Graham Norton Show” in the U.K. on Thursday before the episode drops Friday at 5:40 p.m. on the East Coast. Photos from the set have been revealed.
Taylor Swift on “The Graham Norton Show” at BBC Studioworks 6 Television Centre in London on Oct. 2.Matt Crossick / PA Images via Reuters Connect
She appears with fellow guests Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith and Domhnall Gleeson.
Taylor Swift with Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith and Domhnall Gleeson on “Graham Norton.”Matt Crossick / PA Images via Reuters Connect
Travis Kelce Already Revealed His Favorite ‘Life of a Showgirl’ Track
When Taylor Swift unveiled her 12th studio album of her fiancé Travis Kelce’s podcast, “New Heights,” the football star revealed that he’s already heard the album.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to hear every single song on here. So I know they’re all 12 bangers,” he said at the time.
However, in the following week’s episode, his co-host and brother, Jason Kelce, asked for his favorite track. Here’s how he answered:
“I’m not a politician, Jason. I think ‘Opalite’ might be my favorite, though, at least right now. Every time it comes on, I always catch myself,” he said.
“I’m gonna go ahead and just keep poking the bear to all the Swifties. I keep listening to this album. And I know she mentioned that it’s gonna be a lot more pop beats and everything, but it’s just, it’s still so poetic, and how she (executes) her melodies and her references and stuff,” he added. “It’s just so much fun to listen to, man. I’ve been dancing all throughout the house.”
Behind the Scenes at the Taylor Swift’s Pop-up In New York City
NBC News’ Emilie Ikeda previews all the highlights from release week for Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
All the ‘Showgirl’ Lyrics Revealed So Far
So we discussed the hidden messages revealed by Apple Music that appear to be lyrics from “The Life of a Showgirl.” (Jump here for that recap.)
And Spotify is in on the fun, too. The streaming service hosted a pop-up in New York City where messages and phrases were spotted throughout the immersive experience. Those same messages later appeared on billboards sponsored by Spotify around the globe.
Spotify’s billboard in São Paulo.Courtesy Spotify
So now we have a handful of lyrics revealed. Here’s what they are and where they came from.
“Oftentimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me” / Seen at Spotify’s NYC pop-up and billboards in NYC, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
“Everyone’s unbothered ‘til they’re not” / Seen at Spotify’s NYC pop-up and billboard in São Paulo.
“You wanna take a skate on the ice inside my veins?” / Seen at Spotify’s NYC pop-up and billboard in London.
“My infamy loves company” / Seen at Spotify’s NYC pop-up and billboard in Mexico City.
“Thank you for the lovely bouquet” / Seen at Spotify’s NYC pop-up and billboard in Toronto.
“They don’t make loyalty like they used to” / Decoded in lyrics from “Reputation” songs on Apple Music.
“You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby” / Decoded in lyrics from “1989” songs on Apple Music.
“Protect the family” / Decoded in lyrics from “Red” songs on Apple Music.
‘Life of a Showgirl’ Drops On A Significant Date in Pop Culture
In keeping with industry tradition, Taylor Swift’s new album drops on a Friday, specifically, Oct. 3. But it’s not just the release date for “The Life of a Showgirl.”
Millennials and pop culture buffs alike will recall Oct. 3 has its own place in pop culture history as Mean Girls Day.
An unofficial holiday, Mean Girls Day gets its name, of course, from the 2004 classic film “Mean Girls.” Amidst a litany of quotable moments and forever meme-d scenes is Cady (Lindsay Lohan) recounting her brief interactions with her crush, Aaron Samuels, in math class.
“On October 3, he asked me what day it was,” Lohan’s character narrates in the film.
Now, Mean Girls Day is often celebrated by wearing pink or rewatching the film, though tomorrow might bring more sparkly orange and teal.
The “Mean Girls” franchise has taken the shared date in stride. The film’s official account shared a photo of Cady edited in the artistic style of “The Life of a Showgirl” cover, with the caption, “Big day tomorrow…”
TikTok Goes Full Taylor
TikTok has been ready for it since mid-September, building anticipation for release day with a special in-app experience.
Swifties have been completing weekly challenges to unlock exclusive Taylor-themed app features, and at midnight tonight, fans who finished every assignment will finally get to walk through TikTok’s mysterious digital door to see what content is waiting on the other side. (Didn’t keep up with the weekly missions? You’re on your own, kid — most are no longer available.)
But the surprises don’t stop there. TikTok is also rolling out a personalized feature on Oct. 3 that lets fans revisit their own history with the superstar. Think back to the moment you followed Taylor, the songs you’ve posted featuring her music and more — a curated walk down your own Swift-Tok memory lane.
Taylor Swift Gets a Thank You From George Michael’s Estate
The estate of George Michael publicly thanked Taylor Swift on Thursday for featuring the late pop artist on “The Life of a Showgirl.” Song credits revealed earlier in the week showed Michael credited on Swift’s track “Father Figure.”
It reads:
We were delighted when Taylor Swift and her team approached us earlier this year about incorporating an interpolation of George Michael’s classic song “Father Figure” into a brand new song of the same title to be featured on her forthcoming album. When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same.
George Michael Entertainment wishes Taylor every success with The Life of a Showgirl and Father Figure.
Explaining Those Lyric Easter Eggs on Apple Music
If you’re on TikTok, surely you’ve seen Swifties discussing hidden messages on Apple Music. Let’s break it all down. And sit with us for a moment — it gets deep.
On Tuesday, Apple Music had changed its “Life of a Showgirl” page slightly. The album artwork featured a cracked effect with black sparkles — a color synonymous with “Reputation.” So, when listening to “Reputation,” fans noticed some letters in the song lyrics were capitalized. Those capitalized letters, when un-scrabbled, spelled out a message:
“…Ready For It?”: THEY
“End Game”: DONT
“I Did Something Bad”: MAKE
“Don’t Blame Me”: LOYALTY
“Delicate”: LIKE
“So It Goes…”: THEY
“Gorgeous”: USED
“King of My Heart”: TO
That message — “They don’t make loyalty like they used to” — appears to be a lyric.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Apple Music pulled off the same trick. The “Showgirl” album artwork on Wednesday had blue sparkles for “1989” and Thursday had red sparkles for “Red.”
The message hidden in the “1989” lyrics spelled out “You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby,” and “Red” lyrics had the phrase, “Protect the family.” (TikTok creator Alex Day breaks these down here and here.)
There’s also two other things to note here:
First, not *all* songs from “Rep,” “1989” and “Red” had capitalized letters — only tracks Swift co-produced with Max Martin and Shellback. “The Life of a Showgirl” in its entirety is co-produced by Max Martin and Shellback.
And second, this stunt is similar what Swift had did with her early albums: She used to hide messages in the lyrics of her physical CD booklets. Learn about that here.
Amazon Music Is Hosting a ‘Showgirl’ Party in NYC
Amazon Music posted Oct. 2 that it host a celebration of “Showgirl’s” release in New York City Monday, Oct. 6, for her top listeners on the platform. RSVPs close at noon on Friday.
See ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ Release Week Schedule
