Who is Kitty in Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl”?

Taylor Swift is back with her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, sparking endless theories about the Easter eggs and inspirations for each tune. While many songs seemingly shout out Swift’s fiancé Travis Kelce, others touch on topics like cancel culture and an alleged feud with Charli XCX.

But it’s the title track, which is also the album’s closer, that really stands out. In her first collaboration with pop princess Sabrina Carpenter, Swift examines the dark side of fame by telling the tale of a woman named Kitty.

Since we all know the 14-time Grammy winner isn’t shy about weaving real-life experiences into her music, who exactly is Kitty in “The Life of a Showgirl”? Read on as we uncover her identity and what her story tells listeners.

Who is Kitty in “The Life of a Showgirl”?

On Amazon Music’s “Track by Track” edition of TLOAS, Swift offers commentary on each song and explains what she’s trying to convey through the music. Regarding the title track, the singer confirms that Kitty is a “fictional showgirl.” 

But in the “Fate of Ophelia” music video, a clapboard is pictured with the name “Kitty Finlay,” a reference to Swift’s maternal side of her family. Finlay was her mother’s maiden name, and the surname for her famous grandmother, Marjorie Finlay. This Easter egg suggests this is yet another instance of Swift channeling real people and experiences into her imagined worlds.

In the first verse, Swift sings, “Her name was Kitty / Made her money being pretty and witty / They gave her the keys to this city / Then they said she didn’t do it legitly, oh / I bought a ticket / She’s dancing in her garters and fishnets / Fifty in the cast, zero missteps / Looking back, I guess it was kismet.”

These lines paint a vivid picture of Kitty, a woman whose beauty and talent propel her into the spotlight. She is portrayed as both stunning and clever, yet the verse highlights how women in the public eye are often undermined, overlooked, or accused of cutting corners regardless of their success.

What does “The Life of a Showgirl” reveal about Kitty?

Swift goes further in the “Track by Track” commentary, explaining that her character in the song becomes incredibly inspired by Kitty after witnessing one of her performances.

“But rather than responding with fakeness, she tells it like it is,” Swift said. “She kind of warns me off this lifestyle because it’s much more than just the glitter and the glamour. There’s a lot else that comes with it, so it’s kind of an ode to show business and the women who move through those pitfalls and obstacle courses.” 

This dynamic becomes crystal clear in the chorus, where Swift’s character tells Kitty she’s living her dream, and Kitty responds, “Hey, thank you for the lovely bouquet / You’re sweeter than a peach / But you don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe / And you’re never, ever gonna / Wait, the more you play, the more that you pay / You’re softer than a kitten, so / You don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe / And you’re never gonna wanna.”

Kitty’s warning emphasizes the hidden costs of pursuing the life of a showgirl, arguing that the sacrifices necessary to achieve fame aren’t always worth it. Plus, the notion of being “softer than a kitten” captures the innocence and naivety of those who don’t truly understand what it takes to be in the limelight.

“I’ve had so many people try to give me that warning,” Swift said in commentary for The Official Release Party of a Showgirl film. “Anybody who’s ever made it in music has had a lot of people give them that warning… that it’s not all flowers and magic. There’s a lot else that you have to endure. But the song tells the story of being inspired by someone and then being warned by them. And do you choose to take that advice or not?”

Carpenter then takes over, fleshing out Kitty’s fictional backstory and revealing the elements that shaped the showgirl. Described as “a menace” and “the baby of the family in Lenox,” Kitty’s home life was far from perfect. 

“Her father w—– around like all men did / Her mother took pills and played tennis,” Carpenter sings, showing how Kitty’s difficult upbringing helps us understand the real person behind her flashy image.

Haunted by an unhealthy upbringing, Kitty craved a “taste of a magnificent life” and was willing to “sell [her] soul” for a chance at fame. But as the song makes clear, the bright lights of show business often mask something more disturbing. “That’s not what showgirls get / They leave us for dead,” Carpenter and Swift sing together.

What happens to Taylor’s character in “The Life of a Showgirl”?

Despite Kitty’s warnings, Swift’s character ultimately chose to embrace the life of a showgirl. She recognizes the challenges and compromises that come with this lifestyle, yet she still accepts it as their own, proudly declaring that she “wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The final chorus reinforces this complicated acceptance, as Swift sings, “Thank you for the lovely bouquet / I’m married to the hustle / And now I know the life of a showgirl, babe / And I’ll never know another.”

Though the pain is “hidden by the lipstick and lace,” the pop singer owns their choice to make money by “being pretty and witty” and to devote their lives to the stage.

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