Taylor Swift Expands 12-Track 'Showgirl' With 4-Song 'Encore' as Grammy and No. 1 Motives Swirl
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Sep 25
Taylor Swift Expands 12-Track 'Showgirl' With 4-Song 'Encore' as Grammy and No. 1 Motives Swirl
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Sep 25
Summary
Four new songs were added to Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” in “The Encore,” despite her earlier pledge that the 12-track album would not be expanded.
Swift said the tracks were written in Sweden with Max Martin and Shellback after the album’s record US opening week, framing the sessions as a gratitude-driven extension of the project.
Fan speculation has centered on two strategic aims: boosting “Showgirl” ahead of Grammy voting that starts Oct. 12 and challenging Ella Langley’s record-breaking US No. 1 run.
Reviewers said the extra songs partly answer criticism that “Showgirl” lacked hooks and was overly wordy, but argued the release further blurs the album’s original concept and extends Swift’s variant-heavy sales strategy.