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In September 2024, we saw Karol G get Taylor Swift dancing merengue when she performed Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido at the MTV VMAs. At that moment, the Latin queen and the Anglo star made it clear there was great chemistry between them.

That doesn’t seem to be the case among their fandoms, which are already at war over the new eras of both artists. First, it was the Colombian who surprised the world with Tropicoqueta, an album accompanied by a very folkloric, cabaret-inspired aesthetic in shades of orange—a choice that didn’t escape criticism.

When Taylor Swift hinted that her new era would also be orange, comparisons started immediately. Now that she has revealed details about The Life of a Showgirl, the album she will release on October 3, those comparisons have become even more evident.

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copiada monumental de taylor swift a karol g,,,, pero no vais a decir nada porque siempre criticáis a las latinas pic.twitter.com/XofG2wV9zX

— adri superstar ⋆｡˚☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩ (@akaterepineda) August 12, 2025

Comparisons Between Karol G’s and Taylor Swift’s Aesthetics

The American singer has shown the four covers of her new work and the visual concept dominating this project. And yes, it’s hard to say they don’t look alike. There are certain similarities in both concept and poses and outfits, which have filled social media with side-by-side comparisons highlighting all these parallels.

However, it’s important to note that Karol G’s Tropicoqueta comes from its own universe built around Colombian folklore, following a trend embraced by many Latin artists like Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro, and which in the Hispanic mainstream was pioneered by figures such as Camila Cabello or Rosalía. Taylor’s studio work, however—though we’ll have to wait to fully analyze it—seems to draw more from a broader vision of the entertainment world and the role of women within it, approaching the showgirl concept from a more cabaret-inspired perspective, which in turn further underscores this vision.

Behind the Curtain of Swift’s New Era

Swift has explained that the album’s cover—featuring her lying in water in an ornate, jewel-encrusted gown with only her face and wrist visible—represents her quiet, offstage moments at the end of a performance day. Each show on tour followed the same rhythm, she said, just in a different city, and always ended with a ritual soak in the bathtub (though not usually in such extravagant attire). For her, the record captures “everything happening behind the curtain” and the life beyond the spotlights.

Much of the project was written during her Eras Tour, with Swift slipping away to Sweden between concerts to work with longtime collaborators Max Martin and Shellback. She described the process as a paradoxical mix of physical exhaustion and creative exhilaration—what boyfriend Travis Kelce summed up as “literally living the life of a showgirl.”

It’s difficult to talk about plagiarism when these kinds of projects are planned so far in advance. In fact, even during The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift already had the concept for this new album in mind and ended the tour exiting through an orange door—matching some of the outfits she had worn on stage for months. She already had the color of her new era set, and, as she’s now revealed, the album’s concept as well.

It’s clear the overlap is purely visual, because based on what the singer has previewed, musically the two works will have little in common. We’ll still have to wait to hear it, but the fact that it was produced alongside Max Martin and Shellback, and her comments about “infectiously joyful” melodies, give us an idea. It doesn’t have the folkloric concept Karol champions.

The Latin community has brought up the criticism the Colombian artist received, wondering if Taylor Swift will now be subject to the same treatment. The debate is open on social media.

Beyond the similarities, the truth is that both have put forward compelling proposals that represent a step forward in the industry. Now all that’s left is for both to announce tours—so the frenzy can reach its peak.