You hear the beats, the glossy production, the shout-outs and slang, and you think: she’s trying to stay relevant. But it doesn’t always land. Two tracks in The Life of a Showgirl hit hard, felt like echoes of old Taylor magic. The rest? It sounds like she’s inserting Gen Z words into pop hooks she’s built for older ears. The clash shows. It feels like she’s dressing up in trends instead of making them part of her story. And yet, she looks stunning. In visuals, photoshoots, album art, she carries that showgirl aesthetic with confidence and glamour.
Others call out lines that lean too hard: jokes about body parts or pop culture references that feel like they’re trying too much.
Reddit threads aren’t shy about this. One user wrote, “Lyrics are ridiculous … it just doesn’t seem like anything to take seriously.” Another said there’s “nothing new or innovative here… catchy, but kind of boring in familiarity.”
Loud applause for the visuals though, multiple fans say the imagery, costumes, and visuals are the album’s saving grace. Her looks are getting praise everywhere. From the Fate of Ophelia video, Vogue calls her looks “striking designs… customized fashion… glamorous”.. yes, she serves the visuals more than the music in some moments.
Critics reflect the same split. Some reviews celebrate her ambition, others call parts derivative, predictable. Pitchfork argues the album “lacks boldness.” Teen Vogue says it works better when you stop expecting Gen-Taylor and just ride what she gives. The Guardian explores how she leans into fantasy, spectacle but maybe leans too much.
But not all is lost. The Fate of Ophelia still works, with its pulsating production and lyrical promise, it’s a moment where Taylor doesn’t feel like she’s bending to trends but tapping into her own dramatic instincts. Father Figure, which samples George Michael, also tries to anchor something real amid moments that otherwise drift.
What hurts is the contrast: albums like Folklore or 1989 felt effortless, deeply personal even when they were carefully crafted. Here, Showgirl often sounds like she’s chasing a vibe more than owning it. Maybe that’s fine in a track or two, but over twelve songs it adds up.
Here’s the thing: you can do spectacle and substance. You can make someone feel the glitter while also gutting them with the truth. Showgirl sometimes achieves the glitter, she absolutely looks like a star reborn, but the emotional core often slips away under the gloss. If your visual is stronger than your voice, you’ve got to question whether the balance is right.
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So yeah: she looks stunning. But an artist isn’t just a look. She’s what you feel after you turn off the visuals. And for me, Showgirl left me missing that part of Taylor who whispered vulnerabilities, not shouted them with fireworks.
