By Emma Rassi (Y9)
Today (the day I am writing this) is October 3rd, and if you’re up to date with Swiftie knowledge, you’ll know it has been exactly one year since the release of Taylor Swift’s record-breaking and highly talked-about album ‘The Life of a Showgirl’. If you are even more up to date, you’ll know that last week she released a deluxe version of this album with four new songs titled ‘The Encore’.
This deluxe came as a great surprise to many because, while she was promoting this album last year, she was very insistent on how there were only twelve songs- not one more, not two more- but apparently there were four more. I personally love these songs an insane amount, but understandably many didn’t love this addition; though I don’t mind it, I can’t blame fans for wanting her to stick to her word. It also seems like a bit of a business move since the original album barely missed the cutoff for last awards season, so it might be a bit of a reminder to everyone that the album is eligible for a Grammy or two this year. Was it necessary? Probably not, but I’m here for it. There were many mixed opinions on the original album, good and very bad, and I can say there were the exact same opinions about the Encore. The original songs seem very tight-knit so many were very skeptical about the addition and if the songs would fit into this album, if they did is still very heavily debatable with many different people. As an original Life of a Showgirl lover, I was ecstatic about the new release, but I do understand the fans that prefer her more lyrical side. This album is very much on the pop side and did take a step back from the melancholies of her past few albums, which not everyone loved. Honestly though, I would probably love anything she releases because I find her extremely talented.
The new songs very much resemble the original album, which I thought would be obvious because they were made with the same producers and technically they were on the same album, but many people all over my TikTok algorithm were surprised it sounded the same and wanted something different. Even though it is a year later, it is still technically a deluxe. Music taste is something completely subjective, and I’ve seen many fans who loved her past few albums hate these. Everyone has their own music taste, and I completely understand, but the amount of vocal hate I have seen on some of these songs is insane.
One thing Taylor Swift is known for is how every few years she completely changes up her whole aesthetic, and so many people are probably expecting that when she is hinting at something new, it is a complete 360 from her latest thing. We got the new haircut and style, so I think many of the original showgirl haters were ready for the lyrical Taylor, which is why I think the Encore especially got so much backlash. Many people were projecting their want for a new era onto this album, which, if this is not your style of music, I completely understand, but if it is (like me), you were probably jumping for joy when it came out (again… like me)
Now, song by song, they each have their own unique style, and all sound pretty different from each other. Originally, the only thing that was announced was ‘Patient Zero’, one of the songs off the album, but the next day, three other songs were announced as well. One of my favorite things about the deluxe album is the new music for ‘Patient Zero’, which I absolutely loved. One thing about Taylor Swift is that her music videos are always amazing; she directs them herself and has won countless awards for them. The new music video is so good that it is practically a movie with countless award-winning actors like Dakota Johnson, Colin Farrell, Cara Delevingne, and many more. The plot is also amazing, with a jaw-dropping twist at the end. If you take one thing away from this article, it should be to watch this music video.
Song by Song Breakdown:
Patient Zero
This is the main single of the deluxe album and is about a toxic ex and their new partner; very girl’s girl and supportive. The song is very pop-themed but has a very dramatic undertone, and I don’t think it could have been orchestrated any better. The lyrics are directed at her ex’s new partner, warning her about the dangers under his perfect image, and the music video perfectly complements it. Personally, I love this song even though many people have other perspectives; I hope she continues to write more songs like this.
Cleveland!
As a proud Cleveland-er, the day this was announced might have been one of the best of my life. Now, all my biases aside, I really did love this song. It was by far the most hated on the album for many different reasons, but the main one I saw was the lyrics. I love the unseriousness of the song and how happy it is, but I do understand how some people prefer her other songs. If you want a funny, upbeat track that claps back at haters and is truly about finding the one for you, then this is it. The reason the song is named after a random city in Ohio (which I know might seem a bit random) is that that is where her husband, Travis Kelce, is from. Overall, the theme of the song is: You can hate all you want; I don’t care because I found my true love, and he already took me to Cleveland. I can tell you that I think Cleveland (the city) does deserve more hype, and all press is good press, so overall 10/10, thank you, Taylor.
Pink Clouding
This is probably the song I’ve seen that has the least amount of hate. It is a pure pop song with amazing lyrics and a story that can stay in your head for hours. The song is about apologizing to an ex-boyfriend for how she treated him. It is full of amazing metaphors, and I’ve only seen glowing reviews. I think it is exactly what everyone wanted from the deluxe, and I can’t wait to listen to it again.
Babylon
This is probably the most unique track on the album; it can be about different things for different people, which is why I love it so much. Whether it’s about your old life, an ex, a friend you don’t talk to anymore, family you don’t see as much as you want to, and so many more things, which is why so many people relate to it. Overall, the song is about never knowing how much you missed something or how you never knew it was Babylon until it was gone (one of the lyrics from the song). It is also one of the most loved songs on the album, and I think it is very deserved. This song is just a very sentimental song and much less upbeat than the other songs on the deluxe.
Overall, maybe this deluxe did get a bit of backlash, but give it two months, and I think people will start to get behind it a bit more. I love all of the different storylines, and how none of the songs really sounded the same; they were all amazing, but I do understand the criticism of certain lyrics and lines. It is different from the Taylor Swift writing we are used to and definitely not what some people were expecting.