New York, USA – Taylor Swift’s recent announcement of her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, has sent the internet into a frenzy. With album covers featuring the pop icon in extravagant, rhinestone-encrusted ensembles, complete with feathers and a black bob, Swift is clearly embracing a new, maximalist aesthetic. The striking visuals pay homage to the classic “showgirl” aesthetic of the 1920s, a figure that is now a central theme in Swift’s latest artistic endeavor.
The album’s visuals, including a reimagined archival Bob Mackie costume from the legendary Las Vegas show Jubilee!, suggest a deep dive into the showgirl persona—a figure of glittering spectacle and bittersweet sacrifice.
From Burlesque to Broadway: The Evolution of the Showgirl
The “showgirl” has a rich and complex history, with origins in the burlesque and vaudeville stages of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Entertainers at Parisian cabarets like the Moulin Rouge and the Folies Bergère, as well as the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway, set the stage for the iconic Las Vegas showgirl. In the 1950s, Las Vegas emerged as the entertainment capital of the US, and the showgirl became a symbol of the city’s glamour and luxury.
While the showgirl represents dazzling beauty and extravagance, her reality has often been marked by exploitation and strict beauty standards. Yet, the figure also embodies a sense of resilience and ambition, a woman who commands the stage despite the limitations and objectification she faces. This duality seems to be a key element of Swift’s new album. One of the new tracks, “The Fate of Ophelia,” and the album’s visual theme of a bejeweled Swift half-submerged in water, draws a parallel between the tragic Shakespearean character and the showgirl, highlighting the vulnerability that lies beneath the glamour.
The Showgirl in Pop Culture
The showgirl persona has been immortalized by numerous icons in pop culture, from Marilyn Monroe’s iconic performance of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” to Cher and Christina Aguilera’s portrayal of the dying art form of burlesque in the film Burlesque. Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Kylie Minogue have also embraced the showgirl aesthetic in their performances, with Minogue’s 2005 “The Showgirl Tour” being a direct homage.
Swift herself has previously referenced the showgirl in her 2022 music video for “Bejeweled,” which featured a cameo from the modern burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese. With The Life of a Showgirl, Swift is not just adopting a new aesthetic but stepping into a powerful legacy of women who have turned performance into power and spectacle into a story of resilience and agency.