| "Sympathy Is a Knife" | |
|---|---|
| Song byCharli XCX | |
| from the albumBrat | |
| Released | 7 June 2024 (2024-06-07) |
| Studio | Sleeper Sounds (London) |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:31 |
| Label | Atlantic |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers |
|
| Lyric video | |
| "Sympathy Is a Knife" onYouTube | |
"Sympathy Is a Knife" (stylized insentence case) is a song by the British singerCharli XCX from her sixth studio album,Brat, released throughAtlantic Records. She wrote and produced it withFinn Keane, whileJon Shave provided additional songwriting. Asynth-pop track driven bysynthesisers andvocoded vocals, it was written about self-comparison,paranoia, insecurities, andsuicidal ideation.
Upon its release, fans speculated that the track was written aboutTaylor Swift and her relationship withMatty Healy ofthe 1975. This speculation was amplified by Swift reissuing her albumThe Tortured Poets Department (2024) in the United Kingdom a week afterBrat's release, blocking it from reaching number one on theUK Albums Chart. Following this, the audience at Charli XCX'sDJ set in São Paulo chanted "Taylor is dead!", which she condemned. She also later debunked the speculation of the track's subject, expressing that the track was written about anxiety, insecurities, and situational self-doubt, and Swift later praised Charli XCX in an interview withVulture.
A remix version featuringAriana Grande was released on 11 October 2024, from the remix albumBrat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat. As opposed to the original version, the remix deals with the pitfalls of being in the public eye. The remix, as well as the original version, received positive reviews from critics. Many publications believed the remix was one of the album's best, and the original version was included inConsequence's list of the best songs of 2024. Both versions charted in various countries; the original received a goldcertification fromMusic Canada (MC). Charli XCX included the song in the setlist of herSweat tour withTroye Sivan throughout 2024 and 2025, and performed it onSaturday Night Live in November 2024.
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Upon the release ofCharli XCX's sixth studio albumBrat, fans speculated that "Sympathy Is a Knife" was written about the American singer-songwriterTaylor Swift and her ex-boyfriend,Matty Healy ofthe 1975.[1][2] The two women had previously performed together, with Charli XCX appearing onthe 1989 World Tour in 2015 and as anopening act for the 2018Reputation Stadium Tour.[2] Though there had been no public feud between Charli XCX and Swift prior to the song's release, fans thought that the mention of Charli XCX's fiancéGeorge Daniel, also of the 1975, meant it was written about Swift's relationship with Healy.[1] Despite the speculation, Charli XCX confirmed that there were no "diss tracks" onBrat,[3] and denied that it was written about Swift.[4] The week followingBrat's release, Swift released a reissue of her albumThe Tortured Poets Department (2024), only available in the United Kingdom, which fans thought was an intentional effort to blockBrat from reaching number one on theUK Albums Chart.[3][5]
During aDJ set Charli XCX was playing at inSão Paulo during June 2024, the audience chanted "A Taylor morreu!" (Portuguese for 'Taylor is dead!').[6] She later criticised the people who chanted the phrase on herInstagram story, by asking her fans to stop, and saying that she "will not tolerate it".[7] In an August 2024 interview withVulture, she expressed that "people are gonna think what they want to think" and stated that "Sympathy Is a Knife" is about her anxiety, insecurities, and wanting to avoid situations that make her feel self-doubt. In the same interview, Swift lauded Charli XCX's musical sensibilities, called her writing "surreal and inventive, always", and that she enjoys seeing the results of Charli XCX's hard work. She further praised Charli XCX's ability to "[take] a song to places you wouldn't expect it to go" and the fact that "she's been doing it consistently for over a decade".[8]
The track "Actually Romantic" from Swift's 2025 studio albumThe Life of a Showgirl was perceived by fans as a response to "Sympathy Is a Knife". Characterized as adiss track targeting Charli XCX, critics generally criticized the song's narrative as unmerited and the sound ineffective.[9][10][11][12]
"Sympathy Is a Knife" was recorded at Sleeper Sounds in London. It was written and produced by Charli XCX andFinn Keane, whileJon Shave provided additional songwriting. Idania Valencia andRandy Merrillmastered the track atSterling Sound inEdgewater, New Jersey, whileTom Norris handled the track'smixing. Keane and Shave engineered Charli XCX's vocals.[13]
"Sympathy Is a Knife" is the third track onBrat, which was released byAtlantic Records on 7 June 2024.[14] It was released alongside alyric video.[15] Charli XCX included the track in her set list of theSweat tour withTroye Sivan throughout 2024 and 2025.[16] She performed "Sympathy Is a Knife" alongside "360" onSaturday Night Live in November 2024.[17]
"Sympathy Is a Knife" is 2 minutes and 31 seconds long.[18] It was classified as asynth-pop track by publications.[19][15] Its energetic[20] production is dominated bysynthesisers andhand claps.[21] Charli XCX's vocals arevocoded,[22] and the stuttering beat is paired alongside distorted bass[21] anddrum machines.[23] The track features a "raw" sound, one that was compared to the work ofCamila Cabello byPopMatters's Nick Malone.[24] ForDork, Abigail Firth called the synthesisers "jolting" and described the track as a "heavier, more arresting" version of Charli XCX's 2019 song "Gone".[25] Meaghan Garvey fromPitchfork said that the "buzzsaw synths and modulated banshee howls sound most like the Charli we've known".[26]The Skinny writer Rho Chung believed that the track marks the beginning of the album's twist.[27] Ryan Bulbeck, writing forRenowned for Sound, said the track has "deeper lyrics that dive into Charli's fears and concerns", and believed the track is "one of many on [Brat] to meldclub bangers with reflective and at times incredibly personal lyricism".[28] According to Jake Viswanath ofBustle, it was seen as a representation of one of the central themes of its parent album, as it deals with the singer's "complicated emotions about other women".[29]
The lyrics of "Sympathy Is a Knife" referenceparanoia[20][23] and comparing herself to somebody else.[25] It is an introspective track that comments on Charli XCX's insecurities[30] andsuicidal ideation.[25] It also reflects on her conflicted feelings and having a "voice in her head telling her she's not enough".[20] The lyric "Don't wanna see her backstage at my boyfriend's show / fingers crossed behind my back / I hope they break up quick" was interpreted as being about Swift and Healy's relationship.[31][32] Though, Charli XCX praises the song's character, singing, "'Cause I couldn't even be her if I tried / I'm opposite, I'm on the other side".[1] Dakota West Foss fromSputnikmusic believed that the song's character "suspiciously matches Taylor Swift's description".[33]Paste's Eric Bennett thought that the song's lyrics are darker compared to other songs from the album.[23]
Upon its release, "Sympathy Is a Knife" was received positively by critics. Chung called the track a "shockingly honest banger".[27] ForThe A.V. Club, staff writer and news editor Drew Gillis said that the "meat" ofBrat is within Charli XCX's "own insecurity", and used lyrics from "Sympathy Is a Knife" as an example.[31] Malone praised the album's engineering, saying, "Who wouldn't want their music to sound this juicy?", and gave the song's "dense and decadent" synth lines as an example.[24] Bennett compared the track to the fellow album track "Girl, So Confusing", but said it "hits much harder".[23] Brittany Spanos fromRolling Stone called it "the first of several tracks that see her baring some of her most conflicted emotions over beats that never lose their energy".[20] Writing forUnder the Radar, Austin Saalman thought it was a standout fromBrat.[34]Consequence ranked the track 53rd in their list of the best songs of 2024.[35] The track ranked 35th in a year-end readers poll published byPitchfork.[36]
"Sympathy Is a Knife" peaked at number 56 on theUK singles chart,[37] charting for two weeks.[38] It peaked at number 10 on theBillboard HotDance/Electronic Songs chart.[39] On theBillboard auxiliaryDance/Electronic Songs chart, it peaked at number seven.[40] The track additionally peaked at number 18 inNew Zealand[41] and number 21 inAustralia.[42] It received a goldcertification fromMusic Canada for sales of 40,000 units.[43]
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[44] | 21 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[41] | 18 |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[45] | 81 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[37] | 56 |
| USHot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[46] | 10 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[43] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[47] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Sympathy Is a Knife featuring Ariana Grande" | |
|---|---|
| Remix byCharli XCX featuringAriana Grande | |
| from the albumBrat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat | |
| Released | 11 October 2024 (2024-10-11) |
| Length | 2:34 |
| Label | Atlantic |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers |
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| Audio video | |
| "Sympathy Is a Knife featuring Ariana Grande" onYouTube | |
Charli XCX announced the remix album ofBrat, titledBrat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat, on 12 September 2024.[48] On 6 October, she revealed a sample of the lyrics from the "Sympathy Is a Knife" remix on her social media, alongside a link to pre-order the album.Ariana Grande shared the same lyrics to her Instagram story, hinting at a collaboration.[49] In an interview withZane Lowe forApple Music, Charli XCX opened up about her relationship with Grande and how the rollout ofBrat changed her as a person. The remix with Grande in particular made her realise that one is "only really knowledgeable about [one's] own position", a feeling she thought was more known by Grande than herself.[50]Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat was released through Atlantic Records on 11 October 2024, with the "Sympathy Is a Knife" remix serving as its third track.[51] The day before the album's release, Charli XCX performed the remix version atStorm King Art Center for a listening party.[52]
As opposed to the original version of "Sympathy Is a Knife", the remix with Grande deals with being in the public eye and takes in the themes of public perception and scrutiny from the public, press, and faux friends.[4][53] Carson Mlnarik ofNylon described the remix as "more confident, albeit exasperated, perspective" than the original. Over a "synth-y, glitchier, and handclap-driven" instrumental, the artists exchange verses about rumours and how they refuse to address them, a stance that was compared to Grande's "Yes, And?", released earlier in 2024.[54] Critics specifically found the line "It's a knife when you're so pretty they think it must be fake / It's a knife when they dissect your body on the front page" to be reminiscent of the track.[55][56] The track contains sharp synthesisers and chopped-up vocals.[57] On the song, the two trade lines about the betrayals they experienced in the music industry.[58] In its final 30 seconds, its sounds become distorted, like a "radio signal drawing listeners into the dilemma by creating a sense of discord", according to Bain.[59] Phares said it showcases Charli XCX and Grande "finding solidarity in dealing with impossible demands and beauty standards".[60]NME's Aneesa Ahmed said it reflects "the influence of post-Brat mega-fame".[53]
The remix version with Grande received positive critical reviews.AllMusic's Heather Phares said that Grande's appearance "feels perfectly natural".[60]Rob Sheffield, writing forRolling Stone, believed that Grande "fits right into" the track.[55] P. Claire Dodson, forTeen Vogue, said the track is "an appropriate remix for Grande to jump on".[52] In a ranking of the songs fromBrat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat, Solomon Pace-McCarrick fromDazed ranked the track second. He named it a standout from the remix album and considered it "the first true anthem fromBrat autumn".[61]DIY's Lisa Wright also ranked it second, writing, "it's the one that feels the most hot off the presses", and said it is "underscored by a fellow star who's been through that wringer many times over".[62] ForBillboard, Katie Bain considered it the third best track on the remix album. She called it the album's most anticipated song and praised its harmonies.[59] Maria Sherman of theAssociated Press considered it the fourth best.[63] Andy Steiner ofPaste believed that it leans too much into the "'fame is prison'-type narrative", and criticised Grande's use of "unspecific language and kiss offs". Despite this, she praised its production, writing that "the piercing synths and chopped-up vocals give it a necessary anxious edge".[57]
The remix version peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart and charted for 12 weeks.[64] It charted for two weeks on theBillboard Hot 100, debuting at number 36.[65] Charting for 29 weeks, it peaked at number two on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.[66] On the auxiliary Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs chart, it peaked at number one,[67] and peaked at number two on theDance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart.[68] In theCanadian Hot 100, the track charted for two weeks, peaking at number 38.[69]
Weekly charts[edit]
| Monthly charts[edit]
Year-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[89] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Credits are adapted from theliner notes ofBrat.[13]
Credits are adapted fromTidal.[90]
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