Almost twenty years into her music career, Taylor Swift has continuously displayed her skill in crafting poignant love songs. Hence, the unexpected twist in her new album’s track, “Actually Romantic,” from The Life of a Showgirl, has left many listeners surprised. In the song, Swift sings about a painful experience akin to a toy chihuahua yapping from a tiny purse, set against an electric guitar and drum backdrop.
Speculation has arisen among critics and fans that the song serves as a diss track directed at fellow pop star Charli XCX, renowned for her successful 2024 album, Brat. Swift elaborates in The Life of a Showgirl (Track by Track Version), describing the song’s theme as acknowledging a one-sided, contentious relationship as a form of love.
With Swift’s fans scrutinizing her songs for hidden messages, industry experts are pondering the implications of this biting track on female camaraderie in the pop music scene. Despite staunch support from Swift’s dedicated fan base, broader reception of the song appears lukewarm, according to Jason P. Frank, a writer at U.S. pop culture site Vulture.
The history between Swift and Charli XCX dates back to 2015 when the two artists collaborated on Swift’s 1989 world tour. However, tensions seemed to emerge with Charli XCX’s comments during a 2019 interview with Pitchfork, where she expressed feeling disconnected while touring with Swift. The release of Charli XCX’s album Brat further hinted at a strained dynamic between the two, particularly in the track “Sympathy Is a Knife.”
In the context of the music industry, the reception of “Actually Romantic” has generated diverse reactions, ranging from adoration to disdain. Mel Woods, a senior editor at Xtra magazine, emphasizes the contrasting authenticity between Charli XCX’s Brat and Swift’s latest track, suggesting that Swift’s approach leans more towards denigration.
Swift’s penchant for addressing personal disputes through her music extends beyond her feud with Charli XCX, encompassing past conflicts with industry peers such as Katy Perry, Kanye West, and Kim Kardashian. Notably, the song “Father Figure” on Swift’s album is speculated to touch on her alleged rift with Olivia Rodrigo over songwriting credits.
The ongoing narrative of discord in the pop music realm prompts reflection on societal fascination with such narratives. Liz Duff, host of the pop culture podcast Late Night Scrolling, views this clash as emblematic of the longstanding tradition of female artists navigating competitive spaces while leveraging personal experiences in their craft.