Hours after the official release of Taylor Swift’s 12th album, The Life of a Showgirl, the superstar continues to tinker with her devoted fans, slowly unraveling the myth behind the lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia,” one snippet at a time.
Apparently, Elizabeth Taylor is not the only old Hollywood muse that has influenced Swift’s showgirl days. In a recent clip shared by Taylor Nation on Instagram, the singer wears a sparkling red bodysuit, a platinum blonde bob wig, and even a beauty mark painted over her upper lip.
It’s creepy to resemble iconic movie star Marilyn Monroe.
Like Ophelia in “Hamlet,” Monroe herself was a tragic figure. Despite reaching the pinnacle of many famous romances and stardom, Monroe suffered from depression and substance abuse, leading to a drug overdose death at the age of 36 in 1962.
Can Swift, who turned 36 in December, evoke Monroe’s popularity and the lore of early ending mise as Ophelia’s celebrity version?
The red sparkle and sparkle throughout Swift’s showgirl era album artwork are featured in the costume, a combination of ruby-covered leotard and opera-length gloves that make Marileen come by chance (one of many worn out on the course of a full-length music video).
Luckily, in Taylor’s version of events, she believes she saved her fiancé Travis Kelse from a similar fate. “And if you didn’t come for me/I could have owned melancholy,” she sings, evoking both the fateful Shakespeare character and the iconic Hollywood actress.
Fans are undoubtedly overjoyed, but they were delighted that Swift avoided the tragic ending hinted at in the song, but Swift around the world still has decided the fate of the album.
Where does Taylor Swift fall between his individual ages? With mixed reviews following the full “Life of A Showgirl” drop in the middle of the night, it’s hard to say whether this album fits all Razzle-Dazzle.
This time, we need more than Travis to lift this showgirl to new heights.
