Swifties, assemble. Taylor Swift just dropped her brand-new album The Life of a Showgirl, and naturally, fans are dissecting every single lyric. But the one track that has taken over timelines? Actually Romantic.
At first glance, it sounds like another emotional deep dive into heartbreak and self-reflection. But Swifties and Angels (Charli xcx stans) are convinced it’s way more shady. In fact, fans are betting it’s a straight-up diss track aimed at Charli xcx. Yep, the same Charli who’s been dominating the world since her Brat era.
So… why do fans think Taylor is shading Charli? Let’s break it down.
The Lyric Clues in ‘Actually Romantic’
Taylor doesn’t exactly name names in the song, but the digs are not subtle. Some standout lines:
- I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave.
- You said you’re glad he ghosted me.
- Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face.
- How many times has your boyfriend said ‘Why are we always talking about her?‘
Ouch. Fans immediately linked these to Charli’s track Sympathy Is a Knife from Brat, which many thought was about Taylor.
For context, here are some of Charli’s lyrics that sparked theories:
- This one girl taps my insecurities / Don’t know if it’s real or if I’m spiraling.
- Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show / Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick.
- One voice tells me that they laugh / George says, “I’m just paranoid”
At the time, Swift was dating Matty Healy (lead singer of The 1975), while Charli was engaged to George Daniel (the band’s drummer). So, yeah, the overlap was very much there.
In Actually Romantic, Taylor flips Charli’s insecurities into mock admiration, singing:
- “It sounded nasty but it feels like you’re flirting with me… it’s actually romantic / Really got to hand it to you / No man has ever loved me like you do.”
Basically, she’s saying Charli’s alleged “hate” is just obsessive love in disguise.
Fans Think Taylor’s Being Petty
On X (formerly Twitter), fans are split. Some think Taylor delivered one of the most savage clapbacks of her career, while others feel it’s just… immature.
Others argue that Charli never dragged Taylor directly and even clarified that Sympathy Is a Knife was about her own paranoia and mental health. To them, Taylor’s “response” feels like punching down.
A History of Taylor Swift and Charli XCX’s Complicated Relationship
Wondering how we got here? Let’s rewind. Their relationship has been a rollercoaster of collabs, compliments, and rumored shade.
December 2014
Taylor and Charli pose together at iHeart Radio’s Jingle Ball during peak 1989 / Boom Clap era.
February 2015
Charli covers Shake It Off on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge.
October 2015
Taylor brings Charli on stage during her 1989 World Tour stop in Toronto to perform Boom Clap.
March 2018
Taylor taps Charli and Camila Cabello as openers for the Reputation Stadium Tour.
August 2019
Uh-oh. Charli tells Pitchfork that opening for Taylor sometimes felt like “waving to five-year-olds.” Swifties weren’t thrilled. She later clarifies on Twitter that she’s still grateful and admires Taylor. “People on the internet have taken something I said out of context,” Charli wrote. She added, “I am extremely grateful to Taylor for inviting me to open for her. She’s one of the biggest artists of my generation and the Reputation tour was one of the biggest tours in history.”
September 2019
Charli softens her comments, praising Taylor on Sunday Brunch for being “an incredible businesswoman” and making tour life feel like a “girl gang.”
January 2023
Taylor makes a surprise appearance at a The 1975 show, performing Anti-Hero live for the first time. Days later, Charli pops up at another 1975 show to perform Vroom Vroom.
May 2023
Taylor and Matty Healy briefly date. Yep—the same band Charli’s now-husband George Daniel drums for.
May 2024
Charli drops her 360 music video, starring model Gabbriette Bechtel (Matty Healy’s now-fiancée). Fans notice nods to Taylor’s Bad Blood video and Gabbriette even reposts a meme mentioning it:
June 2024
Charli releases Brat, with Sympathy Is a Knife fueling speculation that it’s about Taylor.
August 2024
Charli addresses the rumors in New York Magazine, saying the song is about her own insecurities, not Taylor: “People are gonna think what they want to think,” Charli told the publication. “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 and how I don’t want to be in those situations physically when I feel self-doubt.”
Taylor is interviewed for the same piece and praises Charli’s talent, saying, “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.”
October 2025
Taylor drops The Life of a Showgirl, with Actually Romantic instantly sparking theories that it’s her clapback to Charli. Fans also point out that Charli has a track called Everything Is Romantic on Brat, making the title feel… sus.
Read the full ‘Actually Romantic’ lyrics below:
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
Some people might be offended
But it’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly wild
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
I really gotta hand it to you, ooh
No man has ever loved me like you do
Hadn’t thought 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
How many times has your boyfriend said
“Why are we always talking ’bout her?”
It’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly wild
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
I really gotta hand it to you, ooh
No man has ever loved me like you do
You think I’m tacky, baby
Stop talking dirty to me
It sounded nasty, but it
Feels like you’re flirting with me
I mind my business, God’s my witness that I don’t provoke it
It’s kind of making me wet (Oh)
‘Cause it’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly lovely
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
Really got to hand it to you, to you
No man has ever loved me like you do
It’s actually romantic (You’ve just given me so much attention; la-la-la-la)
It’s actually romantic
(It’s so) Romantic
Read the full ‘Sympathy is a Knife’ lyrics below:
I don’t wanna share this space
I don’t wanna force a smile
This one girl taps my insecurities
Don’t know if it’s real or if I’m spiraling
One voice tells me that they laugh
George says, “I’m just paranoid”
Says he just don’t see it, he’s so naive
I’m embarrassed to have it, but need the sympathy
‘Cause 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
Oh no, don’t know why
All this sympathy is just a knife
Why I can’t even grit my teeth and lie?
I feel all these feelings I can’t control
Oh no, don’t know
Why I wanna buy a gun?
Why I wanna shoot myself?
Volatile at war with my dialogue
I’d say that there was a God if they could stop this
Wild voice tearing me apart
I’m so apprehensive now
Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show
Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick
‘Cause 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
Oh no, don’t know why
All this sympathy is just a knife
Why I can’t even grit my teeth and lie?
I feel all these feelings I can’t control (oh no)
All this sympathy is just a knife
All this sympathy is just a lie
All this sympathy is just a knife
Yeah, all this sympathy is just a lie
Oh no, oh no
Why is all this sympathy a fucking knife?
Yeah, all this sympathy is just a lie
Couldn’t even be her if I tried
Oh no, oh no
So, is Actually Romantic a diss track aimed at Charli xcx? Fans think so. But whether Taylor was actually throwing shade or just trolling us all with clever wordplay, one thing is clear: this alleged feud is officially music history.
And if Taylor and Charli ever squash it publicly? You know we’d get a duet for the ages. Until then, the timeline wars on TikTok and X aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
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