In the title track featuring pop princess Sabrina Carpenter, who opened for Swift at some Eras Tour stops, Swift tells the story of a showgirl named Kitty, and how that life became her own.
“And now I know the life of a showgirl, babe / Wouldn’t have it any other way,” she sings.
And on The Fate of Ophelia, referring to the tragic character in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, she says: “Late one night, you took me out of my grieving / Saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.”
The album’s release comes with a special release party event in cinemas all weekend – including the premiere of the Ophelia video – sure to be attended by legions of fans in Swift’s signature colour this time around: orange.
Showgirl is the most pre-saved album on the Spotify streaming platform, breaking the record set last year by... Swift’s last album, The Tortured Poets Department.
‘Only as hot as your last hit’
Showgirl represents a departure from her recent work – the folksy pandemic-era Folklore and Evermore in 2020, the pensive Midnights in 2022 and the introspective Tortured Poets last year.
Before release, Swift said the new album “comes from the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life”.
Some of that drama comes through on Elizabeth Taylor, on which she laments: “Sometimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me.”
Another one-liner from that track: “You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby.”
Then she seems to go for the jugular on Father Figure, an interpolation of late pop crooner George Michael’s hit of the same name that his estate said it had “no hesitation” in greenlighting.
Whose head is on the chopping block? It could be Scooter Braun, the music industry heavyweight whose company bought her previous label, which gave him a majority stake in the master recordings of her first six albums.
“My dear boy, they don’t make loyalty like they used to,” she sings after describing how she initially trusted the person as a father figure – but ultimately got her revenge.
“You want a fight, you found it / I’ve got the place surrounded / You’ll be sleeping with the fishes before you know you’re drowning.”
And on CANCELLED!, she hints at the scandals battled by her friends (Blake Lively, maybe?), singing: “Welcome to my underworld where it gets quite dark / At least you know exactly who your friends are / They’re the ones with matching scars.”
Fans will be combing through the lyrics and liner notes for more “Easter eggs” – coded words and phrases that could reveal things about Swift’s life or future projects.
Showgirl is available on streaming platforms. Special editions will be sold by retail giant Target, including the “Portofino orange glitter vinyl” or the “summertime spritz pink shimmer vinyl”.
Swifties will also cram into cinemas worldwide all weekend for the special screenings that will feature behind-the-scenes footage and so-called “lyric videos” – when a song’s lyrics are featured onscreen.
The one-off cinematic event is estimated to gross US$30 million-US$50m ($52m-$86m), according to film industry website Deadline.
Swift hits the talk show circuit next week to promote the album.
– Agence France-Presse
