When Taylor Swift released “Actually Romantic” on her album The Life of a Showgirl, the chorus immediately sparked a firestorm of speculation. The track, with its tongue-in-cheek lyrics, seemed to transform public criticism into a bizarre form of affection. But who is the song actually about? If you’ve been following the pop culture breadcrumbs, you already know the answer fans have passionately pieced together: the song appears to be a direct response to fellow artist Charli XCX.
The story begins not with Taylor, but with Charli. When Charli released her album Brat in the summer of 2024, one song in particular, “Sympathy Is a Knife,” had listeners buzzing. In it, she sang about a girl who “taps my insecurities” and expressed a hope for a quick breakup, with the lyrics, “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show / Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick.”
Given that Charli is married to George Daniel, the drummer of The 1975, and Taylor had a brief, much-publicized relationship with that band’s frontman, Matty Healy, in 2023, fans quickly connected the dots. Charli dismissed the theory, explaining the song was about her own anxiety and insecurities, but the rumor mill was already in motion.
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A Pointed Retort in Poetic Form
Fast forward to the release of “Actually Romantic,” and Taylor’s side of the story seems to unfold. The title itself is a clear nod to Charli’s track “Everything Is Romantic” from her Brat album. The lyrics, however, are where the parallels get precise. Taylor opens with a series of what seem to be very specific call-outs: “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave / 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.”
“I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave”
– Taylor Swift dissing Charli xcx on “Actually Romantic” on “The Life Of A Showgirl”. pic.twitter.com/i5SmY3mPPp
— Pop Base Updates (@PopBaseUpdates) October 2, 2025
Rather than responding with anger, Taylor’s song flips the script entirely. She reframes the perceived animosity as a form of flattering, single-minded devotion. The chorus drives the point home: “But it’s actually sweet / All the time you’ve spent on me… It’s actually romantic / No man has ever loved me like you do.” This sarcastic twist suggests that the attention from her critic is more intense and constant than any romantic love she’s experienced.
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Another line adds a layer of intimate teasing, with Taylor singing, “It sounded nasty but it feels like you’re flirting with me.” The song even seems to reference a moment from Charli’s track where she sings about her boyfriend; Taylor retorts, “How many times has your boyfriend said / ‘Why are we always talking ’bout her?'”
More Than Just Pop Star Drama
This musical exchange highlights the unique and sometimes intense relationships that can form between artists in the same sphere. Taylor and Charli’s history adds a rich layer of context to the lyrics. Charli wasn’t just a peer; she opened for Taylor’s Reputation Stadium Tour back in 2018. There was even a moment of public camaraderie in 2015 when Taylor brought Charli on stage during her 1989 World Tour to perform together. This history makes the apparent subtext of the songs feel all the more personal.
she was doing this while having actually romantic sitting in her hard drive. funniest woman ever pic.twitter.com/wsRwCWCOC8
— fran ❤️🔥 (@SELSREP) October 3, 2025
The fascinating part, however, is how Taylor chose to weaponize her response. She didn’t release a bitter diss track, but a song that exudes a cool, almost amused indifference. By calling the obsession “actually romantic,” she masterfully positions herself as the unbothered party who finds the constant attention more endearing than threatening. It’s a powerful rhetorical move that allows her to have the last word without appearing to break a sweat. This nuanced take on a feud showcases Taylor’s songwriting prowess—her ability to spin a public narrative into a catchy, clever, and conversation-dominating pop song.
So, while Charli may have written a song about her insecurities, Taylor wrote one about how those very insecurities, when directed at her, feel like the most dedicated form of love she’s ever seen.
