Taylor Swift has shared insights into the response from Elizabeth Taylor’s estate regarding her use of the legendary star’s name in one of her tracks from Life of a Showgirl.
During her appearance on the Monday, October 6 episode of Radio 2’s Breakfast Show, Swift, 35, described the estate’s reaction as “lovely.” She explained the approval process, noting she generally informs the subject or their estate if her songs are about “real people.”
The second song, called “Elizabeth Taylor,” delves into the unrelenting scrutiny that surrounds high-profile fame—a shared experience between Swift and Taylor. One lyric captures this sentiment: “Oftentimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me / All the right guys promised they’d stay / Under bright lights, they withered away, but you bloom.”
She further reflects, “Elizabeth Taylor / Do you think it’s forever? Tell me, do you think it’s forever?”
Their mutual experiences of public examination regarding relationships and love lives resonate deeply. Swift’s lyrical exploration echoes Taylor’s own complex romantic history—the actress having famously walked down the aisle eight times with seven different men.
Taylor’s marriages included hotel magnate Conrad Hilton and Eddie Fisher, father of the late Carrie Fisher, along with two unions with Richard Burton.
Not only were Swift’s creative endeavors endorsed by the estate, but they also unveiled a limited edition orange crewneck sweatshirt emblazoned with “Elizabeth Taylor,” celebrating the song. The bright hue mirrors the vibrant orange used in Swift’s promotional campaign for The Life of a Showgirl, as well as the album’s cover design. This sweater offers an alternative to their previous black sweatshirt featuring Taylor’s handwritten name in purple.
Elizabeth Taylor Archive Photos/Getty Images
Since the album’s release on Friday, October 3, Swift has been actively promoting it. She posted behind-the-scenes images from the studio on her Instagram on October 6, sharing, “Being in the studio and creating these songs was an unforgettable experience.”
She reflected, “Luckily I don’t ever have to forget it, because I was recording while we were writing—and now it’s a way to look back on the process and give you guys a glimpse into how we wrote these songs and hear the moments we thought of these ideas in real time.”
In one of the images, Swift appears to be singing lyrics directly from her phone, while producer Max Martin accompanies her on piano. In another shot, she takes her turn at the piano while Martin seems to guide her creatively with hand gestures.
On the same day, she announced the release of The Life of a Showgirl (DELUXE Alone In My Tower Acoustic Version) for a limited time of 24 hours on iTunes, which features “The Life of a Showgirl” along with “original songwriting voice memos” divided into act 1 and act 2, additionally offering “The Fate of Ophelia (Alone in My Tower Acoustic Version)” and “Eldest Daughter (Now You’re Home Acoustic Version).”
