Everything you need to know about Taylor Swift’s new album
Taylor Swift has announced her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl” in her “New Heights” podcast promotional video.
From the reptile imagery of “reputation” to the cottagecore landscapes of “folklore”, Swift knows that each Taylor Swift album is a unique era filled with cohesive themes and illustration visuals.
With the release of her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl (until October 3rd), fans have already enjoyed themselves in the orange colours they have shown off, embracing the aesthetics of “Showgirl.”
On an August 13 episode of the “New Heights” podcast, Swift revealed the cover of his Grammy-winning album wearing a jeweled swimsuit and a bracelet in a green water pool. She also shared her dressed artwork and album tracklist in orange burlesque outfits, including feathered headpieces.
Swift confirmed that she wrote the album during her ERAS tour. This ended on December 8th and covered 149 shows in 21 countries.
“This album is about what was going on in my inner scene during this tour. It was very enthusiastic, electrical and lively,” Swift added to podcast co-host, boyfriend and NFL star Travis Kells.
As Swift enters her “showgirl” era, there is something to know about this term and aesthetic.
What does it mean to be a showgirl?
According to Merriam-Webster, showgirls are defined as girls in musical comedy or chorus in nightclub shows.
The role of showgirls is generally associated with Las Vegas performers, unlike traditional dancers, and was known for their more gorgeous outfits than choreography, Las Vegas Sun reported. Grant Filippo, founder of the Las Vegas Showgirl Museum, told the outlet in 2016 that classic showgirl productions are known for the hefty amounts of money spent on luxury, topless wardrobes.
The Showgirls concept resurfaced following the release starring Pamela Anderson, starring Golden Globe nominated film The Last Showgirl.
Traditional showgirl productions may be a thing of the past, but the images are mostly present in Vegas. There, street performers dress as showgirls posing with tourists.
What is the showgirl aesthetic?
Showgirl aesthetics are usually associated with the burlesque scene, with female performers adorned with rhinestones, sequins and feathers in various clubs, theaters and lounges.
According to Jane Merrill’s 2018 book, The Showgirl Costume: An Illustrated History, burlesque shows appeared in the late 1860s and evolved slowly. From casinos in Las Vegas to nightclubs in Chicago, charming performers wore eccentric high heels, makeup and headdresses at these shows, but nude was also common.
“This was a particular entertainment genre that really fascinated those who came to visit Las Vegas,” Callan Feder, president of Entertainment Exhibition, an advisory company specializing in entertainment and performance costumes, previously told USA Today. “That visual legacy (from the Showgirls) really got stuck and now defines Vegas.”
What does Taylor Swift say about fame and femininity?
In its true, rapid nature, fans are already beginning to theorize that the album will delve into fame and the burden of women and discuss her experiences as a beloved but scrutinized pop star.
One X user suggested that a song would be opened behind the curtain about the struggle of “undressing and decompression,” while another said that the entertainment industry could talk about how more demands of women.
Swift has previously addressed the uncertainty of life in the public eye through tracks such as “The Crowd of the Castle” and tracks like double standards projected on women through tracks such as “The Man.”
“Showgirls are stunning, sexy, misunderstood, imagined, entertainer, ‘Just a Girl’, romantic, enhanced expert, exhibited, exploited and exploited. I can’t wait to see where this takes us.”
Is Taylor Swift a showgirl?
Though not a traditional showgirl, Swift is certainly a performer known for using strict stamina and artistic vision to create spectacular, high-energy shows. The new album appeared after last year’s record-breaking ERAS tour. It became the most grossing concert tour in history, selling over $2 billion in tickets.
On the “New Heights” podcast, Swift discussed the difficult nature of regularly delivering three and a half hour shows in arenas around the world.
“We wanted to include the elements of the scenery you can see at musical theatres, Broadway ballet and opera,” she said as she discussed the ERAS tour. “I thought it was a really high concept and really high value for fans, I wanted to refer to it to see what they haven’t always seen in one concept, but I wanted to do it on a rapid fire with the best strength.”
