Well, isn’t this a treat? Taylor Swift’s latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, has landed. The biggest surprise isn’t its quick release, but that it’s a bit of a dud. The title evokes feathers, glitter, and show stopping brass bands. It promised something bold and new. Instead, we got songs that sound like they were rejected from her older albums.
The album is a bit of a muddle. Taylor seems to want to be a grown up artist with mature themes. She’s also very keen on holding onto her brand as the sweet, slightly awkward girl-next-door. The result is a confused mix. She attempts to be a showgirl but seems too shy to actually put on a proper show.
It’s a curious balancing act, especially when you consider that she’s now 35, while other artists, like Beyoncé, who is 44, have successfully reinvented their image and sound as they’ve aged. But Taylor has a market that knows and loves her, and she seems to have stuck to a familiar formula. Many of the songs on this new album sound like they could have been written by other artists, like George Michael’s “Father Figure,” which is a bit of a letdown for a songwriter known for her unique style.
For an album called ‘The Life of a Showgirl’, you’d expect big, bombastic music, but the one thing it’s missing is a proper brass section. The songs are more of a gentle shuffle than a dazzling kickline. This is a real shame because a bit of musical flair could have made a huge difference.
In the end, it seems that in trying to be a fully fledged, mature woman and still be a “cute little white girl,” Taylor Swift has managed to do neither. She’s created an album that feels stuck in the middle, leaving you wondering if it was even her idea to begin with.
What do you think? Do you believe an artist should evolve with their age, or stick to the brand that made them famous?
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