Did Taylor Swift diss Charli XCX in 'Actually Romantic'?
What's the story
Taylor Swift's latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, has sparked speculation among fans about possible feuds with fellow pop star Charli XCX. The song Actually Romantic features lyrics that some believe are directed at XCX. In the first verse, Swift sings about a fellow songwriter who called her "boring Barbie" and high-fived her ex-boyfriend before saying he ghosted her. XCX having a song titled Everything Is Romantic is further boosting the speculation.
Song interpretation
What else does Swift sing in 'Actually Romantic'?
The lyrics continue with Swift saying that this person wrote her a song expressing their disgust at seeing her face. She then sings, "All the time you've spent on me / It's honestly wild / All the effort you've put in / It's actually romantic." Later in the song, Swift wonders how many times this person's boyfriend has asked why they always talk about her. "You just give me so much... attention," she sings.
Fan theories
Fans speculate on the meaning
Fans have speculated that XCX is the subject of Actually Romantic. One user posted on X (formerly Twitter), "actually romantic is definitely about charli xcx omggg." Another fan disagreed with the diss interpretation, writing, "Actually Romantic actually being really fun and tongue-in-cheek omg y'all need to loosen up that was rlly cute." A third fan speculated, "It's kinda clear that actually romantic is about some behind-the-scenes stuff with charli and her friends we don't know about."
Artist relationship
History of collaboration between Swift, XCX
Swift and XCX have a history of collaborating. In 2018, XCX opened for Swift on her Reputation Stadium Tour. After the tour, she told Pitchfork that performing felt like "getting up onstage and waving to 5-year-olds." However, she later apologized to Swift's fans on Twitter. Last year, Swift praised XCX in an interview with New York Magazine, calling her writing "surreal and inventive" and praising her melodic sensibilities since first hearing Stay Away in 2011.