Taylor Swift was simultaneously creating her 12th studio album whilst delivering her record-breaking Eras Tour performances across Europe.
The pop superstar revealed during her appearance on the New Heights podcast that she would fly to Sweden during tour breaks to work on The Life of a Showgirl, reports Rolling Stone.
The singer disclosed the demanding schedule she maintained during the European leg of her tour. “I would be playing shows. I would do like three shows in a row. I’d have three days off,” Swift explained to the Kelce brothers. “I’d fly to Sweden, go back to the tour, and was actually working on this. I was physically exhausted at this point in the tour, but I was so mentally stimulated and so excited to be creating.”
Swift’s European tour dates included eight performances in London during June and August 2024, forming part of the massive 149-show global tour that concluded in December 2024. The contrast between her physical exhaustion and creative energy during this period became a defining aspect of the album’s creation.
The album captures the behind-the-scenes reality of Swift’s inner life during the tour’s most vibrant moments. “This album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant,” she shared on the podcast. “It just comes from like the most infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place I was in in my life. And so that effervescence has come through on this record.”
The Life of a Showgirl features 12 tracks, with the title track including a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter. Swift co-produced the album with Shellback and Max Martin, incorporating tracks such as “Eldest Daughter”, “Actually Romantic”, “Wi$h Li$t”, and the opening track “The Fate of Ophelia”.
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The album announcement arrived via Swift’s social media platforms, where she unveiled both the track list and release date. “And, baby, that’s show business for you,” she wrote on X, confirming the 3rd October release date. The album cover, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot, presents Swift floating underwater with the title displayed in orange lettering.
