EPISODE · Jan 16, 2026 · 1H 18M
Actually Romantic
from Blank Plate: A Podcast for Swifties with an Appetite · host Blank Plate Pod
It’s honestly lovelyyyy… that you’re tuning in for another episode of Blank Plate! In today’s episode, Laura and Sara kick off the new year with life updates, holiday chaos and a truly iconic New Year’s Eve wedding story before diving deep into one of Taylor Swift’s messiest and most fascinating tracks, “Actually Romantic” from Life of a Showgirl. The ladies unpack the song’s fountain-pen pettiness, rumored muse lore (yes, we’re talking about Charli XCX), and how admiration, insecurity, and obsession blur into something unexpectedly romantic. Chapters(00:00) Introduction(00:47) What's On Our Plates(08:14) Taylor Updates: Este Haim's Wedding, Eras Tour Documentary Reflections, Unanswered Questions(31:13) Unpacking "Actually Romantic"(33:05) Our Personal Associations With The Song(35:22) Folk"lore" Of The Song(49:08) Verse 1: "Boring" As A Trigger, Eras Tour vs. Brat Tour Aesthetics, Exes Ghosting(55:31) Chorus 1: Effort And One Side Obsession As Romantic, Implications Of A Platonic, Female Muse(57:24) Verse 2: "I Forgot That You Existed" Parallels, Valentines Clues, Close "Circles" In The Music Industry(01:05:18) The Bridge: Naughty Taylor! (01:07:36) Chorus 3 & Outro: "Lovely" As Passive Aggressive (01:10:10) Music Theory Analysis: Interpolations of Weezer, Wheatus, The Pixies(01:13:00) Ratings and Favorite Lyrics(01:13:59) This Song As A Recipe(01:15:10) Signing Off!(01:16:40) Patreon Preview: champagne problemsSUPPORT US ON PATREON! Show us some love and get monthly bonus episodes and first dibs on upcoming episode ideas. We’d be enchanted to have you join our Swiftie community!Links ReferencedRolling Stone: Was “Actually Romantic” Really Necessary?Vogue: Kim Kardashian Just Sent a Valentine's Day Gift to Taylor SwiftSalt and Vinegar Potatoes RecipePlease make sure to subscribe and leave a review. If you’d like to reach out to send in a question or comment, please do so via any of these platforms:email [email protected] a voicemail at (717) 382-831Patreon (get bonus episodes and first dibs on episode ideas)YouTubeInstagramTikTokYou can also follow Sara and Laura individually:• Laura: Instagram and Tiktok• Sara: InstagramListen to our previous podcast: Passports & Pizza
What this episode covers
It’s honestly lovelyyyy… that you’re tuning in for another episode of Blank Plate! In today’s episode, Laura and Sara kick off the new year with life updates, holiday chaos and a truly iconic New Year’s Eve wedding story before diving deep into one of Taylor Swift’s messiest and most fascinating tracks, “Actually Romantic” from Life of a Showgirl. The ladies unpack the song’s fountain-pen pettiness, rumored muse lore (yes, we’re talking about Charli XCX), and how admiration, insecurity, and obsession blur into something unexpectedly romantic.
NOW PLAYING
Actually Romantic
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.