The Clever Diss Track’s Lyrics Explained
There’s a lot being said about Taylor Swift‘s album, The Life Of A Showgirland much of it surrounds the seventh track. On the surface, “Actually Romantic” is just another classic Swift diss dittybut this time there’s a twist.
The song is petty in all the best ways, and it quickly became one of the most talked-about cuts on The Life of a Showgirl. Swift has briefly addressed what inspired himbut there’s more to unpack beneath the surface.
Why People Think It’s About Charli XCX
Swift opens “Actually Romantic” with some pretty bold lyrics. “I heard you call me boring Barbie when the coke’s got you brave,” the pop star sings before claiming that her subject celebrated her ex ghosting her. The intro feels like a dead giveaway to whom the song is about.
About a year ago, when Charli XCX released her breakthrough album BROTHERshe had a song for Swift called “Sympathy Is A Knife.” It’s about a girl that she sees at her boyfriend’s show, who brings out her worst insecurities, so Swift seemingly took Charli’s song as an insult.
Given that Swift was dating Matty Healy in 2023, and Charli is now married to his The 1975 bandmate, George Daniel, the “All Too Well” singer seems like the most logical inspiration. “Actually Romantic”‘s opening lyrics appear to mock Charlie’s drug use while also referencing the fact that Healy ghosted Swift.
The recently engaged singer addressed the latter on her previous album, The Tortured Poets Department and appears to be referencing “Sympathy Is A Knife.” Some felt that “Actually Romantic” was unfair since Charli’s song was less of a diss track and more an admission of her own insecurities.
However, “Actually Romantic” suggests there’s a tear take that happened behind the scenes, but no one knows its true source besides the songbird herself. Swift is also constantly met with criticism, and it seems like no one thinks or talks about her more than her haters. In Swift’s words, they give her so much attention that it’s actually romantic.
Actually Romantic Is Swift’s Most Clever Diss Track
Taylor Swift is clearly no stranger to the art of the diss track. One of her most prominent was on her 2014 album 1989. At the time, Swift was upset with fellow pop star Katy Perry, and “Bad Blood” became a number 1 hit after she penned it about her. What’s different this time around on “Actually Romantic,” though, is that Swift comes across a lot more playful.
Plus, she’s been betrayed so much in the past, that she’s now able to brush it off effortlessly. Instead of harboring pain, Swift turned the scenario into a love storylooking at it from the perspective of her rival having a crush on her. She realized it’s actually quite flattering how much this person is constantly thinking and talking about her.
In a breakdown of The Life Of A Showgirl song, Swift doesn’t name names, but she makes her message very clear. Swift describes the feud as a “one-sided adversarial relationship” because after all, the singer always has Shown respect for Charli.
In 2014, the “Von Dutch” singer was a guest at Swift’s 25th birthday party and later appeared as a guest performer at Swift’s 1989 tour. Charli opened up for Swift on her Reputation tour in 2018 and joined her on stage for “Shake It Off” alongside Camila Cabello.
Even after “Sympathy Is A Knife” was released, Swift offered kind comments about the singer in a 2024 New York Magazine article and danced to her performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards. It’s understandable why Swift called the feud one-sided, given that she’s always seemed to like Charli, besides this recent talk of beef.
Actually Romantic Lyrics Explained
The first verse in “Actually Romantic” hints that Swift is just learning about the things this person has been saying about her behind her back. If the lyrics are true, and not simply part of Swift’s storytelling, then the song’s subject had been trashing her to mutual friendsgoing beyond what she wrote about in her song.
By the chorus, Swift jokes that it’s actually quite nice how much this person is consumed with her. “No man has ever loved me like you do,” she sings. Swift then admits in the next verse that she hasn’t thought of this person in a while, and compares their nasty comments about her to Valentine’s.
Swift mocks the comments made about her as wellcomparing them to a toy chihuahua and wonders if this person’s partner ever wonders why she’s always talking about her. By the bridge, Swift admits the one-sided feud feels like she’s being flirted with, and in the outro, she swallows in all the attention that she’s getting from her rival.
Swift has lashed out like a wounded animal in the past, as she said herself in her Miss Americana documentary. However, after coming off the most successful tour of all time, nothing can bring her down anymore. Swift has been accused of playing the victim time and again, but this time she’s turned the tablesfeeling quite victorious in the situation.
- Date of Birth
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December 13, 1989
- Active
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Yes