What is a showgirl? Explaining Taylor Swift's new album aesthetic

USA Today

3 days ago

From the reptilian imagery of 'Reputation' to the cottagecore landscape of 'Folklore,' Swifties know that each Taylor Swift album is its own era filled with cohesive themes and illustrative visuals.
With the reveal of her upcoming album 'The Life of a Showgirl' (out Oct. 3), fans are already relishing in the flaunted color orange and embracing the 'showgirl' aesthetic.
On the Aug. 13 episode of the 'New Heights' podcast, Swift revealed the album cover showcasing the Grammy-winner wearing a bejeweled swimsuit and bracelets in a pool of green water. She also shared the album track list with artwork showcasing her dressed in orange-colored burlesque attire, including a feathered headpiece.
Swift confirmed she wrote the album during the Eras Tour, which concluded on Dec. 8 and encompassed 149 shows across 21 countries.
"This album is about what was going on the scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant," Swift said right besides podcast co-host, boyfriend and NFL star Travis Kelce.
As Swift enters her 'Showgirl' era, here's what to know about the term and the aesthetic.
What does being a showgirl mean?
According to Merriam-Webster, a showgirl is defined as a chorus girl in a musical comedy or nightclub show.
The role of a showgirl is commonly associated with Las Vegas performers, who, unlike traditional dancers, were known more for their flamboyant costumes than choreography, The Las Vegas Sun reported. Grant Philipo, founder of the Las Vegas Showgirl Museum, told the outlet in 2016 that classic showgirl productions were known for the hefty amount of money spent on extravagant yet topless wardrobes.
The concept of showgirls resurfaced following the release of the Golden Globe-nominated film 'The Last Showgirl' starring Pamela Anderson, who plays an aging Vegas showgirl grappling with the closure of the revue she performed at for decades.
While traditional showgirl productions may be a thing of the past, the imagery still exists predominantly in Vegas, where street performers dress as showgirls to pose with tourists.
What is the showgirl aesthetic?
The showgirl aesthetic is typically associated with the burlesque scene, where female performers adorned themselves with rhinestones, sequins, and feathers at various clubs, theaters, and lounges.
Burlesque shows emerged in the late 1860s and slowly evolved to feature ribald comedy, according to Jane Merrill's 2018 book 'The Showgirl Costume: An Illustrated History.' From Las Vegas casinos to Chicago nightclubs, glamoured performers donned eccentric high heels, makeup and headdresses at these shows, though nudity was also common.
'This was a particular entertainment genre that the folks that came to visit Las Vegas really were attracted to,' Karan Feder, president of Entertainment Exhibitions, an advisory firm specializing in entertainment and performance costumes, previously told USA TODAY. 'That visual legacy (from showgirls) has really stuck and come to define Vegas.'
What could Taylor Swift be saying about fame, womanhood?
In true Swiftie nature, fans have already begun theorizing that the album will delve into the burdens of fame and womanhood, discussing her experiences as a beloved yet scrutinized pop star.
One X user suggested songs would open up about the struggles of 'undressing and decompressing' behind the curtain, while another said Swift could speak to how the entertainment industry demands more from women.
Swift has previously tackled the anxieties of living in the public eye through tracks like 'Castles Crumbling' and double standards projected against women through tracks like 'The Man.'
'A showgirl is dazzling, sexy, misunderstood, projected upon, an entertainer, 'just a girl', a romantic, a hardened professional, on display, exploiting and being exploited. I can't wait to see where this takes us,' another user wrote on Aug. 12.
Is Taylor Swift a showgirl?
While not a traditional showgirl, Swift is most certainly a performer known for using rigorous stamina and artistic vision to create grand, high-energy shows. The new album comes after last year's record-breaking Eras Tour, which became the highest-grossing concert tour in history, having sold over $2 billion in tickets.
On the 'New Heights' podcast, Swift discussed the daunting nature of regularly delivering three-and-a-half-hour shows at arenas across the world.
'I wanted to put elements of musical theater, Broadway ballet, scenery that you would see in an opera,' she said when discussing the Eras Tour. 'I wanted it to be references that I thought were really high concept and really high value for fans and for them to see things they hadn't necessarily seen before, all in one concept, but I wanted to do it at the highest intensity, rapid fire.'