Overview

• Swift released The Life of a Showgirl on Oct. 3, and track 7, “Actually Romantic,” includes lines such as “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave.”
• Fans highlight parallels to Charli XCX’s Brat era, citing the cocaine reference, the title’s resemblance to “Everything is romantic,” and apparent echoes of “Sympathy Is a Knife.”
• Additional lyrics referenced by outlets include “High-fived my ex and then you said you’re glad he ghosted me” and “Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face.”
• Swift has not commented on the interpretations, and Charli previously said Brat did not contain targeted diss tracks, while Swift publicly praised Charli’s songwriting in 2024.
• Context fueling the theories includes Charli opening Swift’s 2018 Reputation tour and both artists’ ties to members of The 1975, which fans use to map possible references.