Posted 59 minutes agoSubscribe to Taylor Swift NewsletterCaret DownPeople Are Comparing Taylor Swift And Lorde's Seriously Differing Responses To Charli XCX's Songs About Them, And It's Genuinely Fascinating"Your life seemed so awesome, I never thought for a second my voice was in your head."by Stephanie SoteriouBuzzFeed StaffFacebookPinterestLinkHot Topic🔥 Full coverage and conversation on Taylor Swift As I am sure you've heard by now, Taylor Swift released her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, on Friday, and people think that there's a diss track about Charli XCX on it. Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images If you need reminding, Charli and Taylor have been pitted against each other ever since Charli supported Taylor on her Reputation tour in 2018, with Charli sparking backlash when she later told Pitchfork: "I'm really grateful that Taylor asked me on that tour, but as an artist, it kind of felt like I was getting up on stage and waving to 5-year-olds." She later clarified that her comment had been taken out of context, saying on social media she just meant she was used to performing 18+ club shows, and the younger audience at Taylor's concert had a different energy. Charli also said she had "no shade and only love" toward Taylor, adding: "She's one of the biggest artists of my generation and the Reputation tour was one of the biggest tours in history." However, the drama came back to the forefront last year with the release of Charli's critically acclaimed album Brat, with many interpreting her song "Sympathy Is a Knife" to be about the insecurities that Taylor evokes in her. Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images It was released after Taylor's brief romance with Matty Healy, who is bandmates with Charli's now-husband, George Daniel. The song is all about how another woman makes Charli feel inadequate, with the British star singing: "I don't wanna share this space / I don't wanna force a smile / This one girl taps my insecurities.""George says, 'I'm just paranoid,'" she goes on. "I couldn't even be her if I tried / I'm opposite, I'm on the other side / I feel all these feelings I can't control.""Don't wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend's show," the song continues. "Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick."Charli was asked about the speculation that the track is about Taylor in an interview with Vulture, where she said: "People are gonna think what they want to think." She then reiterated that the song is actually about her own insecurities above all else, explaining: "That song is about me and my feelings and my anxiety and the way my brain creates narratives and stories in my head when I feel insecure."It's worth mentioning that when Charli's fans started a disturbing chant against Taylor at a live show, she made it clear that she did not condone the behavior. She posted on her Instagram story at the time: "can the people who do this please stop. online or at my shows. it is the opposite of what i want and it disturbs me that anyone would think there is room for this in this community. i will not tolerate it." Meanwhile, there didn't appear to be any bad blood on Taylor's side either, with the star actively singing Charli's praises in the Vulture piece, which was published in August 2024. She said at the time: "I've been blown away by Charli's melodic sensibilities since I first heard 'Stay Away' in 2011. Her writing is surreal and inventive, always. She just takes a song to places you wouldn't expect it to go, and she's been doing it consistently for over a decade. I love to see hard work like that pay off." Don Arnold / Getty Images Taylor was then filmed enthusiastically dancing during Charli's performance at the Grammys back in February, which was just eight months ago - and that's why people were shocked to discover that Tay seemingly takes aim at Charli in her song "Actually Romantic." The track opens with the lyrics: "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 / Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face." AZLyrics / Via azlyrics.com At this point, it should be said that Taylor suggested that Matty ghosted her on her 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department, which implies that the ex mentioned is indeed her and Charli's mutual connection. BuzzFeed TrendingHot TopicThink you're Blondie's biggest fan? Put your ~reputation~ to the test.
See our Taylor Swift Discussions In the song's chorus, Taylor repeats that she finds the subject's fixation on her "sweet" and "actually romantic," she sings: "I really got to hand it to you / No man has ever loved me like you do / I didn't think of you in a long time / But you keep sending me funny valentines / And I know you think it comes off vicious / But it's precious, adorable / Like a toy chihuahua barking at me from a tiny purse / That's how much it hurts." AZLyrics / Via azlyrics.com "How many times has your boyfriend said: 'Why are we always tal