“It’s been a long time coming” (Miss America & The Heartbreak Prince) is what many fans of Taylor Swift’s music had to say about her new album, The Life of a Showgirl. This album is Swift’s first album with producer Max Martin since her album Reputation, which was released in 2017. Fans were anticipating this album to have a very different feel from her last two albums, “Midnights” and “The Tortured Poets Department” (both produced by Jack Antonoff). When she announced her new album, fans and the world had mixed reactions. Some fans were disappointed as they were expecting her to re-release her album Reputation, while others were excited that she was releasing new music. 

There are many polarizing views on the new album, but for many listeners, it’s exciting. “They would have been disappointed regardless of how good each song is, just because it is unfamiliar,” said fan Kaeli Dance, a 26-year-old content creator and self-proclaimed “Swiftie”. To ramp up excitement for the new album, theatres across the country held movie showings for the official music videos. One local theatre in particular, The Cary Theatre, hosted a watch party. “The theatre wasn’t nearly as full as it was for the Eras Tour film. I saw a lot of people [on social media] who had groups singing and dancing,” recounted Isabella Phillips (‘27) about the event. She noted that after watching the film, her ranking of the album completely changed, and that seeing the album screening in theatres gave her a better understanding of the album and allowed her to appreciate it more. Many similar events have popped up in more places than just Cary. It seems that everyone can’t get enough of Ms. Swift. 

While many seem to be riding the wave of the Taylor Swift hype, others aren’t as impressed. On the other hand, many people across generations are able to connect to her music: “Taylor Swift is incredibly popular because people connect with her lyrics, her music is singable [and] accessible to people who don’t consider themselves to be singers,” said Mr. Botwick, the choral director at Green Hope. People are finding new connections (and rekindling old ones) due to this new album. From “The Fate of Ophelia”, a song named after a character in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” who meets a tragic fate, to “Father Figure”, which speaks to the exploitative nature of the music industry, there is something for everyone. Another thing fans noticed was their ability to dance and sing to the songs or to sit and really listen, depending on what they need at the time. 

Many are also calling this the “sister” album to “Reputation,” which was released in 2017. People are noting the similarities between some of the themes while pointing out that they are still opposites, just like sisters can be. “She has been making hits for almost two decades. Each of her albums is different from the other, making the “Eras” idea possible,” added Mr. Botwick. Whether fans are casual listeners or “think it’s forever” (Elizabeth Taylor), there is something for everyone.