The Life of a Showgirl: Decoding Taylor Swift’s new album Easter eggs after playlist reveal

After a lot of speculation, Taylor Swift has confirmed the upcoming release of her 12th studio album.

The album – titled The Life of a Showgirl – was announced in a preview clip for the August 13 episode of New Heights podcast with Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, and it is thought that more details will be shared, including a release date, when the full episode drops.

The Life of a Showgirl is an unexpected album title for Taylor, who has favored mostly snappy one-words titles for the majority of her career; 2024’s four-word album The Tortured Poet’s Department was previously the longest at double the number of words of any other album.

But what else can we expect from the new era of Miss Swift, her first since the end of her record-breaking and culture-changing Eras Tour? We’ve attempted to decode all the Easter eggs below…

The Life of a Showgirl meaning

What is a showgirl? Merriam’s definition is “a chorus girl in a musical comedy or nightclub show”.

Another example is the character Taylor played during her nightly performance of “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart” during the Eras Tour.

Feathers, sequins, top hats, leotards and character shoes, and over-the-top dramatics are the basics of a showgirl’s repertoire, and the look exudes glamour, demands attention, and says “I am here, watch me.”

But in pop culture the showgirl is also lonely; when the sequins fall away and the stage lights turn off, what happens to the showgirl?

2024’s Pamela Anderson film The Last Showgirl detailed this brilliantly as it focused on a Las Vegas showgirl, now in middle age, who faces uncertainty when her revue is closed.

It’s also a subject that has haunted Taylor for years from Red (Taylor’s Version) vault track “Nothing New” in 2012 to 2024’s “Clara Bow,” the idea of the next young up and comer replacing Taylor has never been far from her mind, all too aware that the bright lights can be repositioned to someone else’s stage before you realize it.

What does this tell us about what we can expect from TS12 though? Coming 16 months after the release of TTPD – an album that Taylor herself said speaks to a short and specific time in life of anger and bitterness, where no-one was in the right – The Life of a Showgirl will surely focus less on the past and more on the future.

No one would deny that the album is sure to include happier songs about her romance with Travis, now going strong for almost two years, and the life-changing effects of the Eras Tour.

But perhaps there will also be introspection and a nuanced look into what fame has meant, and continues to mean, for Taylor.

‘And, baby, that’s show business for you’

A new playlist dropped by Taylor on Spotify has hinted that TS12 may see her return to working with pop producer gurus Max Martin and Shellback. 

“And, baby, that’s show business for you!” is the name of the playlist and features 22 Taylor songs all produced by Max and Shellback.

The three have not worked together since 2017’s Reputation, with the pair not returning to work alongside Taylor on 1989 (Taylor’s Version), originally released in 2014.

Reports have already suggested that the album will be closer to Midnights in sound, a return to pop and bombastic beats.

Plus, knowing Taylor and her past Easter eggs, there’s a very good chance that this playlist name is a lyrics from the album.

The Life of a Showgirl in colors

All Swifites know that each era has a designated color that can guide the listener towards what to expect.

For TS12, the color is orange but what does this mean? Orange is an attention-grabbing color that stands out visually – it’s why it is often used in sports team colors, or on advertising. 

The color orange, similar to red, another long wavelength color, can also induce higher levels of arousal, according to Verywell Mind, making it a strong color.

But orange also means warning. It is used to tell you to slow down, or be alert, when driving, and is also a recognizable color for prison jumpsuits.

All of these make good reasons for Taylor to use the color for the new era; after the last few years of her life, the album The Life of a Showgirl may also be a warning sign for Taylor and for fans, to remember what truly matters, and why we do the things we love.

Taylor and Sabrina

When Taylor Nation, Taylor’s official fanpage, shared 12 pictures of the singer from across the Eras Tour, all in orange, we knew that orange was the color of the next era.

But one surprising picture was picture number 12, which included Sabrina Carpenter from when she joined Taylor on stage during New Orleans night two in October 2024.

Another potential Easter egg hinting at Sabrina’s involvement? Before Sabrina arrived on stage, Taylor jokingly told her to “get off the rollercoaster and put some clothes on”.

The day before the announcement of the new album, Sabrina shared a new Instagram post of her in underwear, and captioned it: “Go put on some clothes!”

The orange door

The clues are often right in front of our faces, and in such a way that their meaning is obvious.

For the longest time fans wondered why an orange door appeared for a few seconds on screens as part of the Lover house as Taylor waved her goodbyes and left the stage at the end of the Eras Tour.

The Lover house was made up of different colored doors, all of which connected to an era, but orange did not fit. Now, it’s clear – as the final door for the last song, it was the one to walk through for a new era.

A12

And sometimes, the clues are not clear at all.In October 2024, Taylor shared a TikTok video of her at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, hours before the show began.

At the time it seemed innocent, with Taylor being followed by a camera as she looked out at the stadium from the floor.

But now, the clue is clear – she is standing in front of section A12, hinting, 10 months early, that August 12 was going to be an important day.