Charli XCX Clarified Comments About Taylor Swift's 'Reputation' Tour

In an interview with Pitchfork published Tuesday morning, Charli XCX expressed some ambivalent thoughts about on pop stardom and performance, and elaborated on what it was like opening for Taylor Swift‘s Reputation Tour in 2018. XCX was appreciative of the offer, but it sounded like she didn’t find the tour the most fulfilling artistic experience. “I’m really grateful that [Swift] asked me on that tour,” XCX said. “But as an artist, it kind of felt like I was getting up on stage and waving to 5-year-olds.”

XCX caught some backlash today from Swift fans, who pointed out the misogyny in infantilizing fans of pop singers. Swift has been performing in pop and country for 13 years now, and many of her fans have grown old with her. And, of course, radio-friendly pop isn’t inherently less artistic than Music Critic Approved indie stuff.

The singer took to Twitter to clarify her comments about opening for Swift, posting a note to her fans Tuesday afternoon, and express the conversation was part of a whole that didn’t make it to print. “Leading up to that tour I’d been playing a tonne of 18+ club shows and so to be on stage in front of all ages was new to me and made me approach my performances with a whole new kind of energy,” XCX wrote. “More so I talked about how it was brilliant opening for Taylor, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I was given and how much fun it was to perform for a new audience.”