In today's time, Taylor Swift releasing a new album is almost like a holiday in itself. After touring the globe for nearly two years and gaining USD 2 billion, we all thought the queen of pop would take a break and rest on her laurels. But, when's Mi$$ Taylor Alison Swift ever done what's expected of her? A true fire sign.
In honour of this international holiday, we Swifties at Masala decided to celebrate in true form: silent listening and lyrical dissection. Without further or do, here's our thought on The Life of a Showgirl.
♢♢♢ DISCLAIMER ♢♢♢
Before you queens come for us, we'd like to list some credentials:
Swifties since "Teardrops on My Guitar" (2007).
Our Top Artist of the Year on Spotify (too many times).
Purchased physical copies of her albums.
Listened to Taylor's Versions during the dark days.
Watched the Eras tour in theatres (and cried).
"Vocals are giving indie-pop meets stomp-clap-hey."
"She finally found her White Horse."
"Call back to Death by a Thousand Cuts? (Our songs, our films, united we stand / Pledge allegiance to your hand)"
"Hamlet reference is wrong...?"
"White girl dancing to this is peak >>>"
"It's ok. I'm not gagged."
"Damn! Another Joe Alwyn stray?"
"White Diamonds? Niche Elizabeth Taylor perfume reference."
"She finally found the Burton to her Taylor!! (He can be the jailer, Burton to this Taylor)"
"Slay beat."
"Christian girl fall is back baby!!!!"
"If Opalite were a perfume...Top note: fun beat; Heart note: Christian-girl-core; Base note: wait 'til you find out Taylor Swift is from Pennsylvania!"
"LOL opalites are synthetic btw...made in a lab!"
"I, too, would write a song called 'Father Figure' after seeing Harris Dickenson dancing in Babygirl (2024)."
"Taylor is zaddy."
"Taylor, did you watch The Godfather (1972) before writing this?"
"Mobster Taylor...(you'll be sleeping with the fishes before you know you're drowning)."
"Tay-tay in her Queen B era."
"Pen game is great, but trapped in 2016...' savage', 'bad bitch', and 'fire'."
"Is this reassurance for Travis?"
"Not much else to say. It's pretty self-explanatory."
"OKAY. BASS."
"Messy Taylor...we love you DIVA."
"She went back to that (one-horse town)."
"Who doesn't love a song about not being able to get over your high school crush?"
"LOL nvm...this is about a dead guy. (R.I.P King)."
"OH...Queen Charli????"
"Taylor this is not very Boom Clap of you."
"Guess Sympathy really is a Knife."
"I Luv It.mp3 - Camilla Cabello"
"The dollar signs stand for $uburbia."
"Didn't we leave putting other women down in 2010?"
"Is she calling out her ex-boyfriends?!"
"Sis didn't you also want those things (they want that freedom living off the grid)?"
"Lit is very...2016? How retro!"
"So...are Jackson 5 on the track?"
"False God/Guilty as sin?/Wood: the (un)holy trinity."
"Save the trees!"
"Look What You Made Me Do (Reprised)."
"Did you girlboss to close too the sun? LinkedIn bio inspo."
"Shellback's Vigilante Shit."
"Cute."
"Tay-tay is at her best when she's feeling lovey-dovey."
"If Reputation and Lover had a child in a house with a picket white fence."
"It's giving Hallmark movie credits."
"Kind of like if The Lucky One, The Last Great American Dynasty, and Clara Bow, were mashed à la Glee (Rachel x Kurt diva-off)."
"Did she just say legit-ly?" *Gen-Z stare.*
"Max Martin said 'take five', but Sabrina heard 'save lives'."
"Love the bridge. Jazzy. I like it. Picasso."
"Outro is legit-ly funsies."
A.M.: Reputation and Lover
G.C.: Midnights and Folklore