On Oct. 3, 2025, pop singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” In her promotion of the album, Swift described the music as joyful and confident, reflecting...

With pop anthems reminiscent of 1989 & Lover, wise lyrics similar to those of folklore and the same dark themes of reputation, Midnights is one of Swift’s best albums.

The first two singles released for the album had all the whim and excitement that one would expect from a Disney Channel Original movie--the songs were lyrically shallow and sounded ditzy and obnoxious. Most importantly, what was lacking was the vulnerable authenticity that Swift has become known for. “ME!” and “You Need to Calm Down” in particular lacked this quality. While there seemed to be a major disconnect with these singles, they are no indicator of the well-executed pieces featured in “Lover.”