Background

The song “Elizabeth Taylor” is the second track from Taylor Swift’s twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, which was released in October 2025. While the album arrived in 2025, the track was later released as the album’s third official single in March 2026, with songwriting and production credited to Taylor Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback.

In this review of “Elizabeth Taylor,” I explore how Taylor Swift introduces the icon to a new generation, examines loneliness as a universal equalizer, and uses dramatic production to mirror the subject’s own life.

Introducing Elizabeth Taylor to a New Generation

Taylor Swift is a master storyteller. A big part of her skillset is her ability to focus on a subject matter and explore all the facets. The details are laid down clearly, with myself transported to the scene, and her description leaving little to the imagination.

I know little about Elizabeth Taylor. And I still do. But I am 1% more aware about some aspects of her life because of Taylor Swift’s songwriting, and the imagery she’s associated with based on her music video.

Elizabeth Taylor had deep blue eyes that appeared violet on screen. Portofino, Italy is where Richard Burton proposed to Elizabeth Taylor. Plaza Athenee in Paris is the hotel where the two lived together for six months in 1971. White diamonds are a nod to her signature fragrance brand and her collection of jewelry. The movie The Girl Who had Everything featured the actress in 1953. And Musso & Frank’s is a Hollywood landmark where she was a regular.

Nothing escapes her attention. And it speaks to her attention to detail and mindfulness. I wish to emulate that.

The Theme of Loneliness as an Equaliser

Taylor Swift explores a topic she knows all too well – money and loneliness. Despite having all the success, loneliness is the equaliser. This insecurity is a common theme in her discography, but also in my life.

She and Elizabeth Taylor have many things in common – wealth, public scandals, and the search for love. Swift summons Elizabeth, and welcomes us a private conversation between two women who understand the heavy weight of being famous.

The exchanges are just in her head. And while her fame and fortune are abnormal, her musings and questions are common. That’s what makes “Elizabeth Taylor” relatable.

Dramatic Production

Harps and cellos – instruments I don’t often hear in pop music. But the production trio of Swift, Martin, and Shellback know how to make a splash. With these creative choices, they make an elite and exclusive atmosphere, making the sound fancy and timeless, almost like Old Hollywood (i.e. Elizabeth Taylor).

The song is not short of dramatic production. There are moments when the music almost stops… and then explodes back in. The track feels like a high-stakes movie scene rather than just a radio track.

Conclusion

Whether or not Taylor Swift’s current relationship lasts, she can take comfort in her unmatched success. Her music is timeless, ensuring she remains as immortal as the icon she celebrates in “Elizabeth Taylor”.

Elizabeth Taylor’s son, Christopher Wilding, called Taylor Swift a “rare, positive role model”. And with her work on “Elizabeth Taylor”, I can’t help but agree.