Published 13:48 8 Jun 2024 GMT+1
The rumored feud between Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish has taken a new turn, with fresh evidence suggesting the tension is more than just speculation.
For those who follow celebrity news closely, whispers of a rift between Swift and Eilish have been circulating for some time. While neither artist has publicly called out the other, fans have noticed subtle jabs that seem to indicate underlying animosity.
Recently, an insider close to Eilish revealed to the Daily Mail that Taylor Swift might be using her fanbase to target Eilish. “Industry insiders aren’t blind to the fact that Taylor is weaponizing her fans, and Billie appears to be the latest victim in that campaign,” the source said. “Whenever Taylor feels jealous of a peer’s success, she does all she can to make sure her fans start vicious online campaigns to bring that person down without ever telling them to stop. And all while operating under the guise of being America’s sweetheart.”
These claims are certainly explosive and add fuel to the fire of the rumored feud. Eilish has made comments that some interpret as digs at Swift. In a recent interview on Stationhead, Eilish criticized lengthy concerts, saying, “Nobody wants that. You guys don’t want that. I don’t want that. 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.” Given that Swift’s Eras Tour runs for about three hours and 15 minutes, it’s easy to see why some might think Eilish’s remarks were pointed.
Eilish has also criticized musicians who write songs aimed at specific individuals from their past, a practice Swift is well-known for. This isn’t the first time Swift has been involved in public feuds. Her long-standing issues with reality star Kim Kardashian are well-documented. Swift’s recent song “thanK you aIMee” seems to take a jab at Kardashian, with the capitalized letters spelling out “KIM.”
Swift and Eilish have both released new albums recently, intensifying the competition between them. Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” has held the No.1 spot on Billboard’s album rankings since its release on April 19. Critics suggest that Swift has maintained this position by periodically releasing variant and extended editions to boost sales and streaming figures. Swift has released over 20 variants of TTPD, and she dropped two special editions on the same day Eilish released her new album “Hit Me Hard and Soft” last month. This move was seen by many as an attempt to overshadow Eilish’s release.
Eilish’s manager, Danny Rukasin, even re-shared a tweet accusing Swift of “breaking her neck doing everything to prevent other artists from shining,” though he later deleted it. The tweet implied that Swift had similarly timed releases in the past to hinder artists like Katy Perry and SZA.
Back in March, Eilish criticized artists who make multiple vinyl packages to boost sales, a practice Swift is known for. Eilish insisted she wasn’t singling anyone out, but fans quickly made the connection, leading to attacks from Swift’s fans.
Further comments from Eilish last month added to the tension. She slammed songs aimed at individuals as “frustrating” and called artists who perform three-hour shows “literally psychotic.” Given Swift’s ongoing Eras Tour, these remarks seemed like another dig at her.
Sources close to Eilish suggest she doesn’t want a public rift and is now a victim of unwarranted online attacks by Swift’s fans. “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 said. “At a time when Billie is doing so well, there is no reason for her to become involved in any kind of beef.”
Some believe the tension dates back to January 2022, when Blur frontman Damon Albarn criticized Swift in an LA Times interview, claiming she “doesn’t write her own songs” and comparing her unfavorably to Eilish. Albarn later apologized, but not before Swift clapped back, calling his comments “completely false and SO damaging.”
In April 2022, Eilish invited Albarn to join her onstage during her Coachella set, which may have angered Swift. During their performance, an unidentified man, possibly Eilish’s brother Finneas O’Connell, was heard on the concert livestream saying, “We’re getting sued by Taylor Swift.”
Swift is known for her lengthy feuds and long-held grudges, from Kim Kardashian to Scooter Braun and Karlie Kloss. “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?”
Swift and Kardashian have traded blows for years, starting with Swift’s infamous on-stage spat with Kanye West at the 2009 VMA Awards. Swift’s recent song “thanK you aIMee” seems to take another jab at Kardashian.
Swift’s 2014 hit “Bad Blood” is widely believed to be about Katy Perry, written after the pair allegedly quarreled over Perry “stealing” Swift’s backing dancers. Her ongoing battle with Scooter Braun is also no secret. Braun purchased Swift’s masters in 2019, a deal Swift says she had no control over. She has publicly condemned Braun on several occasions, even using an acceptance speech at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards to slam him as “the definition of the toxic male privilege in our industry.”
Swift’s fallout with her former best friend, supermodel Karlie Kloss, is another example. The exact details of their rift are unclear, but Kloss appeared to move out of Swift’s $50 million New York City home in early 2018, and Swift missed Kloss’s wedding that year. Swift’s fans attacked Kloss after she shared a photo with Katy Perry in February 2018, filling her Instagram comments with rat emojis.
“All Taylor needs to do is encourage her fans to spread positive messages instead of trolling and bringing others down,” an Eilish insider said. The question remains: will Swift take the advice or pen another diss track?
