Taylor Swift dismissed fan speculation that his song “Actually Romantic” is from his twelfth studio album The life of a showgirl it was targeted Charli XCX.
The track gained attention upon release for its opening lyrics: “I heard you call me ‘boring Barbie’ when coke makes you brave. You high-fived my ex and then said you’re glad he ghosted me.” Although the lyrics don’t mention anyone by name, many fans assumed it was Swift’s response Charli XCX“Sympathy is a Knife” from her Snotlout album.
However, in an audio commentary provided to Amazon Music, Swift clarified that the song was not a diss track, but rather a “one-sided rivalry.” He explained, “‘Actually Romantic’ is about realizing that someone has been competing with you without you knowing. Then, all of a sudden, he reveals it and you realize you’ve always been living rent-free in his mind.”
Speaking to the BBC, Swift added, “As I grew up, I came to think, ‘Wow, how kind of them to think so much of me, even negatively.’ In my sector, attention is affection and they gave me a lot of it.”
The alleged feud between Taylor and Charlie dates back to 2024, when fans believed Charlie“Sympathy is a Knife” by “Sympathy is a Knife” references Swift’s short-lived relationship with 1975It’s Matty Healy. In 2019, Charlie she had also faced backlash from Swifties after commenting on the young age of Swift’s concert audiences.
Charliehowever, he denied targeting Fastinsisting: “‘Sympathy is a Knife’ is about me and my anxiety and the stories my brain makes up when I feel insecure. People will think what they want, but it’s not about her.”
Despite the fan-driven drama, both artists have spoken positively about each other in the past. In June 2024, Charlie publicly defended Fast when fans in Brazil chanted “Taylor Swift is dead” during a concert, urging them to stop. Two months later, Fast praised Charlie in an interview with Vulture, saying: “I have been fascinated by Charli since the first time I heard ‘Stay Away’ in 2011. Her lyrics are always surreal and creative.”
