EXCLUSIVE: How Taylor Swift 'Used Her New Album Title' to 'Finally Get Revenge' on Kanye West
Taylor Swift may have taken a not-so-subtle dig at Kanye West with her new album.
Aug. 22 2025, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
Taylor Swift has secretly used the title of her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, to have a dig at her old enemy Kanye West, sources tell RadarOnline.com.
Insiders say it’s a calculated nod – and a quiet strike – against the off-the-rails rapper.
Swift's album title is similar to one of West's.
'Taylor doesn’t waste moves," said one source close to the singer. "If there’s an opportunity to reclaim a narrative, she’ll take it."
The 35-year-old announced her 12th studio album during an appearance on her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast, describing it as an upbeat, vibrant follow-up to The Tortured Poets Department.
Within hours, social media was awash with theories linking the title to West’s 2016 record The Life of Pablo. Both titles begin with "The Life of…" and both carry bold orange artwork – a parallel many believe is no accident, given the pair’s fraught history.
Has Swift Been Planning Her Revenge?
Swift has fans swooning for her upcoming release.
A long-time friend of Swift’s claimed: "That VMA moment humiliated her. She’s not sitting around plotting revenge every day, but if she can subtly flip the script, she will.
"Having her album pop up before his when people search that phrase is exactly the kind of poetic justice she enjoys."
Swift and West’s feud dates back to the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, when the rapper hijacked her acceptance speech for the Best Music Video gong by declaring Beyoncé “had one of the best videos of all time.”
Swift later admitted she had been "really excited' to see him on stage before realizing he had come to undermine her win.
The incident became one of the most infamous in award-show history, sparking years of public and private clashes.
Is There A Hidden Meaning In Her Album Title?
Swift wanted no part of what she called a 'sleazy sideshow.'
Some fans also see the title choice as an "Easter egg" aimed directly at West.
One popular post on X reads: "Taylor naming her album 'The Life of a Showgirl' to show up before Kanye’s 'The Life of Pablo' in search results… her mind!”
But another asked: "Is she that level of petty?"
A music industry insider summed up the chatter around the album title by saying: "Taylor doesn’t need to spell it out. The people who know, know. And Kanye definitely knows."
In her New Heights podcast appearance, Swift also shared new details about her relationship with Kelce, 35. She recalled how the NFL star first tried to meet her at her Eras Tour show in Kansas City, only to miss the chance.
Swift's Podcast Appearance Leads To Fan Frenzy
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She announced the new album on boyfriend Travis Kelce's podcast.
Later, he used his podcast to publicly declare he wanted to date her. "This felt more like I was in an ’80s John Hughes movie," she said. "If this guy isn’t crazy – which is a big if, this is sort of what I've been writing songs about wanting to happen to me since I was a teenager."
The singer also described the emotional moment she bought back the rights to her first six albums in May. Rather than sending a legal team, she dispatched her mother and brother to negotiate.
They told them the whole story of all the times we’ve tried to buy it," she said. When she learned the deal was done, she "very dramatically hit the floor" and cried.
Kelce offered his own review of The Life of a Showgirl on the podcast by saying: "It’s so much fun … a lot more upbeat and a lot more fun pop excitement. I think it’s a complete 180 from a lot of the songs on Tortured Poets."
