Skip to main content

Charli XCX’s name keeps coming up in the conversation around Taylor Swift’s new album because of the song “Actually Romantic.” Many have speculated that the song is a response to Charli’s song “Sympathy Is a Knife.” After fans have spent days discussing a potential feud between Charli and Swift, the former posted a video indicating she was in the studio.

Taylor Swift seemed to take a shot at Charli XCX on her new album

One of the more controversial songs on Swift’s deeply divisive album The Life of a Showgirl is “Actually Romantic.” Per the BBC, Swift said the song is “a love letter to someone who hates you.”

Many fans have assumed Charli’s song “Sympathy Is a Knife” is about Swift making her feel insecure. After the album release, she told fans she didn’t see the song as a diss track. Instead, she described it as an exploration of the way she speaks to herself in her head. 

Still, in “Actually Romantic,” Swift seemed to respond.

“I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave/High-fived my ex and then you said you’re glad he ghosted me,” she sings. 

Both Swift and Charli’s fans have dissected the lyrics and the relationship between the pop stars. While neither of the artists has spoken out about the rumored feud, Charli posted a video of herself in the studio. This led many to wonder if she was working on a response.

Fans are reacting to the rumored feud between Taylor Swift and Charli XCX 

Fans on both sides have reacted strongly to the rumored feud. Some of Charli’s fans have embraced the “Boring Barbie” nickname for Swift and say she misinterpreted “Sympathy Is a Knife.” Swift’s fans have criticized Charli and celebrated the song’s lyrics. Many have also wondered if the issues between the two women go beyond what the public knows.

“Their personal lives and careers have crossed paths for the better part of a decade, so no doubt there’s more to it,” wrote one Reddit user. “The issue is that Taylor thought ‘Sympathy is a Knife’ gave her carte blanche to say what she wanted to say about Charli instead of responding to actual theme of the song, hence the mixed response.”

Related

Selena Gomez Said Friendship With Taylor Swift Was the Best Thing She Got Out of Her Romance With Nick Jonas

Some of Swift’s fans compared “Actually Romantic” to Kendrick Lamar’s blistering “Meet the Grahams.” Others said they hoped Charli was in the studio working on her own version of the song.  Still, many people said they found the feud to be a little ridiculous.

“Apart from all the discourse about the track itself and if the response was justified or not… it seems like a lot of people are living rent free in Taylors head for years, so this is kinda ironic for her to say lol,” wrote one person.

She said her new music will sound different than anything she’s done before

Charli is currently working on her follow-up to 2024’s Brat. She said her new album will sound different than her last one.

“We’re kinda deep in it now, and I think it’s gonna be really amazing,” she said, per NME. “It feels really different and fresh at the moment.”

She acknowledged that this could impact sales, but she wants to continue to push herself creatively.

“You can never really do the same thing twice and my next record will probably be a flop which I’m down for to be honest.”

Best in News