charli xcx song about taylor swift

Charli XCX has a song titled "Sympathy Is a Knife" released in 2024, which fans widely speculate to be about Taylor Swift. This speculation is fueled by the song's lyrics that suggest insecurities linked to another woman connected to Charli's husband George Daniel's bandmates, notably referencing backstage encounters and hoping for a breakup. Taylor Swift's 2025 song "Actually Romantic" from her album "The Life of a Showgirl" is believed by many fans to be a response or diss track aimed at Charli XCX. In "Actually Romantic," Taylor refers to someone calling her "Boring Barbie" and high-fiving her ex, along with writing a song about how seeing Taylor's face makes them sick. Taylor's lyrics suggest a playful, sarcastic tone framing an obsession with her as "actually romantic," seemingly addressing Charli's insecurities expressed in her song. The back-and-forth is connected by their mutual ties to the band The 1975—Taylor dated the band's frontman Matty Healy, and Charli is married to the drummer George Daniel. Despite the tension, Taylor has also praised Charli's musical talent in public statements.