Gina Vivinetto is a trending news reporter for TODAY.com
A Taylor Swift album wouldn’t be complete without a song about her critics — and “The Life of A Showgirl” doesn’t disappoint. Swift's 12th studio album, released earlier this month, features the mocking 'Actually Romantic,' which tells the story of a fractured relationship between two songwriters.
Swift's protagonist kicks things off by acknowledging she knows a certain someone scornfully refers to her as 'boring Barbie' behind her back. The song's chorus then accuses that person of spending so much time thinking of her, it's 'actually romantic.' Many Swifties believe 'Actually Romantic' is about British singer Charli XCX, Swift's one-time opening act whose 2024 song 'Sympathy Is a Knife' is widely believed to be about Swift. The two women started off as apparent friends more than a decade ago with Swift, now 35, notably inviting Charli XCX, 33, to join her on her “Reputation Stadium Tour.' What's the status of the dynamic between the two chart-topping singer-songwriters now? Here's a look back at Taylor Swift and Charli XCX's friendship. December 2014: Taylor Swift and Charli XCX Are Photographed Together Swift and Charli XCX looked like bosom buddies when they were snapped together backstage at the iHeart Radio’s Jingle Ball concert at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 12, 2014, in New York City. Swift was already dominating the pop charts in those days while Charli XCX was an up and comer thanks to 'Boom Clap,' her first solo Top 10 hit in the United States. Februrary 2015: Charli XCX Covers Swift's Hit 'Shake it Off' on BBC Radio Charli XCX seemingly paid tribute to Swift when she performed a cover of her hit 'Shake it Off' during a live performance on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge. October 2015: Swift Invites Charli XCX Onstage to Sing 'Boom Clap' Swift invited Charli XCX to join her onstage to sing the British singer's hit “Boom Clap' during a '1989 World Tour' stop in Toronto, Canada. 2018: Charli XCX Opened for Swift on Her 'Reputation' Tour Swift chose Charli XCX and Camila Cabello to be her opening acts on her 2018 'Reputation Stadium Tour.' The two singers would often join Swift during her main set to perform 'Shake it Off.' August 2019: Charli XCX Says Performing on Swift's Tour Was Like 'Waving to 5-Year-Olds' The following year, Charli XCX caught heat after she told Pitchfork that performing in front of Swift's fans on the tour was like performing for children. “I’m really grateful that asked me on that tour,” she said. “But as an artist, it kind of felt like I was getting up on stage and waving to 5-year-olds.” On the day the story was published, Charli XCX said on X that her comments in the piece were taken 'out of context.” 'I want to clarify that there is absolutely no shade and only love here,' she said, adding that she was 'extremely grateful' to Swift for inviting her on the tour. 2023: Swift and Charli XCX Both Date Members of The 1975 at the Same Time In 2023, Swift allegedly dated Matty Healy, the controversial frontman for the rock band The 1975. At the same time, Charli XCX was dating the band's drummer, George Daniel, whom she married in July 2025. June 2024: Fans Believe Charli XCX's Song 'Sympathy Is a Knife' Is About Swift Many fans believed 'Sympathy Is a Knife,' the third track on Charli XCX's 2024 hit album 'Brat,' contains lyrics about Swift. On the song, Charli XCX refers to a woman who makes her protagonist struggle with anxiety. “This one girl taps my insecurities/ Don’t know if it’s real or if I’m spiraling,' she sings, adding, 'I couldn’t even be her if I tried.' She also sings that “George,” seemingly referring to her then-fiancé and The 1975 band member, George Daniel, tells her she is being “paranoid” about the situation. Later on the track, Charli XCX makes it clear she doesn't want the other woman around her. “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show/ Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick,' she sings. June 2024: Charli XCX Blasts Fans For Hateful Chant About Swift Charli XCX called out fans for repeating a hateful chant about Swift during an album release party for 'Brat' in São Paulo, Brazil, in June 2024. After an X user tagged the singer alongside videos of her fans chanting “A Taylor Morreu,” which the user said translates to “Taylor is dead,' Charli XCX responded to condemn their behavior in a post of her own. “Can the people who do this please stop. online or at my shows,” she wrote on a screengrab of the footage. “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,' she added. August 2024: Charli XCX Denies 'Sympathy Is a Knife' is About Swift Charli XCX clapped back against the idea that 'Sympathy Is a Knife' is about Swift during an interview for a cover story in New York Magazine. “People are gonna think what they want to think,” she said. “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.” When the interviewer asked if she'd considered leaving out the line about being backstage in “Sympathy Is a Knife,” Charli XCX replied, “No.” She also refused to elaborate, saying, 'You do the silence game. But I know that well — where you go silent and want me to talk more. But I don’t care about it being awkward. We’ll sit in silence.” Swift, who was also contacted for the article, told New York, “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: Swifties Believe 'Actually Romantic' is About Charli XCX Swifties studying the lyrics of 'Actually Romantic' believe the song is addressing her rumored feud with Charli XCX. For starters, the song's title appears to be a play on the British singer's track 'Everything Is Romantic' from 'Brat.' Swift kicks things off by acknowledging the song's subject calls her 'boring Barbie' behind her back and then adds 'the coke' must be making them feel 'brave,' a jab some fans believe refers to a special remix vinyl edition of “Brat” that was filled with white powder. Swift goes on to sing, 'High-fived my ex and then 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.” On the chorus, Swift jokes that their obsession with her is “actually romantic.” 'I really got to hand it to you/ No man has ever loved me like you do,' Swift sings, 'Hadn’t thought of you in a long time/ But you keep sending me funny valentine.' Swift discussed the inspiration behind each track on a special 'Track by Track' version of 'The Life of A Showgirl.' ''Actually Romantic' is a song about realizing that someone else has kind of had a one-sided, adversarial relationship with you that you didn't know about,' she says. 'And all of a sudden they start like, doing too much, and they start letting you know that actually you've been living in their head rent-free, and you had no idea.' So, the song's narrator decides to accept it as love, affection and attention. 'How flattering that somebody has made you such a big part of their reality when you didn't even think about this?' she adds.
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