Taylor Swift and Charli XCX’s maybe-feud is reaching a fever pitch. Since the release of The Life of a  Showgirl, there has been plenty of commentary on the alleged song disses and comments that they’ve each made in the media. Fans will never know the full scope of their feud or what has really happened behind closed doors. Still, there is certainly some evidence to suggest the pop stars not-so-secretly hate each other. Let’s take a look back and figure out how well they actually know each other and where it all may have begun, though.

How do Taylor Swift and Charli XCX know each other?

While Taylor Swift and Charli XCX both exist in the world of pop, their sounds and, therefore, their fan bases are markedly different. Swift was already well established as a star by the time Charli, whose breakout hit came in 2014, entered the scene. They simply run in different social circles, it seems.  Despite their difference, the two pop artists do know each other, though.

In fact, they worked together professionally. Charli XCX acted as an opener for Taylor Swift on her 2018 Reputation Tour. Charli XCX, along with Camila Cabello, opened for all 50 stops on a tour that saw nearly 3 million attendees. While the tour offered a lot of exposure for both Charli XCX and Cabello, it didn’t result in a lasting friendship between Charli XCX and Swift.

When did the feud begin?

For many years, it seemed like Charli XCX and Taylor Swift only ever had a professional relationship. One would think a feud wouldn’t be born directly from that, but apparently, that was the case. It looks like Charli XCX kicked things off back in 2019 during an interview with Pitchfork. At the very least, that’s when she made it known that she didn’t particularly care for working for Swift on the Reputation Tour.

During her interview, Charli XCX claimed she was ‘grateful” for Swift asking her to be part of the tour, but that it ultimately wasn’t a good fit, calling being on stage in front of Swift’s fans like “waving to five-year-olds.” She went on to claim that the tour made her decide never to open for someone again. Swift never commented on the interview. Still, her fans were quick to call Charli out, claiming she came across as ungrateful.

The feud rumors picked up steam in 2024

Things got more complicated in 2024 when Charli XCX released her song, “Sympathy is a Knife.” In the song, Charli sings, “Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show / Fingers crossed behind my back / I hope they break up quick.” While the pop star claims the song is about her own anxiety and insecurities, the lyrics point directly at Swift. The 2024 song was released after Swift briefly dated Matt Healy. Matt Healy is in the band The 1975 with Charli XCX’s now-husband, George Daniel. The brief romance did not end well, and Healy’s mom even made comments about Swift.

Fans believe Taylor Swift has responded to the song with a diss track of her own. Her song, “Actually Romantic,” is seen as a rebuttal to Charli’s “Sympathy is a Knife.” In the song, Swift sings, “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.” Fans assume the lyrics are directly referencing Charli XCX’s song, though Swift has not confirmed that. Still, the lyrics are pretty obvious. In fact, the rest of the song feels like a power play on Swift’s part.

Where this feud will go is anyone’s guess. For now, it looks like their careers and love lives are taking them in much different directions. Perhaps time and space will cool things off naturally.