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."
