Taylor Swift’s “actually romantic” sparks Charli XCX speculation
Taylor Swift’s new album the life of a showgirl is packed with easter eggs and lyrical puzzles, and one of its standout tracks, “actually romantic,” has fans buzzing for its possible connection to Charli XCX. The song appears to serve as Swift’s clever clapback to rumors and speculation that swirled around the two pop powerhouses last year.
The backstory: Charli’s Brat sparks fan theories
In June 2024, Charli XCX dropped her critically acclaimed album brat. One of its edgier songs, “sympathy is a knife,” immediately set the internet ablaze. Some listeners were convinced the track referenced Taylor Swift, largely because of Charli’s long-standing ties to the 1975. Charli is married to George Daniel, while Swift briefly dated his bandmate Matty Healy in 2023.
Charli, however, dismissed those rumors. Speaking to New York Magazine in August 2024, she explained that the track was about her own anxieties: “That song is about me and my feelings and my anxiety… not wanting to be in those situations physically when I feel self-doubt.”
Swift’s seventh track answers back
Fast-forward to October 2025, and Swift’s the life of a showgirl includes “actually romantic” as its seventh track—interestingly mirroring Charli’s own brat track seven, “everything is romantic.” Swift’s lyrics cut sharply, opening with a reference to her past with Healy and an unnamed rival’s reaction:
“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 / Some people might be offended / But it’s actually sweet / All the time you’ve spent on me.”
The words read as a pointed response to the brat discourse, flipping perceived digs into ironic compliments.
From rivalry to reframe
While Charli’s “sympathy is a knife” focused on insecurity and wishing away a rival, Swift’s “actually romantic” leans into a cheeky reframing. She even twists the obsession into a flirtatious angle, singing:
“It sounded nasty but it feels like you’re flirting with me… It’s kind of making me wet… It’s actually romantic… No man has ever loved me like you do.”
For Swift, the narrative shifts from rivalry to amusement—almost gratitude.
Respect behind the scenes
Despite the lyrical sparring, Swift has publicly praised Charli’s artistry. In that same New York Magazine feature, she said: “I’ve been blown away by Charli’s melodic sensibilities since I first heard ‘Stay Away’ in 2011… Her writing is surreal and inventive.”
Their shared history runs deep, too. Swift invited Charli on stage during the 1989 World Tour in Toronto back in 2015, and later tapped her as an opener for the Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018.
Fans left guessing
Whether “actually romantic” is a direct diss or simply Swift playing with fan narratives, the lyrical overlaps between the two artists’ work have reignited conversation. What’s clear is that both Swift and Charli continue to push boundaries in pop, and even when rumors swirl, there’s mutual respect underneath.
The full “Actually Romantic” lyrics are far from your typical diss song. Read them in fulland listen to the song below:
Verse 1
I heard you call me “Boring Barbie”
When the coke’s got you brave
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
Some people might be offended
Chorus
But it’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly wild
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
I really gotta hand it to you, ooh-oh
No man has ever loved me like you do
Verse 2
Hadn’t thought of you in a long time
But you keep sending me funny valentines
And I know you think it comes off vicious
But it’s precious, adorable
Like a toy chihuahua barking at me from a tiny purse
That’s how much it hurts
How many times has your boyfriend said
“Why are we always talking ’bout her?”
Chorus
It’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly wild
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
I really gotta hand it to you, ooh
No man has ever loved me like you do
Bridge
You think I’m tacky, baby
Stop talking dirty to me
It sounded nasty but it
Feels like you’re flirting with me
I mind my business, God’s my witness
That I don’t provoke it
It’s kind of making me wet (Oh)
Chorus
’Cause it’s actually sweet
All the time you’ve spent on me
It’s honestly lovely
All the effort you’ve put in
It’s actually romantic
I really gotta hand it to you, to you
No man has ever loved me like you do
Outro
It’s actually romantic (You’ve just given me so much attention; la-la-la-la)
It’s actually romantic (It’s so)
Actually romantic
FAQ Section
q: what is Taylor Swift’s actually romantic about?
a: fans believe the seventh track from the life of a showgirl references Charli XCX, flipping supposed insults into ironic compliments and playful flirtation.
q: why do people think actually romantic is about Charli XCX?
a: Charli’s 2024 song sympathy is a knife was rumored to be about Taylor Swift. Swift’s new lyrics seem to mirror those themes and respond directly.
q: how does Matty Healy fit into the story?
a: Taylor briefly dated Matty Healy in 2023. He is bandmates with George Daniel, Charli’s husband, which fueled fan speculation about lyrical overlaps.
q: what is the connection between actually romantic and Charli’s everything is romantic?
a: both tracks are the seventh songs on their albums (the life of a showgirl and brat), a placement often reserved for emotional standouts.
q: do Taylor Swift and Charli XCX get along?
a: despite rumors, Taylor has praised Charli publicly, calling her writing inventive and surreal. The two have also performed together in the past.
