Sounds Like Charli XCX Wasn’t Rooting for Taylor and Matty

They knew each other when … they were both dressing like this. Photo: George Pimentel/LP5/Getty Images

Charli XCX didn’t think pop music was big enough for two singers dating members of the 1975. At least, it sure sounds that way from her new album, Brat. Charli seems to point the synthy K-hole freakout “Sympathy is a knife” directly at Taylor Swift, singing about someone’s recent fling with someone in the 1975. “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show / Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up,” sings Charli, who’s engaged to 1975 drummer George Daniel. And there’s more. “This one girl taps my insecurities,” Charli sings earlier, in the first verse. “Don’t know if it’s real or if I’m spiraling.” In the chorus, she adds that she “couldn’t even be her if I tried.” Now, sure, that part could be a different girl, but also, Charli wouldn’t be the first woman in music to have complicated feelings about Swift. Not to mention, who among us could be Taylor Swift if we tried?

Charli’s own Swift lore makes “Sympathy” even more interesting. Remember, as she was still becoming hyperpop’s Number 1 Angel, Charli opened for Swift on 2018’s reputation stadium tour (after first making an appearance on the 1989 tour). Charli, with her fellow opener Camila Cabello, would dance to “Shake It Off” with Swift every night. But a year later, as Charli readied her 2019 album Charli, she told Pitchfork that opening the tour felt like playing “to a bunch of 5-year-olds.” She later said the statement was taken out of context and she was “grateful” for the gig. More recently, Charli’s comments about Swift have stuck to generic amazement at the scale and impact of the Eras Tour.

Lucky for Charli, Swift did break up with Matty Healy fast. Now, she can focus on worrying about how the Swifties are going to react to this song.