The recently engaged Taylor Swift has dropped her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, drawing a slew of negative publicity, with some suggesting it was a rush job.
The backlash came from fans and news outlets alike, with some observing that, unlike her 2024 instalment with 31 tracks, the latest edition only has 12.
Along with the latter, another fan has called it “completely incompatible with the showgirl aesthetic” she is “trying to sell.”
One critic thinks the shorter, less impressive album is due to her “tiring” Eras tour
Image credits: Taylor Swift/Mert Alas/Marcus Piggott
One of the front-runners in the campaign of dissent is Spain’s El País outlet, which dropped a stinging review on the day of the release (October 3).
It described the instalment as a hesitant, conservative proposal, sometimes following in the wake of her pupils (Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter).”
It went on to dub the 12-track compilation as “rarely brilliant” and, towards the end, “downright forgettable.”
Image credits: Taylor Swift/Mert Alas/Marcus Piggott
“If we add the fact that Swift barely writes lyrically from the perspective of the aggrieved and vengeful ex-girlfriend that we’ve enjoyed so much in the past,” the thrashing continued, “what we’re left with is a transitional album made hastily.”
Critic Carlos Marcos credited this result to her tiring though successful Eras tour.
Another feels Taylor Swift is selling a persona that is not her
Image credits: Taylor Swift/Mert Alas/Marcus Piggott
This view was mirrored on social media when one person wrote:
“Finished listening to The Life of a Showgirl […]- the most confusing part about this album is that sonically it’s completely incompatible with the showgirl/burlesque/cabaret aesthetic it is trying to sell…”
“It has two mildly interesting songs, but for the most part it’s just the same tired, generic pop from her previous two albums, with mostly forgettable toplines and her corny lyrics and flat delivery,” echoed another.
One commenter found Swift’s lyrics to be selling the bad-girl persona when, in reality, she was the poster girl for a high school goody-two-shoes.
Blake Lively and 50 Cent have since weighed in on the album
Image credits: Taylor Swift/Mert Alas/Marcus Piggott
Notably, The Life of a Showgirl appears to have drawn a more positive reaction from other A-listers.
Blake Lively, for example, appears to have overlooked the chasm in their relationship stemming from her PR war with former co-star Justin Baldoni, and liked Swift’s post announcing her new album’s release.
Image credits: Taylor Swift/Mert Alas/Marcus Piggott
Praise came from another, unsuspecting corner in the form of 50 Cent, but it was not without encouragement.
In one of her tracks, Ruin the Friendship, Swift sings, “And it was not an invitation/ But as the 50 Cеnt song played/ Should’ve kissed you anyway.”
50 Cent appeared thrilled by the fact that Taylor Swift mentioned him in one of her songs
Reacting with a post of the album’s cover art, the In Da Club rapper wrote:
“Taylor Swift “is popping right now, she shout me out, she don’t shout you out. LOL, THIS IS FOR BIG TIMERS ONLY!”
“Wait, I’m the only shout out on the whole album?” he concluded.
It is not the first time the rapper has endorsed her
Image credits: Taylor Swift/Mert Alas/Marcus Piggott
It is not the first time the rapper appeared to have positioned himself in Swift’s corner.
At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West chipped in during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video.
He grabbed the microphone and said, “Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!”
He once threatened to give Kanye West Black eye over her
Image credits: ctrlpetal
Speaking on the Interactive TV show around the time, 50 Cent lashed out at West in absentia, saying:
“I wish he would come take one of my awards so I could black his eye in front of everybody.”
“Even an apology can’t replace what it feels like for the very first time receiving that award. In Taylor Swift‘s head, ‘My first award was Kanye West.’ It’s damaging,” he said, empathizing with the actress.
Now, netizens are saying that Ruin the Friendship is the only song worth listening to
Image credits: ERASERGAY
It appears that Ruin the Friendship is one of the tracks on the disputed album that netizens are happy with.
One commenter said as much and sandwiched in criticism when they wrote:
“It felt like every song was meant for a different album. Ruin the Friendship is the only one that’s worth listening to, imo.”
Netizen’s think Taylor Swift is the furthest thing from a showgirl
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