The Charli XCX song believed to be about Taylor Swift is "Sympathy Is a Knife." This 2024 track is widely interpreted as reflecting Charli's own insecurities and feelings related to Taylor, particularly around their intersecting social and romantic circles. The lyrics suggest anxiety about a woman linked to her boyfriend's band and hint at backstage tensions. On the other side, Taylor Swift's song "Actually Romantic" from her 2025 album "The Life of a Showgirl" is widely speculated to be about Charli XCX. This song seems to respond to Charli's perspective with lyrics about an adversarial but somewhat flattering obsession, suggesting a complex and one-sided relationship between the two artists. Thus, "Sympathy Is a Knife" by Charli is the song about Taylor, and it inspired Taylor's "Actually Romantic" in return, with both songs engaging in a nuanced dialogue surrounding their personal and professional dynamics.
