Taylor Swift fans ‘screamed’ on Sunday evening’s results show after learning that Vicky Pattison will be dancing next week to the pop star’s latest single – The Fate of Ophelia
Jessica Clarke Digital Reporter
21:00, 02 Nov 2025
Taylor Swift fans are already looking forward to next week’s Strictly(Image: Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
After finding out that she was safe from the dreaded dance off, reality star Vicky Pattison was told what her dance and song choice would be for next week. Taylor Swift fans couldn’t contain their excitement on Sunday evening’s Strictly Come Dancing results show after learning that Vicky, 37, will be dancing next week to Taylor Swift’s latest single – The Fate of Ophelia.
Professional partner Kai Widdrington started dancing as a small clip of the song played and sent Swifties into a frenzy online. One person took to X, formally known as Twitter, and wrote: “Arrgghhh not @VickyPattison dancing to The Fate of Ophelia, I screamed Strictly…doing Taylor Swift…and it’s a race weekend, I may just burst with excitement”.
Another fan penned: “Omg Vicky and Kai are dancing to Ophelia next week. My life for a month has been dominated by life and of a Showgirl”, while a third chimed in: “As a Swiftie. I’m Super excited to see that Vicky and Kai are dancing to The Fate of Ophelia next week!! Let’s see this be an iconic performance”.
The track The Fate of Ophelia is the lead single off the album The Life Of A Showgirl which was released last month and features multiple references to her relationship with Travis Kelce.
She references a “megaphone”, a hint at the fact he reached out to her by screaming it out into the world on his podcast, rather than going through the usual ways.
Speaking about the new album, she said: “One thing about this album that I think is really exciting is that oftentimes when I make a record there’s like a lag time between when I made it and when it enters the world.
“Like for example, my last album, Tortured Post Department, by the time that album came out, I was in a completely different point in my life. With this one I would say that this album is a complete and total snapshot of what my life looks like right now.”
It comes after Vicky burst into tears on Saturday night’s Strictly after she performed the American Smooth with professional partner Kai. The dance, which was set to Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart, saw Vicky dressed as a white witch on theme for Halloween Week.
The dance went well and she received praise across the board from judges Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas, eventually scoring 31 for her efforts and even a standing ovation.
Not only was Vicky pleased her hard work was paying off but she was left in utter shock when Motsi predicted that she will make the final.
Motsi said: “A few weeks ago, I couldn’t believe that you’d open our show. I loved the character play in the beginning, you did it so, so well. So for me, you are a contender for the final. Honestly. And I just want you to finish everything, make everything nice and clean.”
Motsi’s comment was met with cheers from the audience, and Vicky promptly broke down in tears of joy. Rushing over to be interviewed by Claudia Winkleman, her tears continued as she said: “I hated going first! Honestly, I loved this dance this week because for once I had a foundation to build on. I wasn’t just starting from scratch and feeling so inadequate. I was just desperate to prove that I have improved.”
Taylor looked poised for a 4-1 lead but, having potted a red to leave O’Sullivan needing a snooker, he went in-off when potting the black with his next shot.
World number five O’Sullivan made a clearance of 48 to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Taylor won a nervy sixth frame in which both players missed chances, but it was vintage O’Sullivan from that point on as he punished any errors and demonstrated his exceptional cue ball control.
A superb long red got him going in the deciding frame and, with the balls in ideal position, he sealed victory with ease.
O’Sullivan, who turns 50 next month, is selective about the tournaments he competes in.
He has reached the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters and Xi’an Grand Prix and the final of the Saudi Arabia Masters this season.
O’Sullivan told the WST website: “It never feels like a grind when you are cueing well.
“I’m enjoying playing more than I have done for maybe over a decade.
“When I play alright, the crowd appreciate the shots and the break-building. When I click into gear, that raises the temperature in there a little bit.”
The ex-wife of the Angels employee who gave pitcher Tyler Skaggs fentanyl-laced opioid pills was steadfast in her testimony Monday and Tuesday that Angels executives knew of her then-husband’s opioid abuse for several years before Skaggs died after chopping up and snorting the pills in 2019.
The testimony of Camela Kay directly contradicted that of the Angels then-vice president of communications, Tim Mead, and traveling secretary Tom Taylor, both of whom testified during the first week of a trial in Orange County Superior Court that is expected to last until December.
Skaggs’ widow, Carli, and his parents, Debbie Hetman and Darrell Skaggs, are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the Angels and are seeking $118 million in lost earnings, unspecified damages for pain and suffering plus punitive damages.
Camela Kay’s testimony fortified the Skaggs family’s contention that the Angels knew that Eric Kay — the team’s communications director of 23 years who is now serving a 22-year prison term for his role in Skaggs’ death — had serious drug problems and that his supervisors and co-workers did not follow team and Major League Baseball policies in dealing with the issues.
Leah Graham, another in the Skaggs family’s deep roster of accomplished attorneys, questioned Camela Kay, taking her through a timeline beginning in 2013 when she first recognized that her husband had a drug problem.
During an Angels road trip to New York to play the Yankees, Eric admitted to her, “I take five Vicodin a day,” Camela testified. She said he made the admission in front of Mead and Taylor, whom she described as shocked, and they told her they “were going to do whatever they could to help him.”
She continued to suspect illicit drug use, however, and the issues came to the forefront in 2017, when the Kay family staged in intervention at their home on Oct. 1, the day after the Angels’ season ended.
Camela testified about a phone call that day in which she said she told Taylor that Eric’s sister, Kelly Miller, had notified her that Eric was distributing pills to Skaggs. Camela said of Taylor’s reaction, “He blows me off.”
The next day, Mead and Taylor visited the Kay home to try to convince Eric to go to rehab for “opioid addiction,” according to Camela. He said Eric told Mead to go into his bedroom and find pills he had stashed there. Mead returned with a handful of baggies containing pills.
“I was standing afar, and Tom was on the couch with Eric, and all of a sudden I see Tim walk out of our bedroom with baggies of pills,” Camela Kay said.
She said Mead placed the pills on the coffee table in front of the couch where Eric Kay and Taylor were sitting. She testified that she believed her then-husband — their divorce was finalized in 2023 — was selling the baggies of opioids to players to make extra money because the family had financial difficulties.
Both Mead and Taylor denied in their testimony that they had any recollection of finding or seeing any baggies full of pills. Mead said he recalled “very little of that morning” and did not remember going into Eric Kay’s bedroom or finding pills there.
Camela Kay testified that she witnessed team employees and players handing out opioid pills on a team flight. On cross-examination, Angels lawyer Todd Theodora asked her how many team flights she had been on, and Camela answered 10 to 12.
Theodora also pointed out discrepancies in her testimony compared to what she said in her deposition several months ago. He also pointed out that in nearly 200 texts and emails to Angels personnel, she never warned them that her husband might be taking or distributing opioids.
Camela said she had strong suspicions throughout the 2018 season that Eric was still using because he displayed erratic behavior and noted that she shared those concerns with Taylor, whose office at Angel Stadium was adjacent to her husband’s.
The Angels have attempted to establish that Eric Kay was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, although Camela disputed that. When Theodora pressed her on her assertion that she had never heard her husband was bipolar, she replied, “He had a drug addiction.”
Camela testified that Eric told her that he was taking opioids to mask mental health issues that included depression, but that he was not taking prescribed medication for bipolar disorder.
A crisis occurred Easter Sunday — April 21, 2019 — when Eric was acting erratically at work and was hospitalized that evening after Taylor had driven him home. While taking Eric’s items from Taylor’s car, Camela said, she found an Advil bottle filled with blue pills next to the car and dumped them on the passenger seat to show Taylor.
Taylor testified that he while he did recall Eric acting erratically and driving him home, he didn’t recall the blue pills in the Advil bottle.
Although Camela said she was forceful in telling Mead and Taylor that Eric needed detox and inpatient care, instead he went through an outpatient rehab program in late April and May. He returned to work — by this time moving up to the position Mead had held before he departed that spring to become president of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. — and about a month later was assigned to go on the trip to Texas that resulted in Skaggs’ death.
Angels communications employee Grace McNamee testified last week that when she learned Eric Kay was going on the trip, she asked colleague Adam Chodzko, “Is this a good idea?”
“Maybe I was talking out loud, the mother in me, it just felt like maybe Eric should spend some time at home after being on leave for, you know, bipolar and mental illness,” McNamee testified.
Testimony last week from Angels human resources executive Mayra Castro established that Eric Kay wasn’t fired, but instead was allowed to resign Nov. 2, 2019. Graham said this bolstered the Skaggs family’s contention that the Angels repeatedly gave Kay special treatment rather than treating his behavior the way they would with other employees.
Castro told Graham that a 63-year-old longtime Angels custodial worker was fired for drinking a hard seltzer during a break. The employee was not visibly intoxicated and told HR she was unaware the drink contained alcohol, Castro testified. The Skaggs family’s lawyers suggested that had Kay been punished similarly, Tyler Skaggs would still be alive.
Castro also admitted to deleting and then restoring an August 2019 text she sent to a co-worker that said of Kay, “Dude he gave me tweaker vibes.” The co-worker responded: “Omfg, I always thought he definitely looked like a tweaker and sketch.” Castro testified that she realized deleting the text was wrong and turned it over to the Skaggs family‘s legal team as part of discovery.
One of the biggest players in television is changing teams.
“Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan will leave his longtime home at Paramount and move his overall deal to rival NBCUniversal in 2029, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment.
Sheridan’s deal with Paramount concludes at the end of 2028. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The move is a blow to Paramount, which has focused on wooing high-profile talent to the studio since its takeover by tech scion David Ellison and his Skydance Media.
The media company — which is now angling to buy Warner Bros. Discovery — has shelled out massive sums to acquire sports media rights, keep the iconic “South Park” cartoon and lure filmmakers away from competitors, including “Stranger Things” creators Matt and Ross Duffer and “A Compete Unknown” director James Mangold.
The NBC deal, first reported by Puck, will take effect in 2029.
Sheridan’s universe of “Yellowstone” shows, in particular, has been a key franchise for Paramount. Company executives specifically mentioned the creator’s shows as a “cornerstone” of the Paramount+ streaming service during a luncheon with reporters this summer.
The western-themed show, which debuted as a cable series in 2018, became one of the hottest scripted series on TV, a remarkable turnaround from its early days when “Yellowstone” was passed on by a number of potential homes before landing at Paramount.
The popularity of “Yellowstone” was a boon to Sheridan, leading to spinoffs such as “1923” and other shows from his production company including “Tulsa King,” “Landman” and “Mayor of Kingston.”
Representatives for Paramount and Sheridan did not respond immediately to a request for comment. NBCUniversal declined to comment.
TAYLOR Swift shows how she means to stay top of the crops for at least another 12 months.
The singer, 35, posed in a black top and trousers in this windswept image for her 2026 calendar.
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Taylor Swift shows how she means to stay top of the crops for at least another 12 months with this photo from her 2026 calendarCredit: Beth GarrabrantAnother calendar entry shows the star staring down the lens as she clutches a bedsheet to her faceCredit: Beth Garrabrant
In another shot, Taylor — who this month released her 12th studio album The Life Of A Showgirl — stares down the lens as she clutches a bedsheet to her face.
The black-and-white shoot was originally used on her record-breaking 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department.
The couple were extremely tight-lipped about their romance during its duration — even refusing to confirm or deny engagement rumours.
“If I had a pound for every time I think I’ve been told I’ve been engaged, then I’d have a lot of pound coins,” Joe told the Wall Street Journal in April 2022.
“I mean, the truth is, if the answer was yes, I wouldn’t say, and if the answer was no, I wouldn’t say.”
The Chargers had the look. All-gold uniforms. Retro logos. Powder-blue end zones with script from the nostalgic days of Dan Fouts and Don Coryell.
But their defense?
As dead as disco when it counted most.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s leading rusher, trampled the Chargers on Sunday with touchdowns of 23, eight and 19 yards in a 38-24 victory at SoFi Stadium.
It was just another Sunday for Taylor, who came into Week 7 leading the league in rushing yards and touchdowns, and averaged 5.9 yards per carry against a Chargers defense that had been respectable to this point. That defense allowed an average of 20.8 points in the six previous games.
That helped open the passing lanes for Colts quarterback Daniel Jones, who threw a pair of touchdowns and again made an early-season case for Comeback Player of the Year after his career had seemingly flamed out with the New York Giants.
It was the second trip to Los Angeles in four weeks for the Colts, who lost to the Rams here in Week 4. They got better on both sides of the ball but couldn’t fully atone for their ineffectiveness in the first half.
The Chargers, whose distinctive look was a nod to the 1970s, were sleepwalking in the first half before coming to life in the second.
Justin Herbert kept the home team somewhat in the game with three touchdown passes after halftime but found himself trying to dig out of a deep hole all day.
The Chargers actually outgained the Colts, 445 yards to 401, and held the ball for nine minutes longer, but Indianapolis was more efficient with its possessions, better in the red zone, and took advantage of its opportunities.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert slides while scrambling during the second half Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Herbert saw two of his passes intercepted in the first half. The first was batted high in the air at the line of scrimmage and plucked by 314-pound defensive tackle Grover Stewart. The second pick came in the red zone, when safety Nick Cross slipped in front of Quentin Johnston in the end zone to intercept an eight-yard pass.
The Chargers, who trailed at halftime, 23-3, clawed their way back into the game with touchdown passes to Johnston, Keenan Allen and Oronde Gadsden II.
Such a rollercoaster of a season for the Chargers, who ran the table against the AFC West in the first three weeks, then lost back-to-back games to the Giants and Washington Commanders, before rebounding with a come-from-behind win at Miami.
There’s not much bounce-back time after Sunday’s loss as the Chargers play host to Minnesota on Thursday night.
The Chargers can take solace in that no one is running away with the division. Kansas City stomped Las Vegas on Sunday, 31-0, but the Chiefs aren’t as dominant as in recent years. And Denver lost to the Chargers on the road and still looks to be finding its way.
Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin breaks up a pass intended for Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey in the end zone during the fourth quarter Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Against the Colts, the troubles began early for the Chargers. After the home team’s first snap, Chargers left tackle Austin Deculus lay face down on the turf. He was the team’s fourth player to line up as Herbert’s blindside protector.
It was an ankle injury that felled Deculus — he wound up returning in the second quarter with a bulky brace — and the Chargers turned to the lightly experienced Foster Sarell, who suddenly held one of the most important positions on the field.
Just more offensive line insanity for the Chargers, who have cycled through six tackles so far. Their line was once considered an area of strength.
Sea otters love to play, play, play, play, play and they also have to eat, eat, eat, eat, eat — at least that’s what people say — so the Monterey Bay Aquarium is tapping Taylor Swift fans for help.
The Central Coast aquarium launched a fundraising campaign Thursday involving a re-release of one of its classic T-shirt designs to support its sea otter program and other marine conservation efforts after noticing a curious flood of $13 donations it could attribute only to Taylor Swift fans.
The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter is seen sporting a vintage 1993 Monterey Bay Aquarium shirt with sea otter art in “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” her movie celebrating the release of her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Swift’s fiancé, Travis Kelce, a tight end with the Kansas City Chiefs, is a known sea otter fan, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium had previously invited the couple for a special visit.
“Swifties, you truly walk the talk,” the aquarium said in a post on its website announcing the new campaign. “We tracked down the original artwork — first printed in the 1990s — and are bringing it back to say thank you, sustainably.”
The limited-time fundraiser, which offers the new eco-conscious reprints of the shirt in adult and kids sizes to those who donate $65.13, hit its initial goal in a mere seven hours, according to an update posted Thursday by the aquarium. When this story was published Friday, the total was approaching $2.2 million and the shirts were available on back order only.
“Intentional or not, by putting our sea otter conservation work in the spotlight, this has brought a new era of support and awareness to the Aquarium’s long history of ocean conservation,” the Monterey Bay Aquarium said on its website, which also features some fun Swift and sea otter crossover facts.
In addition to debuting the music video for “The Fate of Ophelia,” Swift’s “Release Party” movie included behind-the-scenes footage and commentary from the artist about her songs. The 89-minute movie made $34 million at the box office over its one weekend in theaters.
SUPERSTAR Taylor Swift has quietly donated $100,000 to help save the life of little girl fighting cancer.
The Sun can reveal the Look What You Made Me singer, 35, made the huge donation on Friday night after finding herself trawling the pages of GoFundMe.
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Taylor Swift has donated $100,000 to help a young girl battling cancerCredit: APLilah is one of just 58 people in the world with her conditionCredit: standwithlilah
The singer’s money will go towards to helping a little girl named Lilah who suffered her first seizure aged 18 months before having surgery to remove a stage 4 tumour just weeks later.
She has since been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of brain cancer – with only 58 known cases in the world.
A source said: “Taylor has always been keen to give back and help others but even by her standard this is staggering.
“She often finds herself on GoFundMe reading about the plight of others and Lilah’s story really touched her.
“Hopefully, her donation can help bring an end to her years of pain.”
Lilah’s mum previously took to social media to reveal how she turned to Taylor’s music to help get her through her darkest moments.
She even almost named her daughter after Taylor’s 2020 single Willow.
Posting on Instagram, she wrote: “Also Lilah’s name was originally going to be Willow.
“We were set on that name my whole pregnancy but ultimately ended on Lilah. I listened to Taylor my whole pregnancy and then birthed a mini Swiftie.”
Lilah loves Taylor’s music and during her cancer treatment she always found joy in it. I hope Lilah gets through this diagnosis and gets to one day go to a Taylor Swift concert in person. I know she would love it.”
After two rounds of chemo Lilah and her family are now trying to figure out the next stage of treatment.
Her family added via her GoFundMe page: “All the donations we receive will help us with travel expenses and paying bills as we are still out of work while Lilah is in treatment.”
Lilah was originally going to be named after Taylor Swift single WillowCredit: Getty
Madonna’s “MDNA.” Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising.” Mariah Carey’s “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.”
According to the Recording Industry Assn. of America, none of these albums — each the 12th studio LP by its respective maker — has sold 4 million copies in the United States in the decade or more since it was released.
Yet that’s what Taylor Swift just did in a single week with her 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which Billboard reported Monday had moved 4.002 million copies in the seven days between Oct. 3 and 9.
That figure, which combines sales and streaming numbers, represents the biggest opening week for an album in modern history, breaking the record set by Adele 10 years ago when her “25” moved 3.482 million units in its first week.
Swift marked the achievement on Instagram on Monday with a note to her 281 million followers.
“I’ll never forget how excited I was in 2006 when my first album sold 40,000 copies in its first week,” she wrote. “I was 16 and couldn’t even fathom that that many people would care enough about my music to invest their time and energy into it. Since then I’ve tried to meet and thank as many people as I could who have given me the chance to chase this insane dream. Here we are all these years later and a hundred times that many people showed up for me this week.
“I have 4 million thank you’s I want to send to the fans,” she added, “and 4 million reasons to feel even more proud of this album than I already was.”
The speed with which Swift hit the 4-million mark is undeniably impressive. Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem,” the biggest album of 2025 so far, has sold and streamed the equivalent of 4.2 million copies, according to the trade journal Hits. But “I’m the Problem” has been out since mid-May; “Showgirl” will almost certainly have surpassed Wallen’s LP by the end of this week (if it hasn’t already).
What’s more remarkable is where “Showgirl’s” blockbuster success comes in the arc of Swift’s career.
Madonna and Springsteen were both in their early 50s when they released their 12th LPs; Carey was 40 when “Imperfect Angel” came out. Swift, in contrast, is only 35 — one advantage of starting out professionally as a teenager.
Still, Swift has been a star for nearly two decades, a point at which many pop musicians have shifted the focus of their work to touring even as they continue to make new records generally ignored by all but their most devoted fans. In 2024, according to Pollstar, Madonna’s and Springsteen’s latest road shows — each drawn from a catalog packed with hit songs — were among the year’s 10 highest-grossing tours.
And indeed Swift has been amply rewarded on the road: At No. 1 on Pollstar’s list was her Eras tour, which sold more than $2 billion in tickets across 149 dates on five continents.
Yet unlike virtually every other veteran act in music, Swift’s recording business is growing along with her live business.
“Everything that’s happening here is historic and unprecedented,” said Hits’ editor in chief, Lenny Beer. “Maybe if the Beatles had stayed together, we’d have seen something like it.”
Also worth considering: Nobody seems to think “The Life of a Showgirl” is Swift’s best album. Reviews have been mixed, and even some fans have expressed disappointment with the record on social media — a once-unthinkable development among the fiercely loyal Swifties.
So how did the singer pull off such a feat?
First, a little math: Of “Showgirl’s” 4 million units, approximately 3.5 million were sales of either digital or physical versions of the album (including CDs, cassettes and vinyl LPs); the remaining half-million came from streams of the album’s songs on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, which the data firm Luminate counts toward what it calls streaming equivalent albums.
“Showgirl’s” 12 songs racked up 681 million streams in all, Billboard said — the fourth-biggest streaming week of all time, behind Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” and Drake’s “Scorpion” and “Certified Lover Boy.” But the album’s sales number is the largest ever recorded since Luminate started tracking sales electronically in 1991.
Among Swift’s strategies to get to that number was selling more than three dozen editions of the album, each with its own artwork and bonus material designed to lure collectors. On vinyl alone, “Showgirl” came out in eight so-called variants, which helped drive the album’s first-week vinyl sales to a modern record of 1.3 million copies.
Offering something for sale doesn’t necessarily mean anyone will buy it, of course. Yet Swift was positioning “The Life of a Showgirl” as a juggernaut from the moment she announced it. Appearing with her fiancé, the NFL player Travis Kelce, on his “New Heights” podcast in August, the singer described the album as a return to the hit-making ways of albums like “Red” and “1989” after the relatively experimental “Folklore” and “Tortured Poets Department.”
To make “Showgirl,” she reteamed with the Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback, with whom she’d collaborated on some of her biggest singles, including “Blank Space,” “Bad Blood” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” On “New Heights” she and Kelce talked about the new album as a “180” from the moody confessions of “Tortured Poets,” whetting appetites for the kind of crisply hooky Taylor Swift songs that blanketed Top 40 radio in the mid-2010s.
Promised the football star: “12 bangers.”
Fans visit an activation for Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” at the Westfield Century City mall on Oct. 4.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Once “Showgirl” was out, Swift jumped into the promotional fray with more gusto than she’d summoned in years, sitting for numerous radio interviews and putting in appearances on Graham Norton’s, Jimmy Fallon’s and Seth Meyers’ late-night shows; the weekend after the album’s release, a glorified sizzle reel called “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” played in AMC movie theaters across the country.
On Monday, Swift kept the conversation going with the announcement that two Eras-related projects are headed to Disney+ in December: a six-part behind-the-scenes docuseries and a concert film of the tour’s finale in Vancouver.
“One of the hardest parts of ensuring you have a record-setting first week is making sure that everyone who could possibly be interested in your album knows about it,” said Bill Werde, director of the Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries at Syracuse University. “I’m not sure anyone has ever covered that need the way Taylor did with this album cycle.”
Yet “The Life of a Showgirl” has not been greeted as enthusiastically as some of Swift’s earlier work.
Pitchfork said “her music’s never been less compelling,” while The Guardian called the album “dull razzle-dazzle from a star who seems frazzled.” Fans on TikTok have complained that Swift’s lyrics — which take up her romance with Kelce, the burdens of fame and an apparent beef with Charli XCX — are unusually shallow; some have even formulated a kind of tradwife critique of “Showgirl” in which Swift is seen as upholding regressive ideas about marriage and domesticity.
The album has also attracted criticism from people who say Swift’s songs recycle familiar elements from other pop tunes without giving credit: the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” in “Wood,” for instance, and the Jonas Brothers’ “Cool” in the LP’s closing title track.
“When every song is a derivative of another song, that’s an issue,” said one hit songwriter who asked not to be named in order to speak freely. “That one song is the Jonas Brothers song — the exact same melody. And here’s how lazy that is: It’s the same key and the same tempo.”
In Werde’s view, Swift’s place atop the pop hierarchy makes such carping inevitable. “Anytime an artist gets this big, there’s going to be backlash,” he said — a take with which Swift would likely agree.
“I welcome the chaos,” she said in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “The rule of show business is: If it’s the first week of my album release and you are saying either my name or my album title, you’re helping.”
Even so, the polarized reaction to “Showgirl” — Swift’s 15th album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — raises questions about the breadth of Swift’s popularity as compared to its depth. Should the album’s gargantuan numbers be taken as a sign that she appeals to a wide spectrum of pop music lovers or to a committed group of hardcore Swifties willing to spend untold amounts of money to demonstrate their loyalty?
“Showgirl’s” second-week stats should provide the beginnings of an answer, given that they won’t be shaped by one-time sales of all those limited-edition variants.
Then again, another unprecedented chart achievement from the album’s first week is already shedding some light on the matter: “The Fate of Ophelia,” the album’s lead single, is the first song ever to debut inside the top 10 of Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart — an indication of the heavy Top 40 radio play it’s getting along with the millions of daily streams that have kept it atop Spotify’s U.S. Top 50 tally since the song came out.
That’s one banger certified, with more perhaps to come.
Taylor Swift will be releasing not one but two projects around her record breaking Eras Tour.
16:29, 13 Oct 2025Updated 16:38, 13 Oct 2025
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is getting a behind-the-scenes docu-series that will give fans new insight into the “inner-workings that created the phenomenon”.
Last week marked the launch of the biggest album in history, Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl with more than four million equivalent album units earned in the US.
But the 14 Grammy-winning artist isn’t slowing down with two projects in the works that will provide a whole new look at her iconic The Eras Tour which came to an end last year.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, The End of an Era is described as an “illuminating docu-series” that will give an “intimate look at Taylor’s life as her tour made headlines and thrilled fans around the world ”.
Not only will the series provide fans with “never-before-seen” content, it will also spotlight performers, family members and friends, including Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran and Gracie Abrams.
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Disney+ has announced that it will up its annual subscription by 10% on September 30. Until then, shoppers can still lock into its £89.90 annual plan, which works out less than 30p a day.
Taylor Swift: The End of an Era episode release schedule
Taylor Swift’s upcoming The End of an Era docu-series is going to debut on Friday, December 12, on Disney+.
Unfortunately, all six episodes are not going to be available to watch on this release date with just the first two dropping on December 12.
From then, two episodes are going to be released each week until the penultimate and final instalments are dropped on Boxing Day, Friday, December 26.
Here’s a full rundown of when Disney+ subscribers can expect Taylor Swift’s The End of an Era to come out:
Episodes One and Two: Friday, December 12
Episodes Three and Four: Friday, December 19
Episodes Five and Six: Boxing Day, Friday, December 26
A teaser trailer for the documentary has been released with the award-winning artist telling fans: “The Eras Tour wasn’t when all the pieces fell into place.
“This tour was just when every single one of us who had done so much work, pushing inch by inch, to where we all clicked together.”
The End of an Era docu-series won’t be the only project that Swifties can get excited about either.
It has also been confirmed that The Eras Tour: The Final Show, which will be the full concert film, is also going to be available from December 12.
The last concert on the tour took place in Vancouver and features the entire set of The Tortured Poets Department which was added to the tour following the album’s release in 2024.
Taylor Swift: The End of an Era debuts on Friday, December 12, on Disney+.
Taylor Swift has already conquered the music world and the concert business, so it’s no surprise that this weekend she reigned supreme over the box office — again.
Swift’s latest venture into theaters came in the form of a listening session/fan party of sorts for her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
The 89-minute movie, titled “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” featured the premiere of the Swift-directed “The Fate of Ophelia” music video, as well as behind-the-scenes footage and commentary from Swift about the inspiration for her new songs.
As expected with anything Swift, the film quickly rocketed to the top of a weekend box office that didn’t have a lot of new big-name releases. The one-weekend-only affair hauled in $34 million in the U.S. and Canada, AMC said Monday morning. Globally, it made more than $50 million. Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” was the runner-up in its second outing this weekend, grossing about $11 million domestically.
But the lack of competition doesn’t dilute the impact Swift had — and has had — on the box office. Her three-day theatrical total beats opening weekend grosses for other recent, studio films such as the Leonardo DiCaprio-led “One Battle After Another” ($22 million), 22-year sequel “Freakier Friday” reuniting Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis ($28.6 million) and my personal favorite, “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” ($18.1 million).
I may not be a Swiftie, but I know plenty who made their way to theaters this weekend, with some dressing up for the occasion. My colleague, Malia Mendez, wrote about the Taylormania that took over AMC Century City, which screened the Swift film 21 times over three screens, just on Saturday.
There’s something to be said about harnessing the power of a fan base to drive people to theaters. Look at Swift’s last theatrical appearance — 2023’s “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” made about $180 million domestically and brought in more than $261 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing concert film of all time.
As she did with the “Eras Tour” film, Swift bypassed the typical Hollywood system and worked directly with AMC Theatres Distribution to release “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.” The film played at all of AMC’s 540 locations and also showed at other theaters such as Cinemark and Regal.
The unconventional release was welcome news for theaters, which have struggled to bring in crowds as they did before the pandemic
“On behalf of AMC Theatres and the entire theatrical exhibition industry, I extend our sincerest appreciation to the iconic Taylor Swift for bringing her brilliance and magic to movie theatres this weekend,” AMC Chief Executive Adam Aron said in a statement. “Her vision to add a cinematic element to her incredible album debut was nothing less than a triumph.”
The film’s success is another reminder of the value of nontraditional, alternative content for theaters at a time when they need to employ fresh strategies to lure younger audiences to the multiplex.
As the number of movies released by studios has decreased, theaters are on the hunt for content to put on their screens. Lately, that’s ranged from episodic streaming series like “The Chosen,” which chronicles the life of Jesus, to concert films, opera performances and anniversary screenings of hits such as “The Sound of Music,” “Jaws” or “Back to the Future.”
It’s a business that really took off after the pandemic. Distributor Fathom Entertainment has specialized in this kind of nontraditional content for more than 20 years, but it is now seeing increased interest in these types of titles, particularly anniversary screenings, which now tend to make up between 20% and 40% of the company’s annual revenue.
Providing these kinds of titles is a way to mitigate the uncertainty of the film business, where there can be highs driven by hotly anticipated releases and lows when there’s little in the lineup.
“Our bread and butter is, and has continued to be, the big studio releases,” said Daniel Fastlicht, chief operating officer of the Lot, a luxury dine-in theater chain based in La Jolla with four locations. “What we want to see more than anybody is more content. But if that doesn’t happen, we still need to fill our auditoriums with people.”
All of the Lot’s theaters had at least one or two screens showing the Swift film, and the atmosphere was light, with people singing and dressing up, including a few in Travis Kelce jerseys, said Marcos Sayd, director of operations. He noted that alternative content helps their theaters fill the less-scheduled holes in their calendar. In addition to the Swift release, the Lot also programs local documentaries and films, as well as one-off events such as the Newport Beach Film Festival to draw audiences in.
And they’re not alone. Other theaters have been looking to position themselves as gathering places for communal experiences, whether that’s to celebrate T-Swift fandom, sing and dance to “KPop Demon Hunters” or collectively scream at a horror movie. Will the post-pandemic zeal for connection repopulate theaters again? Only time will tell, but the popularity of Swift’s latest film is a positive sign.
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My colleagues, Matthew Ormseth and Summer Lin, wrote about how the strange case of an illicit casino-turned-marijuana stash house/psilocybin mushroom-growing location that eventually led police to find an Arcadia mansion filled with 15 children, most of whom were born to surrogates.
Taylor Swift is “shockingly” offended by the idea that “The Life of a Showgirl” could be — given her recent engagement to Travis Kelce — her final album.
“It is not the last album. That’s not why people get married,” the singer told BBC Radio 2 on Monday.
“They love to panic sometimes,” she said, talking about conspiracy theorists in the Swifty-verse, “but it’s like, I love the person I am with because he loves what I do and he loves how much I am fulfilled by making art and making music.”
Rumors started to make their rounds after the couple announced their engagement in August through a joint Instagram post. Fans speculated that after she said “I do,” she would have children and move on from music — or so BBC host Scott Mills had informed his guest.
Wait, mothers can’t have careers? Swift called that a “shockingly offensive thing to say.”
Weeks earlier, the Grammy-winning singer announced the impending arrival of her 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” on her now-fiancé’s podcast hosted along with brother Jason Kelce. Since the release last week, the rumors grew louder and louder, with some fans predicting this album would be it for the pop artist.
To which Swift pushed back:
“That’s the coolest thing about Travis, he is so passionate about what he does that me being passionate about what I do, it connects us,” Swift said.
Their passions in life aren’t so different, according to the singer.
“We both, as a living, as a job, as a passion, perform for 3½ hours in NFL stadiums,” the showgirl said. “We both do 3½-hour shows to entertain people.”
When she’s touring, she gets a dressing room, Swift said, but when he’s playing in the same space, they call it a locker room.
“It’s a very similar thing and we’re both competitive in fun ways, not in ways that eat away at us,” she added.
Over the weekend, while Kelce prepared for the Kansas City Chiefs’ “Monday Night Football” game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the future Mrs. Tight End released “Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” in theaters. The experience earned $33 million over the weekend, topping the box office, according to Box Office Mojo.
The music video for the album’s opening track, “The Fate of Ophelia,” premiered along with the release-party movie. Swift wrote and directed it.
“[The music video] is very, like, big and glitzy and it’s so fun and it’s supposed to be like the day in the life of a showgirl,” she said.
Multitasking has become a norm for the “Cruel Summer” singer, who juggled her last tour with the recording of the album.
Swift said she flew to Sweden on multiple occasions during the Eras Tour to record the album. Her loyal inner circle did not leak any information.
“My friends don’t rat, they do not rat and you can tell by the amount of stories about me that are out there that are absolutely not true,” she said.
OK, Swifties, you can breathe now. You can stop looking for clues into whether this is it for Tay-tay’s music career. Shake it off until her next release.
Only Taylor Swift could compel hundreds of Angelenos to spend their Saturday morning at a listening party film screening for an album they’ve already heard.
“The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” which hit theaters this weekend for a limited three-day run, features the debut of the Swift-directed “The Fate of Ophelia” music video, behind-the-scenes footage and notes from Swift about the inspiration for each of the songs on her new record, “The Life of a Showgirl.” The 89-minute companion film opened to an estimated $15.8 million on Friday and is projected to gross more than $30 million over the weekend.
The box office success comes as no surprise, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” brought in $96 million in 2023 in its first four days in theaters and became the highest-grossing concert film of all time. Hitting 21 countries in 21 months, the Eras Tour itself earned more than $2 billion in revenue, the first music tour to ever hit that milestone.
Even as “Showgirl” seems destined to become Swift’s most divisive album yet — with critics and fans alike split in their reactions — the Taylormania was palpable Saturday morning at AMC Century City, which that day screened “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” 21 times across three screens.
Madison Story, 34, made sure to catch the film at the luxury Dolby Cinema, calling “Showgirl” Swift’s “most cinematic album yet.”
“When I was listening to it, I just pictured Nora Ephron movies,” Story said. In true rom-com fashion, the longtime Swiftie wore a Lover cardigan. Others sported various Swift tour merch, sequined scarves and showgirl-inspired attire.
Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” is advertised outside of AMC Century City 15, which is screening “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.”
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
As theatergoers took their seats during the prelude to the show, Swift’s “Reputation” opener “Ready for It?” played over a slideshow of “Showgirl” promo photos. At 10 a.m. on the dot, the screen went dark, then switched to an Eras Tour-style countdown clock — set to 12 seconds, for Swift’s 12th studio album (which, naturally, also features 12 songs).
When Swift finally graced the screen to introduce the program, audience members were mesmerized. Hardly anyone made a peep.
“I’m Taylor, the official hypothetical showgirl in question,” Swift said, telling the crowd that in making the movie that’s not quite a movie, she was, as always, “trying to surprise you guys.”
“I hope you guys have a blast. I hope you sing along,” she said.
Despite Swift’s invitation, and the help of lyric displays for each “Showgirl” track, the crowd was surprisingly quiet throughout the screening aside from a few rounds of applause and occasional laughter at Swift’s trademark awkward-girl charisma. (“My bread is actually a music video star!” was a crowd-pleaser.)
“I feel like her quirkiness has been the same since she did [her] debut [album], and it’s neat to see that that has lasted through all the different iterations and eras,” said moviegoer Kelley Sheets, 30.
Sheets and her friends Sarah Borland, 29, and Ariana Diaz, 30, were taken aback by the quiet atmosphere in the auditorium, especially compared to “The Eras Tour” movie.” They suspected the album might be too fresh for people to feel comfortable singing and dancing along.
Attendees’ low energy may have also been a symptom of the morning showtime. Still, their delight was clear from their wide smiles and intermittent head bobbing, most pronounced during the ear-catching “Opalite” chorus.
As expected, some of Swift’s more questionable lyrics — many of which were exponentially funnier as clean versions — garnered some chuckles, and “Actually Romantic,” an alleged Charli XCX diss track, notably concluded without applause. But claps were generous for Swift’s closer, which saw the artist sincerely thanking her fans for being her muse.
“This album was completely inspired by the most incredible time of my life that was so exciting, because you made the Eras Tour what it was,” Swift said.
“The way that that tour felt, the way that it just kind of lit up my whole life, was such a through line of making this music,” she said. “So thank you for being that unknowing inspiration behind the scenes. I was internalizing all of that love and putting it into that record.”
During Swift’s album rollouts more than a decade ago, she hosted listening parties she dubbed “secret sessions.” At these intimate gatherings, the singer gave select fans a sneak peek at her new music, explaining the inspiration for each track and even playing some songs live.
Nick Eittreim, 28, was always jealous of the fans who got to attend those parties. With “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” he said, “It’s like I’m finally invited to that ‘secret session.’”
Rachel Birnam, 30, said while the “secret sessions” were “such a special thing, it’s nice that this is accessible to everybody.”
Taylor Swift fans Nick Eittreim and Melissa Roberts, both 28, arrive for “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl” at AMC Century City 15 on Saturday.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Anthony Cendejas, a manager at AMC Century City, said the theater has been noticeably busier with the release of “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.”
“More people than usual are dressing up,” Cendejas said, adding that many theatergoers have followed up their AMC visits with a stop at “The Life of a Showgirl” TikTok fan activation, running until Oct. 9 in the Westfield Century City Atrium. The immersive experience allows visitors to take photos and videos on a series of sets replicating those in “The Fate of Ophelia” music video.
Jamie Phillips and her daughters Rowan, 11, and Finley, 12, visited the TikTok activation Saturday afternoon. The trio also brought the biggest Swiftie in their family, their Saint Bernard named Lincoln, along with them. In their family photos, Lincoln wore a feather boa to match Rowan and Finley’s.
Jamie Phillips, left, takes a photo of her daughters Finley, 12, center, and Rowan, 11, with their dog Lincoln at a TikTok fan activation for Taylor Swift’s new album.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
When the Phillips family heard “The Life of a Showgirl” for the first time, Jamie Phillips said, “All of us were pleasantly surprised.”
“Usually it takes me, particularly with her albums, a lot of listens to be like, ‘OK, it’s OK,’” she said. But this one they loved on the first go-around.
The trio hadn’t yet made it to “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” but they hoped to squeeze it in Sunday along with a “Gilmore Girls” anniversary event at the Grove.
In the meantime, they couldn’t wait to get back home, where their “Showgirl” merch was waiting for them.
Lewis Capaldi left the audience and Taylor Swift in fits of laughter after actress Jodie Turner-Smith pointed out that he was wearing the same outfit from Glastonbury while on Graham Norton show
Lewis Capaldi is forced to justify his choice to wear the same outfit on The Graham Norton Show as he had in Glastonbury(Image: PA)
Singer Lewis Capaldi left everyone in fits of giggles including Taylor Swift, during his appearance on The Graham Norton Show after his outfit blunder was made public. The hitmaker, 28, was on the show to speak about his return to the limelight after taking a much needed break.
A picture of him returning to the stage at Glastonbury this year was shown to the audience. And it was at this point actress Jodie Turner-Smith noticed that he was wearing the exact same outfit on the BBC show, as he was at Glastonbury.
This sparked a roar of laughter among audience and the stars on the same sofa, including Taylor Swift, who was promoting her latest album The Life of a Showgirl.
Jodie turned to Lewis and said: “You’ve got the same outfit on.” In response, clearly feeling embarrassed, he said: “You’ve very graciously pointed out that I’m wearing the exact same f****** thing.” The star added: “If it looks okay, let’s wear it again.”‘ The moment left the audience and guests, including Taylor Swift, in fits of laughter.
Lewis had taken a 734 day sabbatical in order to deal with his mental health after he had been unable to continue his Glastonbury set back in 2023.
Crediting the support by online therapy group BetterHelp, Lewis continued: “There’s a lot of mentally ill people out there, Graham, and they need my help. Therapy’s been a big thing for me in getting back to this position and getting back to a place where I can feel comfortable enough to come and do this stuff.”
Lewis was promoting his latest EP titled Survive which will be released later this year. Last month, the star took to social media and posted a heartfelt message which he shared with fans.
Returning to the stage for the first time in two years he wrote: “What a night! First weekend back on tour after two years away. Thank you all for making it so incredible. So good to be back.”
He added: “Thank you so much for still being here. I’m genuinely humbled that this is still a possibility for me. It means the world. This is generally quite overwhelming. First headline show since 2023, thank you all for making it so special Sheffield.”
One track that Lewis seems particularly proud of is The Day That I Died.
He told fans: “This is probably the most personal song I’ve ever written. And I know people say this all of the time. This was a song that I wrote at a time when I didn’t know if I would be around. It’s the saddest I have ever been. Honestly, it’s nice to be back, but over these past few years things were difficult. This song is about the most difficult time.”
After suffering form anxiety while on the Glastonbury stage, Lewis penned: “Hello everyone. First of all, thank you to Glastonbury for having me, for singing along when I needed it and for all the amazing messages afterwards. It really does mean the world.”
He added: “The fact that this probably won’t come as a surprise doesn’t make it any easier to write, but I’m very sorry to let you know I’m going to be taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future.”
He then concluded: “I’m so incredibly sorry to everyone who had planned to come to a show before the end of the year but I need to feel well to perform at the standard you all deserve. Playing for you every night is all I’ve ever dreamed of so this has been the most difficult decision of my life. I’ll be back as soon as I possibly can. All my love, always, Lewis x.”
Taylor Swift has accidentally revealed she plans on inviting as many people to her wedding day as possible to avoid the stress that come with planning an intimate ceremony
Taylor Swift lets slip wedding detail while on The Graham Norton Show(Image: PA)
After announcing her engagement to Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift has been inundated with questions surrounding her upcoming nuptials. And while on The Graham Norton Show, the globally renowned singer accidentally let slip a huge detail about her wedding – but immediately regretted it.
The singer, 35, told host Graham Norton that she plans on having a big wedding so she can invite as many people as possible.
And she also confessed that she will start to plan her wedding after the promotional tour of her latest studio album comes to an end.
During her chat with the legendary presenter, Graham asked her if next year will be her wedding year. And in response, Taylor said: “Oh you’ll know.”
At which point the audience erupted in laughter. Graham then pressed further and asked: “So you’re going big?” To which Taylor said: “I was just meaning I was going to invite you to it.”
Graham could barely contain his excitement but managed to ask if she was in the initial stages of planning.
In response, she continued: “No, I am doing the album thing now which is a big thing and then I think the wedding is what happens after that in the scheme of the planning.”
She added: “I’m so excited about it. I know it’s going to be fun to plan because I think the only stressful weddings are the ones where you have a small amount of people. You have to evaluate or asses your relationship with them to see if they should be there. I’m not going to do that. I shouldn’t have said any of that.”
In August, Taylor and Travis nearly broke the internet with news of their engagement. Following their post, an estimated 28 million people liked it.
A number of pictures made up the huge announcement. In one picture, Travis is seen getting down on one knee to pop the question as they gazed into each other’s eyes.
According to US reports, Taylor’s engagement ring was reportedly bought from Artifex Fine Jewellery. It remains unknown how much the singer’s ring is worth but rings from that retailer start at £21,000.
In another picture, the couple are seen in a loving embrace surrounded by flowers including roses and hydrangeas. The flowers appear to have been set up in woodland constructed in an archway.
Travis recalled his attempts at trying to catch Taylor’s attention by handing her a bracelet with his number on it. Speaking on his podcast which he co-hosts with his brother, he admitted: “I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs she sings.”
He added: “So I was a little butt-hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made her. I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on.”
His brother then joked if he meant his shirt number or his phone number. And in response Travis said: “You know which one. She doesn’t meet anyone or at least she didn’t want to meet me so I took it personal.”‘
Speaking about her now fiancé, Taylor recently said on Heart Breakfast radio show: “He’s the most fun person. He’s such a natural, like in life. He’s never been nervous about anything in his entire life, so it’s pretty fun.
She added: “He’s all the things; he’s fun, vibrant, has this infectious personality, makes me laugh so much. There’s a line in the song [‘Wi$h Li$t’] that you just wanted a best friend who you think is hot. Well, that’s kind of it, you know?”
Taylor Swift has a lot to be happy about — including a ring she says she could watch “like it’s a TV.”
The “Bejeweled” pop star hit “The Graham Norton Show” Friday to promote her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” and the host swiftly congratulated her on the “new bit of finger jewelry.”
“He really crushed it when it came to surprising me,” Swift said of fiancé Travis Kelce’s marriage proposal. “He went all out. 10 out of 10.”
The “Norton Show” appearance marks the first time the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter has addressed this new chapter of her love story with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end on TV. In August, the high-profile couple announced they were engaged with a joint Instagram post that looked straight out of an enchanted garden.
According to Swift, the viral photos were not staged. While the couple were recording an episode of Kelce’s podcast, “New Heights,” the three-time Super Bowl champion was having his backyard transformed for the romantic occasion. (Kelce’s father, Ed, let it slip shortly after the announcement that the proposal had happened at Travis’ home in Lee’s Summit, Mo.) Among the added greenery were a few strategically placed hedges where Swift’s tour photographer could capture the proposal unnoticed.
“It’s really fun that we actually have the exact moment” when he proposed, Swift said.
Television is not the only place where Swift has been unable to stop gushing about her fiancé.
Fans have been meticulously dissecting the lyrics on all of the tracks on Swift’s latest album and there are plenty of nods to Kelce. The most explicit, according to Swifties and Swiftologists, is “Wood,” which is being described as her horniest and most openly sexual song to date.
Times pop music critic Mikael Wood describes the song as “a kind of kiddie-disco number that … exults in the erotic thrill of a guy brandishing ‘new heights of manhood,’” pointing out the reference to Kelce’s podcast. Among the other lyrics that are causing a frenzy among fans include references to a “Redwood tree,” how “his love was thе key that opened [her] thighs” and “a hard rock [being] on the way.”
Clearly, Swift is just as giddy about her upcoming nuptials as Kelce.
For better or worse, “The Life of a Showgirl,” Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, is unlike anything the megastar has done before.
On the 12-track album, which dropped Friday to mixed critical reception, Swift is uncharacteristically risqué and, for possibly the first time, indulges her inner theater kid without reservation. In that sense, much of the pop record is daringly new.
Still, on each track are sonic echoes from the 14-time Grammy winner’s decades-spanning discography — from the verve of “Reputation” to the romantic whimsy of “Lover.”
Swifties are sure to be playing “The Life of a Showgirl” on repeat today. But if that gets a bit tiresome after the 13th time, here is a list of Swift sister songs to try instead, based on your favorite track from the new album.
(Some song pairings are based on sound, while others are based on shared themes.)
“The Fate of Ophelia”
“Showgirl’s” opening track has a sultry groove and low pulse that could easily be the soundtrack to a flirty nightcap or the series finale of a dark comedy.
Find the same alluring melody with an extra dash of spice in “I Can See You,” a vault track from 2023’s “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” And for bonus points, head to the music video for a dose of the Swift-signature theatricality dripping from “The Life of a Showgirl.”
“Elizabeth Taylor”
This allusive track boasts the album’s most sweeping chorus, anchored by Swift’s mesmeric alto and a masterfully orchestrated rhythm that uses moments of quiet to its advantage.
“Reputation‘s” slow-burn hit “Don’t Blame Me” follows a similar playbook, using a killer choral backing to achieve the same hymnal quality that complex vocal layering creates on “Elizabeth Taylor.”
Plus, both songs share a secret weapon: Swift’s irresistible enunciation of the word “baby.”
“Opalite”
An immediate inductee into Swift’s “Glitter Gel Pen” song Hall of Fame, “Opalite” is for dancing around your kitchen with a glass of orange wine in hand.
Fuel that infectious joy with the most twirl-worthy — and arguably most underrated — track of Swift’s career, “Sweeter Than Fiction.” Swift released this shimmering tune in 2013 for the “One Chance” film soundtrack, and true to its title, it is sweet as a peach.
Honorary mention: If you prefer a tambourine to a synth, try “Lover” B-side “Paper Rings,” perhaps more suitable for kick-stepping than spinning but nonetheless another “Opalite” lookalike.
“Father Figure”
The natural choice here would be “The Man,” another song wherein Swift adopts a masculine persona to prove just what a boss she is.
But I have no more sage advice than to head to George Michael’s original “Father Figure” (1987), which recently got a streaming boost after being featured in the 2024 erotic thriller “Babygirl.” Swift used an interpolation of Michael’s song in her track of the same name — with a gleeful sign-off from the late singer’s estate.
“When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same,” George Michael’s estate wrote Thursday on his official Instagram.
“Eldest Daughter”
It doesn’t feel entirely fair to compare these two — especially given one of them has Phoebe Bridgers and the other one has the line “I’m not a bad b—, and this isn’t savage” — but “Eldest Daughter” and “Nothing New (Taylor’s Version)” share the same grief for a younger self that a woman in her 20s knows best.
If you need a good cry, these two are here for you.
“Ruin the Friendship”
Speaking of debilitating nostalgia, this one might feel a bit out of place in this album’s universe, but it’s a heartrending gem nonetheless.
For a similar remorseful trip into the past, minus the boppy bass line, try “We Were Happy,” a vault track from “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” about young love lost.
“Actually Romantic”
While this alleged Charli XCX diss track may be more scathing than usual for Swift, the singer is no stranger to shade, as evidenced in “Reputation” B-side “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” — a perfect pairing for “Actually Romantic.”
In both songs, Swift is unapologetically petty, offering her foes a metaphorical bouquet of flowers thick with thorns.
These tracks aren’t everyone’s speed, but every misfit has its fans. And in the case of “Actually Romantic,” Nicki Minaj seems to be one of them.
“Wi$h Li$t”
Showcasing this album’s gentler side, “Wi$h Li$t,” which Swift said may be her personal favorite, is a tender tribute to her fiancé Travis Kelce, backed with ethereal synth sounds and soft vocalization from a clearly smitten showgirl.
“I just want you” is also the mission statement of “Glitch,” a short and sweet pop number from 2022’s “Midnights.” Turn this one on, and in no time you’ll find yourself swaying side to side, daydreaming about the love you never expected but can’t imagine letting go.
Honorary mention: For a more upbeat option, go for “Gorgeous,” a bubblegum–pop anthem just as swoonworthy as the aforementioned tracks.
“Wood”
This raunchy disco track had jaws dropping across the globe upon its release, and for good reason.
While not as high on shock factor, Swift’s “I Think He Knows,” a lesser-known track from “Lover,” is equally dancy and down bad. On top of that, it’s famously set at a perfect strutting pace. What more could you ask for?
“CANCELLED!”
This is the second song in Swift’s oeuvre featuring a title with an exclamation point (we’ll get to that later), and it’s not the best one.
But if you like the dark energy Swift has going on here, you can get plenty more of it in her live rock ’n’ roll version of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” which she pulled out for the 1989 World Tour and hasn’t played since.
Here’s hoping the country crossover artist has another genre hop in her.
“Honey”
True to its title, “Honey” is a welcome salve for some of this album’s more sour numbers and shares striking sonic similarities with Swift’s best song adorned with an exclamation point, “‘Slut!’”
The “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” vault track, like “Honey,” uses a name-calling motif to paint a rosy portrait of her romantic partner. Neither is lyrically complex, but if “‘Slut!’” is any indication, “Honey” is sure to wind up a true fan favorite.
“The Life of a Showgirl (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)”
Finding a song that sounds like “The Life of a Showgirl” is a tall order, if not an impossible one.
So for a theme-based pairing, try fellow album closer “Clara Bow,” which caps off the original edition of “The Tortured Poets Department” (2024) with a mournful commentary on the constant churn of young female stars.
As Swift and Carpenter say, “You don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe, and you’re never gonna wanna.”
Honorary mention: For another Swift track about the pitfalls of fame, try “The Lucky One,” off 2012’s “Red.”
Taylor Swift has opened up about her engagement to American footballer Travis Kelce and how someone was hiding away in the bushes as he got down on one knee
On the eve of the release of her 12th album, Taylor Swift received a thank-you note from George Michael’s estate for including his work in her version of “Father Figure.”
“When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same,” the “Freedom!” singer’s estate posted Thursday on X.
Taylor’s take on “Father Figure” incorporates an interpolation of Michael’s 1987 song from his album “Faith.”
Both songs share a common thread of telling the tale of a specific relationship. In a 1987 interview with ET, the former Wham! singer turned solo star — who died over the Christmas holiday in 2016 — vaguely discussed the meaning behind his track.
“‘Father Figure’ is just a very, without going into too much detail, it’s just a very specific experience that I wrote about a specific relationship with one person,” Michael said.
“I think there’s a definite pattern in people’s lives where they move away from their parents, then they spend time on their own and then they look for that replacement,” he added.
Similarly, the fourth song on Swift’s album “The Life of a Showgirl,” which was released on Thursday, tells the experience of a specific relationship between a mentor and his protégé.
Hmmm. Who could it be? Are the lyrics imaginative or are the details too specific to brush off as fiction? Let’s dissect.
Swift opens her track with: “When I found you, you were young, wayward, lost in the cold / Pulled up to you in the Jag’, turned your rags to gold.”
There is one person who turned her into the gold standard of pop — music executive Scott Borchetta, who signed her to his Big Machine Records label back in the day.
The song initially takes the perspective of the mentor who sees potential, profit and the opportunity to be a father figure for the protégé. In the tail end of the track, the point of view changes to the other side.
“You want a fight, you found it / I got the place surrounded / You’ll be sleeping with the fishes before you know you’re drowning.”
Again, the details seem too specific to write it off as pure fiction, but Swifties may have to stick to speculation unless Swift goes on the “New Heights” podcast to discuss the meaning behind her lyrics with her future husband, Travis Kelce, and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Jason Kelce.
Don’t hold your breath — there’s probably a better chance she releases a new version of “Life of a Showgirl” first.
Showgirl breaks Spotify records as Taylor Swift’s most pre-saved album, highlighting her enduring popularity.
Published On 3 Oct 20253 Oct 2025
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Taylor Swift has dropped her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, and already, it is the most pre-saved album ever on the Spotify streaming platform.
Showgirl even broke the record set last year by none other than Swift’s last album, The Tortured Poets Department.
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The 35-year-old artist reunited with Swedish hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback for her hotly anticipated collection of bouncy pop songs.
“Tonight all these lives converge here, the mosaics of laughter and cocktails of tears … I can’t tell you how proud I am to share this with you, an album that just feels so right,” Swift posted on Instagram after the album’s release, along with photos of her in showgirl outfits.
The megastar described the album as a “self-portrait” and thanked Martin and Shellback, adding: “If you thought the big show was wild, perhaps you should come and take a look behind the curtain,” referring to her record-shattering Eras Tour.
The 12 tracks reveal a lighter, happier Swift – in love with her NFL Super Bowl champion fiance, Travis Kelce, and happy to have bought back her music catalogue.
Ahead of release, Swift said the new album “comes from the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life”.
Fans will be combing through the lyrics and liner notes for “Easter eggs” – coded words and phrases that could reveal things about Swift’s life or future projects.
