Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” on Oct. 3, 2025. The 12-track album was produced by Swift, Max Martin and Shellback. Swift previously worked with Martin and Shellback on her albums “Red,” “1989” and “reputation.” 

The lyricism on the album is great, despite the large amounts of public opinion stating it is not. Those hating on some of the lyrics in songs like “Eldest Daughter” neglect to mention lyrics such as “The eldest daughter of a nobleman/Ophelia lived in fantasy/But love was a cold bed full of scorpions/The venom stole her sanity,” from “The Fate of Ophelia,” or “They don’t make loyalty like they used to/Your thoughtless ambition sparked the ignition/On foolish decisions, which led to misguided visions,” in “Father Figure.” 

“My favorite song… is definitely “The Fate of Ophelia” because the lyrics are so good,” said Sydney Greenlees, a Wadsworth High School senior and fan of Swift. “[The lyrics] speak such omen to the fate of Ophelia in Hamlet by Shakespeare with her tragic story and death and the way Taylor is able to articulate a lot of that story into this song is just incredible.”

The production is some of her most infectious yet. Songs like “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor” and “Opalite” are upbeat, catchy songs with intense and cut-throat songwriting. Martin and Shellback have extreme abilities in composing pop music, and this album is no different.

“Wood is definitely my favorite,” said Aaliyah Davis, Wadsworth High School senior and fan of Swift. “The song stands out on the album in terms of production.”

Those holding Swift to the standard of “folklore” and “evermore” are neglecting to mention that this album is a complete sonic shift from those albums. Swift worked with a completely new set of producers, and is at a completely new point in her life. She is no longer writing saddened folky lyrics, and people should no longer be holding her to a standard that does not align with what they are stating.

“For the first time on a recording in a while, Swift is having fun,” NPR stated in their review of the album. “Her voice has never sounded stronger, the collaboration with her studio mates never easier.”

Swift collaborated with Sabrina Carpenter on the title track of the album. The song is the perfect song for the two of them to collaborate on, and brings out some of the best qualities about the two artists. Two artists with exceptional stage capabilities and presence singing about being a “Showgirl” is a fantastic way for them to showcase those abilities through song.

Despite the hate, the statistics prove that there is still love for this album. The album garnered 250 million streams in the first day of streaming on Spotify, the second highest of all time, only behind her own album “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT.” “The Fate of Ophelia” debuted with 30 million streams on Spotify, the biggest debut for a song of all time. The first predictions of the Billboard Hot 100, according to chart statistical research organization Talk of the Charts, states that Swift is likely to occupy the top 12 spots on the chart. The album is on track to sell 3 million copies in its first week, the second most for an artist of all time.