Taylor Swift has seemingly fired a fresh lyrical shot at Charli XCX with the release of “Actually Romantic,” the seventh track from her album The Life of a Showgirl. Fans have quickly taken note of the biting lyrics, reigniting speculation about tension between the two pop stars.
The feud traces back to 2023, when Charli released “Sympathy is a Knife” on her album Brat. While not an outright diss track, many interpreted it as addressing Taylor, describing insecurities and rivalry linked to their overlapping social circles and romantic interests.
Charli was dating George Daniel of The 1975, while Taylor had a brief connection with frontman Matty Healy that inspired tracks on her prior album The Tortured Poets Department. In Charli’s song, lyrics about backstage jealousy hinted at Swift.
Now, in “Actually Romantic,” Taylor responds with sharp lines like, “I heard you called me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave,” referencing Charli’s viral incidents involving white powder imagery. Other lyrics taunt Charli over high-fiving Taylor’s ex and seeming glad he ghosted her, seemingly nodding to Matty Healy.
Despite the verbal sparring, the stars appear civil in person, recently attending the same Grammy event, with Taylor even seen dancing during Charli’s performance. Yet, fans eagerly debate the renewed friction between the two.
