The theater buzzed with excitement as fans donning their friendship bracelets and Eras Tour merch danced in their seats and hummed along at AMC Theatres on Memorial Boulevard this weekend for the official release party of Taylor Swift’s newest album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Despite backlash from listeners on platforms such as X and TikTok over how the album was marketed versus how it actually sounded, Swift still took theaters by storm in terms of ticket sales. 

The release party made $34 million in domestic box office sales, according to AMC Theatres. 

This wasn’t the first time AMC had success partnering with Swift. In 2023, AMC hosted several showings of her “The Eras Tour” film, which broke box office records that year.

The party had something for everyone, as MTSU student Jordin McClanahan and her friends, Lana Mount and Reagan Nolan, spoke about what each of them enjoyed from the event. 

“I love when she dives deep into literature and all of the references,” Mount said. “Each time you listen to [Swift’s music], you catch onto something else.” 

McClanahan said that she enjoyed the Sabrina Carpenter parts in “The Life of a Showgirl” lyric video, while Nolan loved that the music video was being broken down and she could see the thought process behind it.

The event provided fans with an inside look at the creation of the new album and Swift’s creative process. It included the world premiere of the music video for the album’s first track, “The Fate of Ophelia.” Attendees also saw brand new lyric videos and commentary on each song from Swift herself. 

Before the music started, a video of Swift appeared, accompanied by commentary on why the album was so special to her. Swift said that one of those reasons was the community of people she got to work with, some of whom helped out on the Eras tour.

“All of the performers you saw on that stage [The Eras Tour] are back in this music video,” Swift said. “As well as so many of the people who worked behind the scenes to create the Eras Tour.” 

The music video showcases the singer in several scenes, each representing a different era of showgirl women in show business, from dancers to actresses. It opens with Swift as an oil painting of Ophelia, the tragic love interest of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,’”and continues over several other sets, ranging from a 1970s lounge to a hotel room bellhop party. 

Swift mentioned how she came up with the songs as the audience journeyed through the album. She said what she loves about each song and what they mean to her. It was clear from her words that she poured her heart and experiences into every lyric, chord and melody.

One song that stood out was “Opalite,” written in reference to her mom, who has been a significant part of her musical journey. But the song is also a reference to finding your own happiness. 

“I really loved the idea that the sort of man-made gemstone jewel is also a metaphor for choosing your own path to happiness,” Swift said.

The Grammy winner is known for incorporating her personal relationships into her music, and this album is no exception. With the lyrics on tracks such as “Wi$h Li$t,” “Honey” and “Wood,” there is no denying that Swift has found a special match in Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce.

The album ends with the title track, “The Life of a Showgirl,” featuring Sabrina Carpenter. Swift guided fans through a fictional story of a showgirl named Kitty and an adoring fan who wants to be just like her.

“The song kind of tells the story of being inspired by someone, and then being warned by them,” Swift said. “Do you choose to take that advice or not?”

Swift chose to add Carpenter to the song due to their friendship and Carpenter’s demonstrated resilience in the music industry.

“I feel like the lyrics were a little downplayed from her previous stuff, but I feel like it’s very poppy and what she was on 1989,” Nolan said, describing the album.

Even though the negative comments haven’t seemed to slow down, Swift continues to unite people through her music and remind fans that the hate is “Actually Romantic.”

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