NEED TO KNOW
- Taylor Swift interpolated George Michael’s hit song “Father Figure” on her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl
- Following its release, the singer shared that “Father Figure” was written about “the flipping of the power dynamics”
- Some fans are speculating it was written about Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta
The Life of a Showgirl hears Taylor Swift sing about a “Father Figure” — but who exactly is the pop star referring to?
Nearly two months after announcing that her 12th studio album was on its way, The Life of a Showgirl was officially released on Oct. 3. The album — which the Grammy winner has described as having “completely intentional” lyrics — includes 12 brand new tracks, including “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite” and “Wi$h Li$t.”
When she first announced the title of Track 4, “Father Figure,” fans naturally noticed that it shared its name with the iconic track by the late George Michael. One day before the album’s release, Swift got the official stamp of approval from the late singer’s team, as his official Instagram account posted a letter saying they were “delighted” when Swift and her team approached them about it.
“When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same,” the letter read.
But rather than sampling Michael’s song, she interpolates it with her own version, one that fans think is loaded with some hidden messages about real people in her life.
So, who is Taylor Swift’s “Father Figure” about? Here are the lyrics of The Life of a Showgirl‘s Track 4, decoded.
What is Taylor Swift’s “Father Figure” about?
In Track 4, “Father Figure,” Swift sings about a character swinging their BDE around and making “deals with the devil.”
During an Oct. 3 appearance on BBC1, Swift shared that “Father Figure” is a way of talking about “power structures and the flipping of the power dynamics.”
In the Amazon Music Track by Track version of The Life of a Showgirl, Swift shared that the lyrics of “Father Figure” are her “favorite,” and that they include things she’s “always wanted to say.”
“It was a blast to write,” she said. “I love stepping into a character like that.”
Who did Taylor Swift write “Father Figure” about?
Swift has not confirmed who “Father Figure” was written about, but that hasn’t stopped fans from theorizing online.
Some listeners are speculating that the song was written from the perspective of Swift’s former mentor, Big Machine Records CEO Scott Borchetta.
During an Oct. 3 appearance on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, Swift said the track is a metaphor about the way “men move through the world in a sense of power.”
“You kind of can’t tell if I’m singing from the perspective of the ingénue or of the father figure mentor character, and that’s by design,” she said.
What happened between Scott Borchetta and Taylor Swift?
When Swift signed with Borchetta’s record label at 15 years old, the pair had a seemingly close relationship as she rose to fame in the years to follow. But in 2019, their relationship reached a turning point when Borchetta sold Big Machine Records to Scooter Braun in a reported $300 million deal — a move that gave Braun control of Swift’s first six albums.
The sale sparked a highly publicized battle between Swift and her former label, and ultimately motivated the singer to re-record her first six albums as a way to reclaim ownership of her catalog.
That same day, Swift reacted to the sale in a lengthy message on Tumblr, revealing that she had pleaded “for years” with Borchetta for the chance to own her masters. Instead, she was offered what she described as an ultimatum: re-sign with Big Machine and “earn” one album back for every new one she delivered.
In the letter, Swift also shared that although she knew Borchetta would one day sell her masters after leaving the label, she never imagined it would’ve been to Braun.
“Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter,” she wrote. “Any time Scott Borchetta has heard the words ‘Scooter Braun’ escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to. He knew what he was doing; they both did.”
Six years later, Swift announced that she had reclaimed control of her masters, writing in a letter that it is her “greatest dream come true.”
If “Father Figure” is about Borchetta, it wouldn’t be the first time her feud with him and Braun would find its way into a song. “My Tears Ricochet,” a song from her eighth studio album Folklore, is believed to be Swift’s reflection on leaving Big Machine Records and the pain she felt over Borchetta’s betrayal.
For more on Taylor Swift, pick up PEOPLE’s newly updated special edition Taylor Swift A to Z: A Showgirl’s Life, out now.
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