How did Taylor Swift describe “Actually Romantic” at ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ theater event?

Taylor Swift released her highly anticipated twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on Friday, Oct. 3, and she celebrated with a theatre event. The Bad Blood hitmaker announced a theatre event for the opening week of TLOAS:

"You’ll get to see the exclusive world premiere of the music video for my new single “The Fate of Ophelia”, along with never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage of how we made it, cut-by-cut explanations of what inspired this music, and the brand new lyric videos from my new album, The Life of a Showgirl.”

She added:

"Looks like it’s time to brush off that Eras Tour outfit or orange cardigan… Tickets are on sale now. Dancing is optional but very much encouraged 
 
 
 
 

The event, titled the Official Release Party of a Showgirl, showcased the music video for one of the album’s tracks, "The Fate of Ophelia," and an 89-minute film in which the singer explained the meaning behind each song, followed by lyric videos of the new tracks.
Fans are convinced that one of the tracks, Actually Romantic is directed at Charli XCX, and Swift’s song description seemingly added fuel to the fire. Swift describes Pretty Romantic as a response to a one-sided hate relationship with someone else:

“‘Actually Romantic’ is a love letter to someone who hates you. Sometimes you don’t know you’re a part of someone else’s story, but you are. And then it’s revealed to you through things they do, it’s very overt.
 

"In my industry, attention is attention, and you’re giving me a lot of it," Taylor Swift says in song description for Actually Romantic

The singer continued in her description of Actually Romantic, implying that someone in her industry, presumably a singer, had been talking about her and giving her a lot of attention:

"Honestly, wow, that is very sweet of you that you think are it this much, even if it’s negative. In my industry, attention is attention, and you’re giving me a lot of it.”

In Actually Romantic’s opening verse, Swift sings about a musician  who has made it so evident that they don’t like her:

“High-fived my ex and then said you’re glad he ghosted me / Wrote me a song sayin’ it makes you sick to see my face / Some people might be offended."
 
 

 

Charli XCX released Sympathy is a Knife in 2024, which many believe is a dig at Swift, especially the lines:
 
 

"This one girl taps my insecurities / Don't know if it's real or if I'm spiraling"
"Don’t wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend’s show / Fingers crossed behind my back / I hope they break up quick."
 

 

 

Swift was linked to Matt Healy, frontman of the band "The 1975" and bandmate of Charli's husband, George Daniel, whilst the group was on tour in 2023. Charli addressed rumors that her track was about Swift in an interview with New York Magazine in August 2024:

"People are gonna think what they want to believe," 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."

 
Charli XCX opened for Taylor Swift’s Reputation tour in 2018 and performed the track Shake It Off on various occasions. Contrary to fan theories, the duo has never admitted to any dispute but has instead had positive things to say about each other in interviews.
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