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22
Taylor Swift Dubbed “Tone Deaf” Over Leaked Lyrics From Upcoming Album, The Life Of A Showgirl
Taylor Swift’s love for Easter eggs is alive and well, as she recently teased snippets of lyrics from her upcoming album.
The Life of a Showgirl, the pop icon’s 12th studio album, is set to release globally on October 3.
Ahead of the album release, a Spotify experience was held in New York City on Tuesday (September 30), showcasing potential lyrics from the project, but not everyone was impressed.
Highlights
- Taylor Swift teased three lyrics from her upcoming 12th studio album, 'The Life of a Showgirl,' during a Spotify pop-up in New York City.
- Some social media users criticized the lyrics as “tone deaf,” saying they didn’t reflect the reality of most people’s lives.
- Swift announced a theatrical release party from October 3–5, featuring exclusive music videos, behind-the-scenes footage, and lyric videos from the new album.
“Taylor really unveiling lyrics through hidden letters like we’re all in English class decoding a poem, just drop the song…” wrote one social media user.
RELATED:
Taylor Swift’s much-anticipated 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, features 12 songs in total
Image credits: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images
The Spotify experience included photo ops, themed rooms hinting at the album’s concept, exclusive swag, and more, all for fans who attended the ongoing three-day pop-up.
Swifties at the event spotted the first lyric from the album, written in what appeared to be peachy-orange lipstick on a mirror.
The lyric read, “Oftentimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me.”
Fans quickly shared the now-viral image on social media.
Image credits: Thomas Niedermueller / Getty Images
Soon after, the same message was projected on massive billboards in New York City’s Times Square, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
While the context of the lyric and its associated track remain unclear, netizens slammed the billionaire pop star, with many accusing her of being “tone deaf” and “cosplaying the struggle” of being rich.
The lyric from one of the 35-year-old Grammy winner’s latest songs was unveiled to fans at a New York City Spotify pop-up
Image credits: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott / taylorswift / Instagram
“Taylor really said being the highest-paid popstar alive feels ‘not so glamorous’… yeah I bet flying private to your 18th mansion must be rough,” commented one displeased netizen.
In 2024, Swift was featured on the Forbes 100 list and officially declared a billionaire, largely thanks to her record-breakingEras Tour.
The tour became the highest-grossing concert tour in history, with ticket sales surpassing $2 billion, significantly boosting the Cruel Summer singer’s net worth.
Image credits: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott / taylorswift / Instagram
Image credits: Philippine Concerts / Facebook
As of late 2024, Swift’s estimated net worth stood at $1.6 billion.
In light of this, one critic expressed, “Taylor Swift really cosplaying the struggle like her Eras Tour grossed less than $1k.”
“What an odd thing to say considering what most people are going through today.”
The Love Story singer is officially a billionaire, with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion as of 2024
Image credits: spotify / spotifynews / Instagram
In addition, another one of her lyrics was projected on a São Paulo billboard by Spotify.
It read, “Everyone’s unbothered til they’re not.”
Taylor has always included Easter eggs since her very first album.
Eagle-eyed fans also noticed that, just like with the secret messages hidden in CD booklets using random capitalized letters in the lyrics of her 1989 album, she employed a similar trick this time around.
🚨| The capitalized letters in Taylor Swift’s reputation lyrics on Apple Music spell out: “They don’t make loyalty like they used to.” pic.twitter.com/e6c7DlfEQE
— The Swift Society (@TheSwiftSociety) September 30, 2025
On Apple Music, Swift’s 2017 song Reputation featured a selection of capitalized letters within the lyrics.
The decoded message, which many believe to be a potential lyric from the new album, read, “They don’t make loyalty like they used to.”
“Ofc victim Taylor, always poor me girl hasn’t had an original thought in decades,” wrote one user.
Taylor has always been a fan of Easter eggs, and all of her past album releases featured some sort of secret message for fans to decode
Image credits: spotify / spotifynews / Instagram
The 35-year-old songstress announced the new album during an unexpected appearance on her NFL star fiancé Travis Kelce’s co-hosted podcast with his brother Jason Kelce, New Heights, on August 12.
The title track of the album will feature a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter.
Just days after the announcement, Spotify confirmed on Instagram that The Life of a Showgirl became the most pre-saved album in the history of its Countdown Page.
Image credits: taylornation / Instagram
In the wake of the three lyrics revealed so far, social media users harshly criticized Taylor across online platforms.
One X user sarcastically wrote, “Y’all just don’t get it. It’s hard being a billionaire. She has so much money she doesn’t even know what to do with it anymore.”
Another one commented on Reddit, “It’s tone deaf. There’s a lot of us that work jobs that feel like a prison for a hell of a lot less. If you hate it so much, step back.”
Image credits: spotify / spotifynews / Instagram
A third added, “Yup. & here before everyone says ‘bUt ThE COnTeXT maTtErS’ when they made an intentional decision to post this lyric without context lol.”
“Aww, poor baby. She can sulk and count her millions.”
Taylor announced a theatrical release party for Swifties to celebrate her new album on Instagram
Image credits: spotify / spotifynews / Instagram
On September 19, Swift shared exciting news in an Instagram post, revealing that a “limited” number of fans would get to attend “The Official Release Party” of the album, which will coincide with its release date.
The theatrical event will take place from October 3 to October 5, “only in cinemas!”
Image credits: spotify / spotifynews / Instagram
“You’ll get to see the exclusive world premiere of the music video for my new single ‘The Fate of Ophelia’, along with never before seen behind-the-scenes footage of how we made it, cut by cut explanations of what inspired this music, and the brand new lyric videos from my new album The Life of a Showgirl.”
Image credits: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott / taylorswift / Instagram
“Looks like it’s time to brush off that Eras Tour outfit or orange cardigan… Tickets are on sale now. Dancing is optional but very much encouraged,” she concluded.
“This is gonna be her worst album. Trying to be glamorous yet failing cause… ma’am you’re almost 40. Wrap it up!” commented one critic online
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What do you think ?
Apatheist Account2 2 months ago (edited)
UB40 used to sing about being unemployed...whilst raking in revenue from their songs that they were employed to sing. Singers and authors write about the world they see, it doesn't mean they're a part of it. There's no evidence that Shakespeare went to Italy or Denmark, but it didn't stop him writing plays about it. I doubt that David Bowie went to space or met a Star man (or a laughing gnome for that matter).
BrunoVI 2 months ago (edited)
Yet I still wonder about Syd Barrett. (The first leader of Pink Floyd, who wrote songs like The Gnome, Interstellar Overdrive, Vegetable Man, Flaming, Arnold Layne [about a man stealing women's underwear from a clothesline]). (* Actually, I don't wonder about Arnold Layne: he's spoken about how it was about a real encounter tenants of his mother's collegiate boarding house had with a local man.)
Load More Replies...
Gavin Johnson 2 months ago
I’m going to go and listen to my favourite Pink Floyd album, I’m pretty sure they are not going to reflect my struggles, might write to them and ask why they are tone deaf to my situation, then i’ll do Led Zeppelin and Metallica, I’ll round off with a bit of Rammstein, I’ll do some translation work to check if ze Germans have captured the moment. FFS it’s music.
KatSaidWhat 2 months ago
She could release a nursery rhyme and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate.
Jan 2 months ago
I have never cared for Swift or her music but is this the usual knocking someone off their pedestal that always occurs when someone is hyped up so much more than their talent deserves? I've been expecting it.
Mike Crow 2 months ago
Everyone has an opinion but there is evidence she is very talented.
Load More Replies...
TCW Sam Vimes 2 months ago
Ppl should stop idolising billionaires. These individuals are nothing to aspire to. No one gets that kind of money without exploiting others in one way or another.
Mike Crow 2 months ago
They are not idolizing her for her money but for her talent.
Load More Replies... 
DeeDee M 2 months ago
Ummm honestly it sounds like they cherry picked comments from people who just hate TS. That’s cool, you don’t have to like her music, not everyone does, but yeesh. People are mean. That being said, I wouldn’t think the wisest course for any billionaire at the present time would be an oh-poor-me in any capacity. Probably not the best career move. At this point, a billionaire “pick-me” girl would make everyone hurl.
Steve Riddle 2 months ago
Crying All The Way to the Bank in My Rolls Royce. That's my Lyric for her lifestyle.
Alex Martin 2 months ago (edited)
I think they proved the point of the line. She's rich and powerful and also judged, criticized, and insulted. That's not glamorous at all.
KnightOwl86 2 months ago
These type of 'controversies' drive me crazy, noone has heard the album yet they're already judging. It's clearly a concept album meaning she's most likely not writing about her life from her perspective. The album will most likely be about being a performer, putting on an act on stage and always having to be 'on' despite whatever is going on behind the scenes. People need to get a grip and stop looking for drama where there is none.
Apatheist Account2 2 months ago (edited)
UB40 used to sing about being unemployed...whilst raking in revenue from their songs that they were employed to sing. Singers and authors write about the world they see, it doesn't mean they're a part of it. There's no evidence that Shakespeare went to Italy or Denmark, but it didn't stop him writing plays about it. I doubt that David Bowie went to space or met a Star man (or a laughing gnome for that matter).
BrunoVI 2 months ago (edited)
Yet I still wonder about Syd Barrett. (The first leader of Pink Floyd, who wrote songs like The Gnome, Interstellar Overdrive, Vegetable Man, Flaming, Arnold Layne [about a man stealing women's underwear from a clothesline]). (* Actually, I don't wonder about Arnold Layne: he's spoken about how it was about a real encounter tenants of his mother's collegiate boarding house had with a local man.)
Load More Replies... Gavin Johnson 2 months ago
I’m going to go and listen to my favourite Pink Floyd album, I’m pretty sure they are not going to reflect my struggles, might write to them and ask why they are tone deaf to my situation, then i’ll do Led Zeppelin and Metallica, I’ll round off with a bit of Rammstein, I’ll do some translation work to check if ze Germans have captured the moment. FFS it’s music.
KatSaidWhat 2 months ago
She could release a nursery rhyme and the haters gonna hate, hate, hate.
Jan 2 months ago
I have never cared for Swift or her music but is this the usual knocking someone off their pedestal that always occurs when someone is hyped up so much more than their talent deserves? I've been expecting it.
Mike Crow 2 months ago
Everyone has an opinion but there is evidence she is very talented.
Load More Replies... TCW Sam Vimes 2 months ago
Ppl should stop idolising billionaires. These individuals are nothing to aspire to. No one gets that kind of money without exploiting others in one way or another.
Mike Crow 2 months ago
They are not idolizing her for her money but for her talent.
Load More Replies... DeeDee M 2 months ago
Ummm honestly it sounds like they cherry picked comments from people who just hate TS. That’s cool, you don’t have to like her music, not everyone does, but yeesh. People are mean. That being said, I wouldn’t think the wisest course for any billionaire at the present time would be an oh-poor-me in any capacity. Probably not the best career move. At this point, a billionaire “pick-me” girl would make everyone hurl.
Steve Riddle 2 months ago
Crying All The Way to the Bank in My Rolls Royce. That's my Lyric for her lifestyle.
Alex Martin 2 months ago (edited)
I think they proved the point of the line. She's rich and powerful and also judged, criticized, and insulted. That's not glamorous at all.
KnightOwl86 2 months ago
These type of 'controversies' drive me crazy, noone has heard the album yet they're already judging. It's clearly a concept album meaning she's most likely not writing about her life from her perspective. The album will most likely be about being a performer, putting on an act on stage and always having to be 'on' despite whatever is going on behind the scenes. People need to get a grip and stop looking for drama where there is none.
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