{"id":2071152,"date":"2025-10-06T00:04:08","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T00:04:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2071152"},"modified":"2025-10-06T00:04:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T00:04:08","slug":"taylor-swifts-new-album-no-surprises-except-for-that-sex-song","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/taylor-swifts-new-album-no-surprises-except-for-that-sex-song\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor Swift\u2019s new album: No surprises \u2013 except for that sex song"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start gap-6\" data-test-ui=\"article__header-info\">\n<section data-test-ui=\"article__action-bar\" data-ref-group=\"author\">\n<section data-ref-group=\"author-info\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center gap-3\" data-test-ui=\"author--information\">\n<div class=\"rounded-full bg-charcoal-100\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/author-service-images-prod-us-east-1.publishing.aws.arc.pub\/nzme\/aff68604-9048-4b0d-8b50-b48a0484757f.jpg\" alt=\"Graham Reid\" class=\"rounded-full object-cover h-18 w-18 min-w-18\" data-test-ui=\"author--details__image\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-1\">\n<p>Review by<\/p>\n<div class=\"flex flex-wrap gap-1 text-xs\" data-test-ui=\"author--text--body\"><span class=\"w-full font-bold text-sys-text-dark text-base md:text-lg\" data-test-ui=\"author--name\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/the-listener\/author\/graham-reid\/\" class=\"text-sys-text-dark underline underline-offset-3\" rel=\"author\" data-test-ui=\"author--link\">Graham Reid<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"text-xs font-normal\" data-test-ui=\"author--role\">Music writer<\/span><span class=\"px-1 font-bold text-sys-text-light\" data-test-ui=\"role-distributor-divider\">\u00b7<\/span><span class=\"text-xs font-normal\" data-test-ui=\"distributor--name\">New Zealand Listener<\/span><span class=\"pl-1 font-bold text-sys-text-light\" data-test-ui=\"distributor-meta-divider\">\u00b7<\/span><\/p>\n<p><time class=\"text-xs font-normal text-sys-text-light\" data-test-ui=\"author-display--date\">5 Oct, 2025 10:59 PM<\/time><span class=\"flex items-center gap-0.75\" data-test-ui=\"author-read-time\"><span class=\"icon-[nzh--clock-outline-sm] h-3.5 w-3.5\"\/>3 mins to read<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Graham Reid is an NZ journalist, author, broadcaster and arts educator. His website, Elsewhere, provides features and reports on music, film, travel and other cultural issues.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"w-full\">\n<hr class=\"m-0 border-solid border-b border-l-0 border-r-0 border-t-0 border-b-sys-border-soft\"\/>\n<div class=\"flex justify-end print:hidden\" data-test-ui=\"share-bar-above\" id=\"share-bar-above\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full justify-between pb-5 pt-9\">\n<div class=\"relative\">\n<div id=\"text-to-speech-paywall\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-10 z-[3] flex w-[16.813rem] flex-col gap-2.5 rounded border border-solid border-black\/15 bg-white px-6 pb-6 pt-4 shadow before:!left-4 before:content-[''] after:!left-4 after:content-[''] hidden\" data-test-ui=\"text-to-speech-paywall\">\n<h3 class=\"mx-0 flex justify-between text-sm font-bold text-sys-text-dark\">Subscribe to listen<\/h3>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-center gap-6\"><span class=\"text-sm text-sys-text-dark\">Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.<\/span><button type=\"submit\" class=\"btn btn-large btn-premium\" id=\"text-to-speech-subscribe-button\">Subscribe now<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span aria-live=\"polite\" aria-busy=\"true\"><span class=\"react-loading-skeleton\" style=\"width:100px\">\u200c<\/span><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ml-auto flex items-center gap-7\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" class=\"flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-1.5 text-black\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--bookmark-above\" aria-label=\"bookmark\" id=\"social-link--bookmark-above\"><span class=\"icon-[nzh--bookmark-add-outline-lg] h-6 w-6\"\/><span class=\"text-xs font-bold md:block hidden\">Save<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\">\n<nav id=\"share-menu-above\" class=\"lg-old:left-3 pointer-right-position absolute -left-64 top-10 z-[3] w-[16.813rem] rounded border border-solid border-black\/15 lg-old:pointer-default-position bg-white px-2 py-4 shadow before:content-[''] after:content-[''] sm-old:-left-60 2xl:left-3 hidden\">\n<ul class=\"m-0\">\n<h5 class=\"mb-2.5 ml-4 mt-0 text-sm font-bold\">Share this article<\/h5>\n<p class=\"mx-4 mt-2.5 text-xs font-normal leading-5 text-sys-text-premium\">Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.<\/p>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--copy_link\" aria-label=\"copy_link\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--link-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Copy Link<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--email\" aria-label=\"email\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--email-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Email<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--facebook\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--facebook-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Facebook<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--twitter\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--twitter-x-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Twitter\/X<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--linkedin\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--linkedin-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--reddit\" aria-label=\"reddit\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--reddit-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Reddit<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-test-ui=\"figure__caption\">Taylor Swift in showgirl guise for her twelfth album. Supplied<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p><h2 class=\"article__heading\">The Life of a Showgirl<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><b>by Taylor Swift<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"\">Rather than being inconvenienced by listening to her music, many prefer to dismiss Taylor Swift through career statistics: more than 100 million albums sold; her <i>Eras<\/i> tour grossing more than $6 billion; a net worth around $2.7 billion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\">\n         <span class=\"ellipsis\">However the idea that<\/span><br \/>\n         <span class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none;\">success in pop means baseline populism plays into the myth that modest sales or cult status equate to greater integrity and superior music.<\/span>\n        <\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">As far back as <i>We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together<\/i> on her 2012 <i>Red<\/i> album Swift dismissed a former lover with \u201c[you] find your peace of mind with some indie record that\u2019s so much cooler than mine\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">It must be galling for those writing \u201cTaylor who?\u201d on Facebook that, at 35, she\u2019s still here with her 12th studio album, not including four re-recorded albums with extra tracks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">The uncomfortable reality for naysayers is a lot of people like Swift\u2019s music.<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">With producers Max Martin and Shellback who crafted some of her better pop hits (<i>Shake It Off<\/i> and <i>I Knew You Were Trouble<\/i>), Swift here delivers an album with few surprises outside of <i>Wood,<\/i> an innuendo-filled celebration of fianc\u00e9 Travis Kelce\u2019s sexual apparatus: \u201cHis love was the key that opened my thighs\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\"><i>The Fate of Ophelia <\/i>has her \u2013 in a rather broad interpretation \u2013 suffering as Shakespeare\u2019s Ophelia, a woman being driven mad by unrequited love \u2026 until Kelce called. In <i>Elizabeth Taylor<\/i> she asks the late, much-married star \u201cdo you think it\u2019s forever?\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">The relentlessly Swift-centric songs explore mixed emotions (\u201cI had a bad habit of missing lovers past\u201d in the poppy <i>Opalite<\/i>), poke at her former record exec on the downbeat shuffle of <i>Father Figure<\/i> (\u201cthey don\u2019t make loyalty like they used to\u201d) and push back at trolling of celebrities in <i>Eldest Daughter<\/i> (\u201ceverybody\u2019s cutthroat in the comments \u201d).<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">There\u2019s the obligatory diss track, the coldly barbed <i>Actually Romantic,<\/i> apparently about Charli XCX. However little challenges or resonates like 2020\u2019s <i>Folklore<\/i> and <i>Evermore<\/i> albums.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-11\">\n<div class=\"article-media brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\" data-test-ui=\"article-media\">\n<figure class=\"figure\" data-test-ui=\"figure\"><img srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/resizer\/v2\/Y4VTJ27SNJB5ZEXUIJTAOMWBOY.jpg?auth=7f83236a183a578b0e3bd5f7a61253fd83ac53baff224c591dbb4c3ba8881215&amp;width=16&amp;height=16&amp;quality=70&amp;smart=true 16w,https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/resizer\/v2\/Y4VTJ27SNJB5ZEXUIJTAOMWBOY.jpg?auth=7f83236a183a578b0e3bd5f7a61253fd83ac53baff224c591dbb4c3ba8881215&amp;width=320&amp;height=320&amp;quality=70&amp;smart=true 320w,https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/resizer\/v2\/Y4VTJ27SNJB5ZEXUIJTAOMWBOY.jpg?auth=7f83236a183a578b0e3bd5f7a61253fd83ac53baff224c591dbb4c3ba8881215&amp;width=576&amp;height=576&amp;quality=70&amp;smart=true 576w,https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/resizer\/v2\/Y4VTJ27SNJB5ZEXUIJTAOMWBOY.jpg?auth=7f83236a183a578b0e3bd5f7a61253fd83ac53baff224c591dbb4c3ba8881215&amp;width=768&amp;height=768&amp;quality=70&amp;smart=true 768w,https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/resizer\/v2\/Y4VTJ27SNJB5ZEXUIJTAOMWBOY.jpg?auth=7f83236a183a578b0e3bd5f7a61253fd83ac53baff224c591dbb4c3ba8881215&amp;width=992&amp;height=992&amp;quality=70&amp;smart=true 992w,https:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/resizer\/v2\/Y4VTJ27SNJB5ZEXUIJTAOMWBOY.jpg?auth=7f83236a183a578b0e3bd5f7a61253fd83ac53baff224c591dbb4c3ba8881215&amp;width=1440&amp;height=1440&amp;quality=70&amp;smart=true 1440w\" alt=\"Coming up for air: The artwork to Taylor Swift's new album, The Life of a Showgirl.\" class=\"article-media__image responsively-lazy\" data-test-ui=\"article-media__image\"\/><figcaption class=\"article-media__caption\" data-test-ui=\"figure__caption\">Coming up for air: The artwork to Taylor Swift&#8217;s new album, The Life of a Showgirl.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><button aria-label=\"full screen\" type=\"button\" class=\"article-media__full-screen-button\" data-test-ui=\"article-media__full-screen-button\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"article-media__full-screen-button-icon\" data-test-ui=\"svg__svg\"><use xlink:href=\"http:\/\/www.nzherald.co.nz\/pf\/resources\/dist\/svg\/spritemap.svg?d=970#full-screen\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">It\u2019s musically familiar, not especially populist because of her continuing self-obsession and just not that interesting or fun.<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">But it\u2019s Taylor Swift. Fans will dissect it and reviews \u2013 even by those who listened open-minded \u2013 are of little consequence. The day before release a BBC online heading read, \u201cTaylor Swift Has Made Herself Too Big to Fail<i>\u201d<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\">As she sings on the title track, a meditation on fame and the price paid for the payoff, \u201cbut I\u2019m immortal now, baby dolls\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"brdZfQpMhqMp\" style=\"display:none\"><i>This album is available digitally, on CD and limited edition vinyl<\/i><\/p>\n<div class=\"my-11\">\n<div class=\"article__action-bar\" data-test-ui=\"article__action-bar\"><button aria-label=\"Print article\" class=\"inline-flex h-9 w-9 cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-black\" data-test-ui=\"print-button\"><span class=\"icon-[nzh--print-outline-sm] h-4 w-4 text-sys-text-dark-inverse\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex justify-end print:hidden sm-old:hidden\" data-test-ui=\"share-bar-below\" id=\"share-bar-below\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full justify-between pb-5 pt-9\">\n<div class=\"ml-auto flex items-center gap-7\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"#\" class=\"flex cursor-pointer items-center gap-1.5 text-black\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--bookmark-below\" aria-label=\"bookmark\" id=\"social-link--bookmark-below\"><span class=\"icon-[nzh--bookmark-add-outline-lg] h-6 w-6\"\/><span class=\"text-xs font-bold md:block\">Save<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative\">\n<nav id=\"share-menu-below\" class=\"lg-old:left-3 pointer-right-position absolute -left-64 top-10 z-[3] w-[16.813rem] rounded border border-solid border-black\/15 lg-old:pointer-default-position bg-white px-2 py-4 shadow before:content-[''] after:content-[''] sm-old:-left-60 2xl:left-3 hidden\">\n<ul class=\"m-0\">\n<h5 class=\"mb-2.5 ml-4 mt-0 text-sm font-bold\">Share this article<\/h5>\n<p class=\"mx-4 mt-2.5 text-xs font-normal leading-5 text-sys-text-premium\">Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.<\/p>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--copy_link\" aria-label=\"copy_link\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--link-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Copy Link<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--email\" aria-label=\"email\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--email-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Email<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--facebook\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--facebook-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Facebook<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--twitter\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--twitter-x-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Twitter\/X<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--linkedin\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--linkedin-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 list-none\"><button class=\"cursor-pointer items-center gap-2.5 px-4 py-2.5 text-black focus:bg-sys-shade-02 focus:outline-none flex w-full border-none bg-transparent\" data-test-ui=\"social-link--reddit\" aria-label=\"reddit\"><span class=\"h-4 w-4 icon-[nzh--reddit-outline-sm]\"\/><span class=\"text-base font-normal\">Reddit<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nzherald.co.nz \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Review by Graham Reid Music writer\u00b7New Zealand Listener\u00b7 5 Oct, 2025 10:59 PM3 mins to read Graham Reid is an NZ journalist, author, broadcaster and arts educator. His website, Elsewhere, provides features and reports on music, film, travel and other cultural issues. Subscribe to listen Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. 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