Taylor Swift has provided some insight into her new song ‘Actually Romantic’.
The songwriter's latest album, ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’, is currently available and is expected to be one of the most analyzed releases in pop music by 2026.
Created in collaboration with producer Max Martin, the pre-launch buzz described it as Taylor's significant return to pop, though reviews have been varied. Clash rated ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’ 6/10, noting that while the album “has its moments, it lacks the consistency of Taylor’s recent work.”
One song has ignited intense online discussion. The lyrics for ‘Actually Romantic’ leaked before the official release, and they appear to target a fellow pop artist.
Fans are speculating that the target might be Charli xcx – references to an ‘ex’ who ‘ghosted’ Taylor could hint at Matty Healy, the frontman of the 1975 and a close friend of Charli’s husband, George Daniel.
Charli xcx released her track ‘Sympathy Is A Knife’ last year, which spoke poignantly about the pressures faced by young female artists while pitting them against one another.
In the song, Charli sings:
I couldn’t even be her if I tried
I’m opposite, I’m on the other side
I feel all these feelings I can’t control
In an interview with New York Magazine last summer, Charli expressed: “People are going to think what they want to think. That song reflects my own feelings, my anxiety, and how my mind fabricates narratives and stories when I feel insecure. I just don’t want to be physically in those situations when I’m experiencing self-doubt.”
In contrast, Taylor Swift’s lyrics are rather cutting. ‘Actually Romantic’ features biting lines like: “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave / High-fived my ex and then 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 / But it’s actually sweet / All the time you’ve spent on me.”
Taylor Swift has also recorded a track-by-track analysis for Amazon Music, where she elaborates on each song from the album. Discussing ‘Actually Romantic’, she describes it as “a song about realizing that someone else has had a sort of one-sided, adversarial relationship with you that you were unaware of. Suddenly, they begin to overindulge and make it clear that you’ve been living in their head rent-free without any knowledge of it.”
“It presents itself as them resenting you or having an issue with you, but you take that and interpret it as love, attention, and affection. It’s quite flattering that someone has made you such a significant part of their life when you hadn’t even considered this. If you think about it, it’s actually pretty romantic.”
You can find the Amazon Music breakdown HERE.
D-Block Europe has announced the upcoming release of their new mixtape titled 'PTSD2.' The pioneering UK rap group is returning with details about this new project, a complete arena tour, and a
Swank Mami introduces her new chapter with the EP, 'Worldstar,’ set for release on October 29th. In conjunction with this announcement, the Oslo-born Somali artist unveils her latest single.
Everything has cracks. That’s how the light enters. In 1992, on the song 'Anthem', Leonard Cohen instructed us to let go of our ideal gifts.
Niko B has dropped his latest mixtape titled 'Cheerleader'. The UK alt-rap musician enjoyed a fantastic summer, featuring a surprise performance at the Reading Festival and a sold-out show.
A monthly spotlight on the essential components of the fantastic new music scene.
Alt-pop duo Good Neighbours has released their debut album 'Blue Sky Mentality' in its entirety. The band emerged on the scene with a series of viral singles,
Taylor Swift has provided additional insight into her latest track 'Actually Romantic'. The songwriter's new album, 'The Life Of A Showgirl', has been released and it’s