The Life of a Showgirl Prelude: The Prologue

2026-01-20

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Before we rank the songs. Before we dissect lyrics. Before we take a peek behind the curtain… We’re starting where Taylor Swift wanted us to start: the prologue. In this episode of 13: A Taylor Swift Fan Podcast, we gather around the opening poetry of The Life of a Showgirl—the interconnected prologues released across the album’s five variants—and discuss the meaning behind them. These poems aren’t just bonus content. They’re a thesis statement. A behind-the-curtain look at what it means to live, love, perform, en...

Before we rank the songs.

Before we dissect lyrics.

Before we take a peek behind the curtain…

We’re starting where Taylor Swift wanted us to start: the prologue.

In this episode of 13: A Taylor Swift Fan Podcast, we gather around the opening poetry of The Life of a Showgirl—the interconnected prologues released across the album’s five variants—and discuss the meaning behind them. These poems aren’t just bonus content. They’re a thesis statement. A behind-the-curtain look at what it means to live, love, perform, endure, and choose this life again and again.

We break down each prologue piece by piece, the imagery, the metaphors, and the emotional weight behind lines that pull back the glitter to reveal the cost of show business. This episode unpacks how Taylor frames the entire album before a single song even plays.

We discuss:• How the five variant poems form one cohesive story• The physical, emotional, and psychological toll of life onstage• The crowd as comfort and threat• The quiet joy and grounding love woven into the chaos• What these poems tell us about where Taylor was—and who she is now

This episode is intentionally the foundation for everything to come. It’s the lens through which the rest of The Life of a Showgirl should be heard. If you’ve ever skipped the prologue, this is your sign not to. And if you’ve read it before, trust us—you haven’t heard it like this.

Pull up a chair.Read between the lines.The curtain is officially up.

The Life of a Showgirl era begins here.

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