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Charli XCX is facing backlash from Swifties over a photograph in her New York Magazine feature released on Monday, August 26.
While the feature gave insight into the 32-year-old’s latest album, Brat, and her musical journey, fans couldn’t help but notice a certain photograph.
In one picture taken by famed photographer David Lachapellehe, the British singer is seen lying on a stretcher in a red mini-dress with doctors, paparazzi, and spectators crowded around her. Her arm is bandaged and her bloody hand can be seen on a bed of ice. Upon zooming in on the picture, fans noticed bracelets around the bloody wrist that resemble Swift’s friendship bracelets, a trademark of her Eras Tour.
The gruesome picture made fans feel like the Grammy-nominated singer was being insensitive towards the victims of the Southport stabbing attack. Back in July, three girls were stabbed to death at a Swift-themed dance class, many of the attendees wearing friendship bracelets.
Dave Benett/Getty
Fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to voice their opinions on the situation.
“After what happened in Southport… Charli XCX is disgusting for this. esp since the victims were CHILDREN,” one person wrote.
Another individual commented, “this [photo] is absolutely disgusting…”
Despite some backlash, many fans came to the “360” singer’s defense saying this was unrelated. “these two situations are completely different, she’s teasing sympathy in a knife remix, [to] compare them is insane,” one person commented.
Another individual explained that they believed the singer was referring to kandi, a popular style bracelet worn in rave culture. “its kandi not friendship bracelets. i love taylor and i love charli and yes what happened to children was disgusting but kandi has been apart of club/rave culture for decades. and also taylor swift didn’t invent friendship bracelets nor did her fans!!,” they wrote.
As for Swift, she was quoted in the New York Magazine interview sharing some kind words about XCX. “I’ve been blown away by Charli’s melodic sensibilities since I first heard ‘Stay Away’ in 2011. Her writing is surreal and inventive, always,” the Grammy winner remarked. “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,” the superstar added.
Swift recently knocked XCX off the number one spot on the British music charts by releasing a limited edition of The Tortured Poets Department album only in the UK. This caused fans to speculate on if there was a feud between the pair.