On August 13, Taylor Swift announced to the world that she would be releasing a new album on October 3rd called ‘The Life of a Showgirl’. Many Swifties were excited for this album, but they were also impatient and wanting to hear the album already. But me; I have never been a huge fan of Taylor Swift. I don’t dislike her, but I don’t think highly of her either. She has just never truly interested me like she has interested others. Sure, when I was little, I would love listening to her song ‘You Belong with Me’ as well as ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Shake it Off’, but I’ve never been a huge fan that listens to her 24/7.
I was assigned to write an opinion article about Taylor’s new album, and at first, I was annoyed that I had to take time out of my day to listen to her 41-minute album, but I eventually had to. I listened to it as I was doing homework at home, and to my surprise, I was at peace listening to it. I found her album very relaxing, because I felt myself concentrating on my homework. Later in the day, I was even telling my mom about how much I liked it. I genuinely adored the album, and I especially loved how every song has a backstory to it. Ever since I first listened to the album, I haven’t been able to stop listening to certain songs because of how good they are.
I really connected to her song ‘Eldest Daughter’ because I’m the oldest of two twin siblings, and this song made me feel very nostalgic in so many ways. I even felt very emotional after listening to it a couple of times. The line that I felt most emotional about was when she said, “You know the last time I laughed this hard was on the trampoline in somebody’s backyard, I must’ve been about 8 or 9”. This line filled my head with the realization that as I became an older sister, I slowly was leaving my childhood behind, and I was becoming much wiser and more mature.
After an interview with sophomore Alexxis Washington, she gave her own opinion about The Life of a Showgirl. Washington loves Taylor’s music, and she said that as soon as the album came out, she listened to it immediately. Although the album was different than what she expected, and she anticipated more of a slower and softer album, she really loved it. She said, “Some songs I really expected more than what Taylor gave, but it was actually super good.” Her favorite song is ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ because it’s the song she felt was the catchiest, and that it’s a very beautiful song. Washington also relates to ‘Eldest Daughter’, because although she is a middle child, she still has younger siblings that she looks out for. She said, “Listening to it just hit a soft spot in my heart, and I immediately felt attached to this song.”
Overall, I do recommend this album to those who haven’t heard it already. It’s a very soothing and beautiful album, and I’ll be listening to it continuously.
