Why Taylor Swift Fans Think “Actually Romantic” Is About Charli XCX

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Does Taylor Swift have bad blood with Charli XCX?

Fans of the “Blank Space” singer believe a new song might be a pointed critique of another artist. After hearing “Actually Romantic” from her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, many are interpreting it as a diss track aimed at the “Everything is romantic” singer.

The song begins with Taylor singing, “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave.” She continues, “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.”

Many fans believe the lyrics are hinting at Charli’s 2024 song “Sympathy Is a Knife,” which explores her personal insecurities. The song appears to reference Taylor’s short-lived romance with Matty Healy, who is part of the band The 1975, as well as Charli’s current husband, George Daniel.

In the brat song, she vocalizes, “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show.” She continues, expressing a wish for their relationship to end: “Fingers crossed behind my back / I hope they break up real quick.”

Taylor goes on to share more thoughts on her unnamed foe in the “Actually Romantic” chorus.

She sings, “I have to admit, you’ve really won me over / No one has ever loved me the way you do.” She continues, “I hadn’t thought about you for a while / But you keep sending me those sweet, funny valentines / And I know you probably think you seem harsh / But it’s actually really endearing and cute / It’s like a little toy chihuahua yapping at me from a small bag / That’s how deeply it affects me.”

 

In other parts of the song, the 35-year-old singer wonders just how much the subject of the song thinks about her when they’re alone.

In other parts of the song, the 35-year-old singer wonders just how much the subject of the song thinks about her when they’re alone.

She sings, “How often does your boyfriend ask, ‘Why are we *always* talking about her?’” “Do you think I’m cheap, honey? / Please stop speaking to me like that / It came across harsh, but it feels like you’re trying to flirt with me / I keep to myself, I swear to God / I don’t try to start anything / It’s actually… turning me on / Because it’s kind of cute.”

It’s worth remembering that the Grammy winners have, in the past, said there was no bad blood between them, despite many fans thinking they were feuding. They’ve denied any conflict on several occasions after fans sensed tension. More details here.

After “Sympathy Is a Knife” came out, Charli denied that it was a diss track at all.

“People will form their own opinions regardless,” she explained to Vulture in August 2024. “That song is a personal reflection of my emotions, anxieties, and how my mind tends to build stories and scenarios when I’m feeling vulnerable.”

Naturally, listeners took to social media to share their theories about the Life of a Showgirl track.

One person excitedly posted on X, “Actually romantic is definitely about Charli XCX omggg,” while another fan questioned, “What happens if I’m a Charli and Taylor fan?”

TopMob News has reached out to Taylor and Charli for comment and has yet to hear back.

However, in a special “Track by Track Version” of The Life of a Showgirl available on Amazon Music, Taylor did offer some insight into the song’s background.

“‘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 explained. “And all of a sudden they start 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.”

She explained that it often appears as someone being upset with you, but you mistakenly accept that behavior as a sign of love. You interpret it as attention and affection. It’s actually quite flattering that someone has focused so much on you, even if you weren’t aware of it. If you consider it carefully, it’s actually a rather romantic idea.

It’s worth remembering that the Grammy winners have repeatedly stated there’s no bad blood between them, despite fans often feeling like they were arguing.

After “Sympathy Is a Knife” came out, Charli denied that it was a diss track at all.

“People will form their own opinions regardless,” she explained to Vulture in August 2024. “That song is deeply personal, reflecting my emotions, anxieties, and the way my mind constructs stories and narratives when I’m feeling vulnerable.”

In the same article, Taylor complimented Charli’s creative talent, stating, “Her songwriting is consistently imaginative and unique. She has a knack for taking songs in unexpected directions, and she’s maintained this skill for more than ten years. It’s great to see dedication like that rewarded.”

Some time before, after Charli performed as an opening act for Taylor on the 2018 Reputation Tour, the singer of “360” explained to Pitchfork that she appreciated Taylor inviting her on the tour, but felt like she was performing for very young children while on stage.

The 33-year-old woman later explained her statements, emphasizing that she meant “no shade and only love” towards Taylor.

Charli described her as “one of the most influential artists of our time,” telling The Independent that the Reputation tour was also “one of the largest tours ever held.”

Keep reading for more The Life of a Showgirl Easter eggs…

As a huge Taylor Swift fan, I immediately noticed that the first song on her album, The Life of a Showgirl, draws a connection to Ophelia, the character from William Shakespeare‘s Hamlet. It’s so clever how she references this character, especially knowing Ophelia’s story ends so tragically – it really adds another layer to the song’s meaning!

The song suggests Taylor could have been overwhelmed by sadness if her true love hadn’t rescued her.

“I heard you calling / On the megaphone,” Taylor sings. “You wanna see me all alone.”

The song’s words seem to reference Travis Kelce playfully teasing Taylor on his New Heights podcast. He mentioned she didn’t meet up with him after her Eras Tour concerts, and that’s actually how their relationship started.

“I swore loyalty to me, myself and I,” the lyrics continue. “Right before you lit my sky up.”

Prior to meeting Travis, Taylor had recently ended things with Matty Healy. She had described herself as one of the “independent girlies” back in July 2023.

But after Travis went to her concert in Kansas City that same month, sparks began to fly.

Even Taylor’s fiancé is participating in her tradition of hiding clues, playfully sharing lyrics from “The Fate of Ophelia” on Instagram back in July. He posted pictures with Taylor, writing, “Had some adventures this offseason,” and adding, “Kept it [100].”

How does this relate to Taylor’s song? It’s reflected in the lyrics: “You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia / Keep it one hundred.”

In the second song on the album, Taylor pays tribute to the iconic performer Elizabeth Taylor, referencing places she loved, including the Plaza Athénée in Paris and Musso & Frank’s in Los Angeles.

In the song, Taylor also compares herself to the Cleopatra actress. Similar to Taylor now, Elizabeth frequently appeared in the news because of everything-from her romantic relationships to her stunning clothes.

But, as Taylor notes in her song, “Oftentimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me.”

In the cheerful song “Opalite,” which Travis had previously shared was his favorite from the Showgirl album, Taylor Swift alludes to the story of their romance.

Having experienced a lot of heartbreak in past relationships, Taylor now seems to have found peace and tranquility with Travis, like a calm, shimmering opalite sky.

Taylor, Max Martin and Shellback are listed as the writers of Showgirl. However, the late George Michael is also credited on “Father Figure” because the song samples part of his 1987 song with the same title.

Taylor Swift received approval from George’s team, who expressed their gratitude on Instagram on Oct. 2, writing, “Thank you @taylorswift for including George in such a special moment.”

We’re now at track five on Showgirl, and it’s well-known that Taylor typically places her saddest songs around this point on an album.

In “Eldest Daughter,” Taylor, the first child of Andrea Swift and Scott Swift-who later had another son, Austin Swift-sings about experiencing both the good and bad times in life, while always remaining loyal to her family and loved ones.

As the song states, “Cause I’m not someone who’s mean or cruel / And this isn’t about being ruthless / And I promise I’ll always be there for you,” followed by, “I’ll never abandon you / There are so many disloyal people / Those who try to manipulate others / But I’ll always keep my promise.”

The sixth track on Showgirl recounts a story of wishing things had been different in a relationship that never really began. The song is full of longing for the past, with lyrics like, “Have fun, it’s prom / Wilted corsage dangles from my wrist / Over his shoulder I catch a glimpse / And see…You looking at me / And it was not an invitation / But as the 50 Cent song played / Should’ve kissed you anyway.”

“Actually Romantic” isn’t actually a love song, not exactly. Instead, it’s a reaction to someone-unnamed in the lyrics-who has apparently spent a great deal of time discussing Taylor herself.

Taylor sings, “I high-fived my ex, and then you told me you were happy he disappeared.” She continues, “You wrote a song about how it bothers you to even look at me. / Some people might take offense to that, / but honestly, it’s kind of sweet.”

As a longtime Taylor fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the stories behind her songs. She doesn’t often say *who* inspires them, but there’s a lot of chatter online that this one was about Charli XCX. It makes sense, considering Charli opened for Taylor on the Reputation Tour, and she’s also friends with Taylor’s ex, Matty, and his fiancée, Gabbriette Bechtel.

When Charli-whose husband is George Daniel, a member of the band The 1975-released her album brat in June 2024, people wondered if her song “Sympathy is a Knife” was a dig at Taylor Swift. But two months later, Taylor appeared to end those rumors by publicly complimenting Charli’s work.

Taylor shared with New York magazine on August 26th that she’s been incredibly impressed with Charli’s talent for creating melodies ever since hearing ‘Stay Away’ back in 2011. She described Charli’s songwriting as both dreamlike and original, noting that she consistently takes songs in unexpected directions. Taylor expressed her admiration for Charli’s dedication and was happy to see her hard work being recognized.

TopMob News has reached out to reps for comment on the speculation and has not heard back.

On the very top of Taylor’s wish list? A forever with Travis. That includes starting a family.

“I just want you,” she sings. “Have a couple kids / Got the whole block looking like you.”

I’ve always thought that wishing on a star, as Taylor says, “never did me any good” when it came to finding love. But honestly, now that she’s with Travis, she doesn’t even feel the need to knock on wood anymore. It’s like she’s finally found something real!

Girls, I don’t need to catch the bouquet,” she sings in the lyrics, “to know difficult times are coming.”

She proved to be correct. Taylor and Travis shared the news of their engagement in August 2025, following a two-year relationship.

The song also references New Heights, which Taylor says is where their relationship began.

On track 10, Taylor is mentoring someone who has faced public backlash – a situation she herself understands. She’s offering support to someone who has been canceled, drawing on her own past experiences with similar criticism.

“Join me,” she said, “because when people see us, they’ll try to escape.” She then added, “It’s a good thing my friends cancelled – I prefer them mysterious, dressed in Gucci, and surrounded by a little drama.”

“Honey” truly lives up to its name! On the 11th song of the album, Taylor shares how Travis has completely changed the meaning of certain words for her. Previously, words like “honey” and “sweetheart” might have brought up unpleasant memories, but now, she associates them with Travis.

Taylor softly sings, “Let’s leave those sad feelings behind / Whenever you say ‘honey’.” She continues with, “Think warm weather drinks and beautiful pink skies / You’re welcome to call me ‘honey’ if you’d like / Since I’m the person you desire.”

In fact, Travis did call Taylor “sweetie” during her debut appearance on New Heights in August.

For her final act, Taylor teamed up with friend Sabrina Carpenter.

The song connects with “Elizabeth Taylor,” offering a look at what life is like for a showgirl. Although it appears dazzling, there’s always a cost, and the experienced performer needs to make the newcomer aware of that reality.

The song’s words create a vivid image: “She confessed, ‘I’d give anything – even my soul – to experience a truly wonderful life, one that’s completely my own’ / But that’s not the reality for showgirls / They’re simply discarded and forgotten.”

Finally, after understanding what it’s like to be a showgirl, the performers come together for a closing bow, saying, “That’s our show / We love you so much, goodnight!”

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2025-10-03 15:50