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"Sympathy Is a Knife" is a song by the English singer Charli XCX from her sixth studio album, Brat. Written and produced by Charli XCX herself and long-time collaborator Finn Keane, better known as Easyfun, the former bares her thoughts on a woman that evokes feelings of "doubt and insecurity" in herself on the song.

Upon release, the song peaked at 56 on the UK Singles Chart, as well as the top 10 on the US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. Later on, it debuted at number 18 on the New Zealand singles chart. Charli XCX included the song the setlist of her Sweat tour and performed it on Saturday Night Live on 16 November 2024.

Background

Upon the release of Charli XCX's sixth studio album Brat, fans speculated that "Sympathy Is a Knife" was written about the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and her ex-boyfriend, Matty Healy of the 1975. During 2018, Charli XCX was an opening act for Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour, as well as appeared in the 1989 World Tour (2015). 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 fiancé George Daniel, also of the 1975, meant it was written about Swift's relationship with Healy. Despite the speculation, Charli XCX confirmed that there were no "diss tracks" on Brat. The week following Brat's release, Swift released a reissue of her album The Tortured Poets Department (2024), only available in the United Kingdom, which fans thought was an intentional effort to block Brat from reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart.

During a DJ set Charli XCX was playing at in São Paulo during June 2024, the audience chanted "Taylor is dead!". Charli XCX later criticised the people who chanted the phrase on her Instagram story, by asking them to stop, and saying that she "will not tolerate it". In an August 2024 interview with Vulture, Charli XCX 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 " 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".

"Sympathy Is a Knife" was recorded at Sleeper Sounds in London. It was written by Charli XCX, Finn Keane, and Jon Shave, and was produced by Charli XCX and Keane. Idania Valencia and Randy Merrill mastered the track at Sterling Sound in Edgewater, New Jersey, while Tom Norris handled the track's mixing. Keane and Shave engineered Charli XCX's vocals.

Composition and lyrics

"Sympathy Is a Knife" is two minutes and 31 seconds long. It was classified as a synth-pop track by publications. Its energetic production is dominated by synthesizers and hand claps. Charli XCX's vocals are vocoded, and the stuttering beat is paired alongside distorted bass and drum machines. The track features a "raw" sound, one that was compared to the work of Camila Cabello by PopMatters's Nick Malone. For Dork, Abigail Firth called the synthesizers "jolting" and described the track as a "heavier, more arresting" version of Charli XCX's 2019 song "Gone" ". Meaghan Garvey from Pitchfork said that the "buzzsaw synths and modulated banshee howls sound most like the Charli we've known". The Skinny writer Rho Chung called the track a "shockingly honest banger". Ryan Bulbeck, writing for Renowned 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 to meld club bangers with reflective and at times incredibly personal lyricism". According to Jake Viswanath of Bustle, 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".

The lyrics of "Sympathy Is a Knife" reference paranoia and comparing herself to somebody else; presumably Swift. It is an introspective track that comments on Charli XCX's insecurities and suicidal ideation. It also reflects on her conflicted feelings and having a "voice in her head telling her she's not enough". 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. 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". Dakota West Foss from Sputnikmusic believed that the song's character "suspiciously matches Taylor Swift's description". Paste's Eric Bennett thought that the song's lyrics are darker compared to other songs from the album.

Release and live performances

"Sympathy Is a Knife" is the third track on Brat, which was released by Atlantic Records on 7 June 2024. It was released alongside a lyric video. Charli XCX included the track in her set list of the Sweat tour with Troye Sivan throughout 2024 and 2025. She performed "Sympathy Is a Knife" alongside "360" on Saturday Night Live during November 2024.

Commercial performance

"Sympathy Is a Knife" peaked at number 56 on the UK Singles Chart. The track charted for two weeks. It peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. On the Billboard auxiliary Dance/Electronic Songs chart, it peaked at number seven. The track peaked at number 21 on the ARIA Charts. In New Zealand, the song peaked at number 18. The remix version with Ariana Grande peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart and charted for nine weeks. It debuted at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted for two weeks. It peaked at number two on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and charted for 26 weeks. On the auxiliary Dance/Electronic Songs chart, it peaked at number one, and peaked at number two on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart. In the Canadian Hot 100, the track peaked at number 38 and charted for two weeks. It received a gold certification from Music Canada (MC) for sales of 40,000 units.

Ariana Grande remix

Background

Charli XCX announced the remix album of Brat, titled Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat, on 12 September 2024. On 6 October, XCX 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. Grande shared the same lyrics to her Instagram story, hinting at a collaboration. In an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Charli XCX opened up about her relationship with Grande and how the rollout of Brat changed her as a person. The remix with Grande in particular made her realise that one is "only really knowledgeable about own position", a feeling she thought was more known by Grande than herself.

Composition and lyrics

As opposed to the original version of "Sympathy Is a Knife", the remix with Grande deals with being in the spotlight and takes in the themes of public perception and scrutiny from the public, press, and faux friends. Carson Mlnarik of Nylon 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. 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. The track contains sharp synthesizers and chopped-up vocals. On the song, the two trade lines about the betrayals they experienced in the music industry. AllMusic's Heather Phares said it showcases Charli XCX and Grande "finding solidarity in dealing with impossible demands and beauty standards".

Charts

Certifications

References

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• 2024 songs
• Ariana Grande songs
• Charli XCX songs
• Songs written by Ariana Grande
• Songs written by Charli XCX
• Songs written by Easyfun
• Songs recordings produced by Easyfun