Taylor Swift has released her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, and on the track “Actually Romantic,” she seemingly takes aim at Charli XCX.
The origins of their apparent “beef” began last year when Charli XCX released her acclaimed album Brat, which featured the song “Sympathy is a knife.” While not explicitly referencing Swift (or really a “diss track,” at that), the song captures Charli XCX expressing her anxiety towards an unnamed woman, singing “This one girl taps my insecurities” and later “Don’t want to see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show/ Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick.” The latter line particularly signals a reference to Swift: Charli’s now-husband is The 1975’s George Daniel, and Swift and 1975 singer Matty Healy were rumored to be dating back in 2023.
Now, on “Actually Romantic,” Swift has seemingly responded: “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” go the first lines of the song, likely referencing Charli and Healy’s friendship with “high-fived my ex.” Swift continues, singing “You wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face/ Some people might be offended/ But it’s actually sweet.”
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She proceeds, likening the perceived slander to positive attention: “Really got to hand it to you/ No man has ever loved me like you do/ It’s actually romantic,” goes the chorus, with the latter line and title a likely reference to Charli’s Brat track “Everything is romantic.” Swift even takes it to a whole new level when she busts out the line “It’s kind of making me wet.” Okay! Listen to the track below.
Swift and Charli XCX aren’t exactly longtime rivals, nor former friends turned sour. Charli opened for Swift on the 2018 “Reputation Tour,” but in a Pitchfork interview the following year admitted the experience “kind of felt like getting up and waving to 5-year-olds.” She later clarified that remark, expressing gratitude to Swift for the opportunity and attributing her comment to the mismatch between their fanbases.
The Life of a Showgirl is out everywhere now. Pick up a vinyl copy here.