Will these two be able to work it out on the remix? Taylor Swift and Charli Xcx have engaged in a feud that has turned their respective fandoms, and much of the internet, against each other. For 53 shows in 2018, Charli Xcx opened for Swift throughout her Reputation Stadium tour, even performing alongside her at certain points. But after Swift’s messy breakup with The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, something shifted between the two popstars.
In 2024, Charli Xcx released the phenomenon that influenced an entire summer, her award-winning album Brat. The iconic album contains a fan-favorite single: “Sympathy is a Knife.” In this song, Charli Xcx expresses her insecurities as a woman in the music industry, however, there are lyrics that are interpreted as a diss towards Swift. When Charli Xcx sings, “…don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show, fingers crossed behind my back I hope they break up quick ‘cause I couldn’t even be her if I tried.” Charli Xcx’s boyfriend (now fiance), George Daniel, is the drummer for the same band Matty Healy is a part of. Healy being Swift’s ex boyfriend reveals who that line is about.
In more recent events, Swift just released her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. On top of the album not getting a very good reception from the general public, the song included a deliberate diss track on Charli Xcx, “Actually Romantic.” Swift’s song is much more direct, poking fun at Charli Xcx’s party lifestyle and the song she wrote about Swift. In one line, Swift sings, “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.” As Charli Xcx is close friends with Matty Healy and she wrote a song highlighting her insecurities around Swift, it is impossible to mistake who the song is about. Both Charli Xcx and Swift have large fanbases on the internet, creating an uproar regarding the diss tracks while also bringing Brat back into the spotlight once again.
Fueling the fire, following the release of Swift’s newest album, Charli Xcx was Role Model’s “Sally” when he was the musical guest on SNL on Oct. 11. She appeared in a t-shirt with the words “max’s kansas city”. Swifties took it as a dig towards Taylor Swift and her new fiance, Travis Kelce, a player for the Kansas City Chiefs. What Swifties did not think about was that Role Model’s most recent album was titled Kansas Anymore and that the outfit was most likely an ode to that. Moreover, Max’s Kansas City is an iconic bar and music venue in New York City, the same city where SNL is filmed, so it was very likely a tribute to that as well.
Students at our school have developed their own diverse opinions on the feud. There are more fans of Swift at our school, however, 70% of them are on Charli Xcx’s side. Many students find that Swift completely misinterpreted the point of “Sympathy is a Knife.” As one student, Priscilla Cino, explains, “I feel that Taylor really misunderstood the deep emotions of insecurity in Charli’s song heavily and took it as an attack, making this the most one-sided beef ever.”
Sofia Valencia agrees, as she believes that “Taylor’s response was to the discourse, not Charli’s feelings and it felt a little shallow.” Students at our school who side with Swift justify her actions because they believe that Charli Xcx struck first and that what she did was uncalled for.
I, personally, have been a Swiftie my whole life and I have always stuck by Swift’s side. However, I was extremely disappointed with both the lyricism and production on her most recent album. I just find Charli Xcx’s new music much more impressive than Swift’s new music, especially regarding their tracks about each other. Maybe, in the future, they will be able to work it out on the remix, but for now, many agree that for now, the unbothered brat beats the showgirl.
