Embarrassment isn’t something to run from. It’s actually a superpower, a teacher, a nudge and sometimes even a gift. When we dive into those moments that make us blush, we realize confidence doesn’t come from being perfect; it comes from being real. We mess up, we laugh at ourselves, we bounce back and we grow.

In this week’s Tunesday, I dive into the best song on “The Life of a Showgirl” and highlight other musical gems hidden in the shadow of Swift’s Friday release. Read up to expand your playlist with some of this weekend’s hit tracks and singles.

After two months of waiting following the album announcement on Aug. 12, the much-anticipated release of Taylor Swift’s twelfth studio album is upon us. Last night, Swift reintroduced her love affair with spectacle and storytelling through twelve tracks of a dazzling pop refresh, all wrapped up in a glittering 41 minutes.

If I hear one more person groan when the words “Taylor Swift” are uttered, as if her existence is an assault on their eardrums, I might just lose it. But here’s the thing: the people who canonize her as if she’s the sole beacon of light guiding humanity? Also crazy. Neither blind devotion nor knee-jerk disdain is interesting.

Taylor Swift’s twelfth album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” drops at midnight — here’s what we know about it now.

If you haven’t committed to a costume yet and are working as a duo this time around, allow me to assist. I’ve got low-maintenance options for couples, best friends and siblings galore. All it takes is a trip to your local Spirit — or thrift shop if you’re feeling creative!

One of the best parts of being music fans is supporting our favorite artists. We buy and listen to their music, share their new releases with our friends and make sure to purchase front row tickets for every show. Well, maybe not that last part, but for many fans, simply getting into the building to see their favorite artists can be a challenge.

As we break out our sweaters and sip our pumpkin spice, what better way to add ambience than a curated playlist of songs and artists that bring fall to life?

Swifties are celebrating, skeptics are rolling their eyes and some Baylor students say they just don’t care. The engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce — the internet’s most-watched couple — has the Baylor community divided.

Get to know the Lariat staff by learning about the love songs that hold a special meaning in their hearts.

Along with a completely revised core curriculum and new electives, the total credit hours required to complete a major or secondary major has dropped from 36 to 30. Many prerequisites, which often barred non-majors from enrolling in a course, have also been stripped.

Combs was arrested in September and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. Since his arrest in September, more than 100 alleged victims have come forward with accusations against him. In addition to these allegations, TikTok sleuths have concocted countless conspiracy theories in conjunction with the charges.

The ladies stole the show at MTV’s Video Music Awards last night, although Benson Boone’s back flip off a piano was pretty sick. But for now, we’re focusing on these fabulous fits worn by some of the most talented women in the music industry, starting with 2024’s Song of the Year winner…

If you’re searching for the ultimate finals week playlist, look no further. Here is some of the best new music to get you motivated and provide some much-needed moral support during the final stretch.

With this album, Taylor Swift sells her own misery. Without divulging the secret torture of her relationships with Matty Healy and Joe Alwyn and teasing the cute, triumphant moments with Travis Kelce (“The Alchemy”), this album wouldn’t sell as much as it has. The lore of Taylor Swift — who she dates, why they break up — keeps the machine running, not the music itself.

The first weekend of Coachella has come and gone, and even though it’s over, there’s still one more weekend to look forward to — and tons of new music that made its debut at the biggest festival of the year.

Finding people who can truly accept criticism seems to be increasingly rare. For as long as humans have been the dominant species on Earth, we have been plagued by people who cannot handle being critiqued. They get angry, defensive and dismissive. Where the true problem lies is accepting that you might be one of those people.

If you’ve been to a wedding at any point in the last decade, you’ve probably also developed an allergy to Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran. Even though those top-40 pop hits are sure to get your aunt and uncle on the dance floor, nobody wants to see them try (and fail) to do dances that haven’t been popular since you were in middle school. Here’s what to play instead, slow songs included.

In fall 2024, Dr. Sebastian Langdell and Dr. Ginger Hanchey — both medievalists, both Swifties — will teach “Lit (Taylor’s Version),” a course that promises to put the music of the generation’s biggest pop star into context with literary greats such as William Wordsworth, Virginia Woolf and Oscar Wilde.

As a woman, one of my go-to defenses against implicit sexism is repressing my feminine traits in favor of masculine ones. In classes, when I feel underestimated, I quickly bring to mind all my knowledge of football and the stock market. I make sure to hide my pink nails and try not to bring up Taylor Swift. Our “girliness” doesn’t imply inability.

Spotify Premium is $10.99 per month after the free trial. There are 226 million premium subscribers and 348 million others who suffer through minuteslong ads in order to use the free version of the platform. With that in mind, what reason is there for the platform to scrimp and save its coins like it’s Mr. Krabs or a greedy 19th-century oil tycoon?

Here’s a tough pill to swallow: Whichever idol you adore could be a completely different person in real life than they choose to project to the world. So, why do so many fans of celebrities and influencers describe, defend and bond over these stars as if they’ve spoken face to face?

There are definitely some noteworthy and deserving winners of the awards, but in general, I believe the biggest categories are given to the biggest stars. In other words, commercial success is prioritized over musical talent.

It’s the trailer that plays before every movie you’ve seen for the past three months, and it might also be the worst movie of the year.

The NFL’s tendency to show clips of Swift attending the games has sparked some controversy in both the sports world and pop culture, with many “dads, Brads and Chads” expressing disdain for her presence, from claiming games are rigged to stating she is ruining football. It’s time to stop hating on Swift for attending Chiefs games, but not for the reason you might think.

In 1961, the machine sang its first words. Surrounded by engineers and programmers, the IBM 7094 became the first computer to carry a tune. Now, as artificial intelligence sings covers of songs and creates them from nothing more than a prompt, we have come a long way since the earliest babbling of machine-generated music.

From album announcements to audience call-outs, the highly anticipated 66th Grammy Awards, hosted by Trevor Noah, is sparking attention on social media for controversial awards choices and unique celebrity outfits.

Call your grandparents, visit them, soak up all the wisdom and life stories that they have. It is truly such a gift to learn from the older generations.

Taylor Swift and other major private jet users have huge carbon footprints, but average individuals can still engage in climate-conscious behaviors that are as effective as they are fun.

Beyond the big names, 2024 is a great year for smaller, lesser-known artists beginning their touring journeys. Students commented on the tours and shows they are looking forward to the most in this upcoming year.