There may be no “Bad Blood” after all. Despite swirling rumors of a feud between Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish, insiders are now claiming that the supposed rift is nothing more than media hype. According to a music industry insider familiar with both artists, the feud is largely a creation of the press. “Yeah, that’s all media … just press stuff. Billie likes Taylor’s music — even her songs are sounding more like Taylor’s,” the insider told Paula Froelich of NewsNation.
The speculation of a feud gained traction when Eilish, 22, made a comment about Swift’s lengthy concerts, calling them “literally psychotic” during a Q&A session on the music app Stationhead. “Nobody wants that. You guys don’t want that. I don’t want that,” Eilish said. “I don’t even want that as a fan. My favorite artist in the world, I’m not trying to hear them for three hours.”
This comment was quickly picked up by the X handle Taylor Swift Updates, which posted it to its page. The post garnered 9 million views and 1,600 comments, many of which were critical of Eilish. One particularly incensed Swiftie retorted, “Billie doesn’t have enough songs to last her a 3-hour show.”
The history between Swift and Eilish goes back several years. In 2014, when Swift received her Billboard Woman of the Year award, she predicted Eilish’s future success. “I really just feel like we need to continue to try and offer something to a younger generation of musicians,” Swift said at the time. “Because somewhere right now your future woman of the year is probably sitting in a piano lesson or in a girls’ choir. Today, right now, we need to take care of her.”
Swift referenced that speech again in 2019 when she won Billboard’s Woman of the Decade award, the same year Eilish took home the award for Woman of the Year. “I’ve since learned that at that exact moment, an 11-year-old girl in California really was taking piano lessons and really was in a girls’ choir,” Swift said. “And this year she has been named Woman of the Year at the age of 17. Her name is Billie.”
On May 17, both singers released new albums. Swift’s new version of “The Tortured Poets Department” has remained No. 1 on the Billboard album charts since its April 19 release, while Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard And Soft” is currently in third place.
Despite these public displays of mutual respect, the rumors of a feud have persisted. Some fans believe that Swift’s release of new digital versions of her album on the same day Eilish released hers was a deliberate attempt to overshadow Eilish. This move led to accusations of sabotage from Eilish’s fans.
Adding fuel to the fire, Eilish’s recent comments about long concerts were seen as a direct dig at Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ shows, which are known for their extended duration. However, insiders maintain that these incidents are being blown out of proportion by the media.
For her part, Eilish has tried to downplay any notion of a feud. She has emphasized that her comments were not aimed at Swift specifically but were more about her personal preferences and broader industry practices. “Billie doesn’t want anything to do with a ‘feud’, she’s not interested in the drama, and she’s done nothing to provoke it whatsoever,” an insider close to Eilish said. “At a time when Billie is doing so well, there is no reason for her to become involved in any kind of beef.”
The rumors have also been fueled by past incidents. In January 2022, Blur frontman Damon Albarn criticized Swift in an interview, claiming she “doesn’t write her own songs” and comparing her unfavorably to Eilish. Swift clapped back, calling his comments “completely false and SO damaging.” Eilish later invited Albarn to join her onstage during her Coachella performance, which some fans interpreted as a slight against Swift.
Swift is no stranger to public feuds. She has had long-standing disputes with several high-profile figures, including Kim Kardashian, Scooter Braun, and Karlie Kloss. Her 2014 hit “Bad Blood” is widely believed to be about Katy Perry, written after the pair allegedly quarreled over backing dancers. Swift’s ongoing battle with Scooter Braun, who purchased her masters in 2019, has also been well-documented.
Despite these past feuds, insiders insist that the supposed rift between Swift and Eilish is largely a media creation. “This is not the first time that Taylor’s fans have been used to pull someone down when their success is seen to be encroaching on hers,” an Eilish insider said. “If she is really such a nice girl like she wants everyone to believe, then why doesn’t she speak out and stop her fans from attacking people on her behalf?”
As of now, both artists continue to enjoy immense success. Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” remains at the top of the charts, while Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard And Soft” is also performing well. Whether or not the rumors of a feud will persist remains to be seen, but for now, it appears that any bad blood between the two is more fiction than fact.
