Taylor Swift fans defend singer amid The Life of a Showgirl cover backlash

Taylor Swift has unveiled details of her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, set for release on 3 October 3. The project will feature 12 tracks, including a collaboration with Sabrina Carpenter, and production from Max Martin, Shellback and Swift herself.

Sharing the cover art, tracklist and release date on Instagram, Swift captioned the post: “And, baby, that’s show business for you.”

_{Photo: Taylor Swift instagram}

The announcement, which received more than nine million likes, also revealed songs such as The Fate of Ophelia, Elizabeth Taylor, Father Figure and the title track featuring Carpenter.

Following the reveal, some social media users criticised Swift’s outfits in the album imagery, with comments suggesting she was imitating other artists or lowering her standards.

Remarks included comparisons to Britney Spears’ Circus era and references to Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Chappell Roan and Kylie Minogue. Others urged her to “put some clothes on” or questioned her suitability as a role model.

Fans responded on platforms including Reddit, defending the singer’s creative choices and challenging expectations placed on her image.

One user wrote: “Celebrities are not meant to be your children’s role models. Be a parent and explain bodily autonomy.” Others noted that Swift, 35, is a seasoned artist with the right to evolve her style.

Supporters online praised her reunion with Martin and Shellback, with one fan posting: “This is about to be a pop masterpiece for the ages.” Another wrote: “So so so excited for this new era! Thank you for sharing your words and your feelings with us.”