Charli XCX Responds to Claims Taylor Swift Inspired Her Song "Sympathy Is a Knife"

"I don’t want to be in those situations physically when I feel self-doubt."

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Charli XCX and Taylor Swift
(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images/Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood)

Fans of Brat have always wondered if Charli XCX wrote "Sympathy Is a Knife" about Taylor Swift. In particular, Charli references seeing one of her bandmate's girlfriends backstage, and feeling inadequate in comparison. As Swift was briefly linked to The 1975's lead singer Matty Healy, listeners inferred she was the subject of "Sympathy Is a Knife." However, Charli has responded to those allegations in a new interview.

Speaking with New York magazine, Charli explained, "People are gonna think what they want to think." She continued, "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."

"This one girl taps my insecurities," Charli sings in "Sympathy Is a Knife." Later in the song, she says, "'Cause I couldn't even be her if I tried." The lyrics continue, "Don't wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend's show / Fingers crossed behind my back / I hope they break up quick."

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Taylor Swift and Charli XCX at The 1989 World Tour Live In Toronto on October 3, 2015.

Taylor Swift and Charli XCX at The 1989 World Tour Live In Toronto on October 3, 2015.

(Image credit: George Pimentel/LP5/Getty Images for TAS)

In the same interview, Charli suggested she was intimidated by the venues The 1975 were playing. Charli is, of course, engaged to the band's drummer, George Daniel.

Charli explained, "Sometimes I’d look onstage and be like, 'Oh, my God... I'm never going to play these rooms, ever.'" She continued, "That made me feel jealous. I told Matty that. And George. They were both like, 'Shut up. What are you talking about?'"

During New York magazine's profile of Charli, Swift actually opened up about her admiration for the Brat icon. "I’ve been blown away by Charli’s melodic sensibilities since I first heard 'Stay Away' in 2011," the "Shake It Off" singer said. "Her writing is surreal and inventive, always."

Further singing Charli's praises, Swift continued, "She just takes a song to places you wouldn’t expect it to go, and she’s been doing it consistently for over a decade. I love to see hard work like that pay off."

While Charli appears to have denied writing "Sympathy Is a Knife" about Swift, it would seem the song is still very much open to interpretation.

Amy Mackelden
Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.