Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on Friday, Oct. 3, and many fans found themselves wondering: Who is “Actually Romantic” about?
Unlike the title suggested, there wasn’t much “romantic” about Track No. 7 on The Life of a Showgirl. In fact, “Actually Romantic” was a tongue-in-cheek song essentially telling a dedicated critic that it was “cute” that they were so obsessed with her.
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Let’s take a deep dive into who fans think “Actually Romantic” might be about.
Who Is Taylor Swift’s ‘Actually Romantic’ About?
Although Swift doesn’t drop any names, many fans think “Actually Romantic” is about Charli XCX, the wife of The 1975 drummer George Daniel, the best friend of Swift’s ex, The 1975 frontman Matty Healy.
Swift begins: “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.”
In the chorus, Swift declares it’s “actually sweet all the time you’ve spent on me,” adding that the time spent is “honestly wild.” She cheekily confessed, “No man has ever loved me like you do.”
On Reddit, many Swifties debated whether “Actually Romantic” was aimed at Charli XCX.
One fan shared, “Almost definitely Charlie XCX! A lot of the lyrics line up with ‘Sympathy’s A Knife’ that Charlie wrote about Taylor.”
Not everyone was convinced, as a different fan wondered, “Okay but are we like 1000% sure it’s Charli?”
Another admitted, “This is so f–king funny I can’t believe she did it (and I say that as a Charli fan…).”
Someone else pointed out, “I’ve been seeing all day that this about Charli XCX so I went into it thinking about her and honestly I feel like it’s a generic hater song for the showgirl vibe more than about one person in particular.”
Still others thought the sound of the song gave Olivia Rodrigo vibes, with one Redditor commenting, “On first listen, it sounds like an Olivia Rodrigo song.”
Another fan speculated, “I had this thought too! People saying it’s about Charli but it made me think of Olivia. I kind of hope it’s not about her though? It feels extra mean directed at someone so much younger and less powerful in the industry than her.”
Fans Think Charli XCX’s ‘Sympathy Is a Knife’ Is About Taylor Swift
When Charli XCX’s 2024 album brat came out, many fans thought her track “Sympathy Is a Knife” could be about Swift.
The line, “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s shows / Fingers crossed behind my back, I hope they break up quick,” prompted some to think of when Swift sang a cover of “The City” and her own song, “Anti-Hero” at a The 1975 concert in 2023.
In an August 2024 interview with New York magazine, Charli XCX addressed the rumors.
“People are gonna think what they want to think,” she said. “That song is about me and my feelings and my anxiety and the way my brain creates narratives and stories in my head when I feel insecure and how I don’t want to be in those situations physically when I feel self-doubt.”
Next: Taylor Swift’s “Standby” Message in Life of a Showgirl Release Schedule Sparks Fan Theories
