Taylor Swift and Charli XCX Posed for a Photo at a 2014 Event
Do Taylor Swift and Charli XCX have bad blood now?
Long before they sparked feud rumors, the two pop stars posed for a photo at iHeart Radio’s Jingle Ball concert in December 2014.
Charli XCX Sang Taylor Swift’s Hit Song ‘Shake It Off’ and Served as a Special Guest on the 1989 World Tour
In February 2015, Charli performed Swift’s hit track “Shake It Off” for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge.
After hearing the cover, fans praised the British pop singer in the comments section of the YouTube clip.
“the energy, the nerve, this performance is so unique and a bit on the funk side i love this,” one said.
“I think she made it her own thing, and that is the whole point of a cover,” a second wrote, while a third suggested, “This could be an anime opening song.”
Charli XCX Also Opened on the 2018 Reputation Tour
Swift surprised attendees at her 1989 World Tour stop in Toronto, Canada, in October 2015, when Charli appeared on stage to perform “Boom Clap.”
Years later, the “champagne problems” crooner tapped her fellow artist to open for her Reputation Stadium Tour alongside Camila Cabello.
“They’re both such great writers so I’d love to write with them while we’re out on the road,” Charli told People about the collaboration.
She also declared that Swift has “always been very kind” to her.
Charli XCX Dissed Swifties — Then Gushed About Touring With Taylor Swift
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In an August 2019 interview with Pitchfork, the “party 4 u” hitmaker made surprising remarks about Swift’s crowds, saying the experience felt like she was “getting up onstage and waving to five-year-olds.”
“I’ve done so much of it, and it really cemented my status as this underdog character, which I like now. But I need to just own my own finally,” Charli said, revealing she never wanted to be an opening act again after her gig on Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour.
After her statements generated backlash, she took to X to reiterate there was “absolutely no shade and only love here.”
“Any tour I’ve been on with any other artist as an opening act has always taught me so much,” she shared. “It’s always wonderful to watch other artists do their thing, own their stage and speak their language to their dedicated fan bases – and this was especially true for the reputation tour.”
The following month, she appeared on the U.K. talk show Sunday Brunch, where she gushed about Swift.
“She’s an incredible businesswoman and she’s really kind. She makes us feel, like, so welcome. It feels like a girl gang on tour together, it’s really good,” said Charli.
Charli XCX and Taylor Swift Dated The 1975 Members
Charli confirmed she was dating The 1975 drummer George Daniel in 2023 — the same year Swift and Matty Healy were publicly linked.
While “The Fate of Ophelia” hitmaker’s relationship with The 1975 frontman fizzled out, Charli and Daniel’s romance progressed as they exchanged vows in a private ceremony in July.
They reignited feud rumors when Charli released the music video for her song “360,” which featured Healy and his now-fiancée, Gabbriette, in May 2024. Tensions intensified after the model reposted a “360” meme that referenced Swift’s “Bad Blood” music video.
Swifties Speculated Charli XCX’s ‘Sympathy Is a Knife’ Was About Taylor Swift
In June 2024, Charli released her album Brat, which featured the track “Sympathy is a knife.” Fans theorized the song was aimed at Swift, as it has the lyrics, “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show / Fingers crossed behind my back / I hope they break up quick” and “This one girl taps my insecurities / Don’t know if it’s real or if I’m spiraling.”
But in an interview with New York Magazine, the “Speed Drive” singer said “people are gonna think what they want to think.”
“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,” she clarified.
Charli also asked her fans to stop chanting “Taylor is dead” after seeing a video of the occurrence during one of her concerts.
“Online or at my shows. It is the opposite of what I want and it disturbs me that anyone would think there is room for this in this community. I will not tolerate it,” she told her fans.
Feud rumors calmed down when the “august” singer spoke highly of Charli’s “melodic sensibilities” during an August 2024 interview with Vulture.
Taylor Swift Released ‘Actually Romantic’
Swift and Charli’s feud rumors flared up again when the former released her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, on October 3.
Swifties believed one of the tracks — “Actually Romantic” — was a diss track aimed at Charli, since the title also plays on the British singer-songwriter’s 2018 song “Everything is Romantic.”
Swift also cryptically sings, “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.”
A few moments later, Charli uploaded a video of herself inside a recording studio, prompting fans to believe it was her response to Swift’s diss.
The “Apple” singer fueled the speculations when she appeared on Saturday Night Live wearing a black T-shirt with the words “Max’s Kansas City.” After Swift’s Eras Tour film was announced, Charli said she has a problem with musicians who have their tours filmed.
“I feel like my problem with a lot of musician documentaries is, it often shows the musician coming up against some kind of opposition and eventually overcoming it to be the hero,” she shared. “And that’s just not been my experience, you know? Maybe it has been a lot of other people’s, and that’s awesome.”