What You Need To Know Before The Life Of A Showgirl Release

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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Queen's U chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

We’re SO back. Taylor Swift’s 12^th studio album drops on October 3^rd and I am losing it. But it’s come to my attention that some of you are unfamiliar with her game, so I’m here (as a lifelong Swiftie) to give you a quick rundown of everything you need to know before release day.

First, a disclaimer. Most of my intel comes from Travis Kelce (her soon-to-be husband) and Jason Kelce (my husband, obviously) on their podcast New Heights. This is where Taylor made her podcast debut and dropped all the lore for this record. If you want a deeper preview, I’d recommend listening to their episode. Even if you don’t know what a running back is, don’t worry, I don’t know either.

Since this is her 12^th album, it only makes sense that it has 12 tracks. She has also VERY CLEARLY said there will be no bonus drops. None. Not like the treacherous 2 am Anthology of The Tortured Poets Department that has us in night sweats. So listen to the 12 and enjoy them because it’s all we’re getting… unless she lied, then I don’t even know anymore.

This album was largely cooked up on the European Leg of her ever-successful Eras Tour, where she reunited with producers Max Martin and Shellback. Now, these names may sound familiar to you, or they might just sound like SoundCloud rappers from your high school. But trust me when I say this is a huge deal for Taylor. She worked with these two on the legendary Reputation back when the grass was greener in 2017. They also worked together on my personal favourite albums, Red (2012) and 1989 (2014).

If you entered the Taylor Swift space during the dark days of COVID, you might be familiar with Jack Antonoff. Besides being in Bleachers and having a really hot wife, he is known for being Taylor’s side piece. He produced Lover (2019), Folklore (2020), Evermore (2020), Midnights (2022), and The Tortured Poets Department (2024), along with her recent rerecordings. Now many Swifties were, to put it gently, peeved with the consistency of Antonoff’s sound on Taylor’s tracks after a while. Since he is not producing The Life of a Showgirl, the girlies are relieved because we’ll finally get some drums back in our lives.

Now let’s peek at the track list. While not much is confirmed, I believe there are three that are important to note:

Track 1, “The Fate of Ophelia:” Huge for an English major freak such as myself. Obviously referencing Shakespeare’s Hamlet, fans believe this track will explore the pressures and downfall of women in the public eye, similarly to Ophelia.

Track 4, “Father Figure:” Pop icon George Michael is credited as a writer, making people believe that his 1987 classic of the same name will be sampled.

Track 12, “The Life of a Showgirl” (ft. Sabrina Carpenter): My second favourite blonde arrives! After opening for Taylor during the Era’s Tour, Sabrina is the only feature on the record.

To listen to the album, the cool kids will be staying up until midnight on Friday the 3rd. You can listen with your friends from the comfort of your student home, curl up solo with your favourite cardigan, or hit up the theatres for a more luxurious experience where she is doing an exclusive viewing experience, Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl. Once you listen to the album MINIMUM 12 times, and force everyone you know to listen to it as well, you can catch Taylor on The Graham Norton Show, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Late Night with Seth Meyers in the week following.

I think I have done my due diligence in preparing you for this new era. So lock in showgirls, we’re in for a wild ride.

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