Sympathy Is a Knife
Updated: 12/20/2025, 2:58:21 PM Wikipedia source
"Sympathy Is a Knife" (stylized in sentence case) is a song by the British singer Charli XCX from her sixth studio album, Brat, released through Atlantic Records. She wrote and produced it with Finn Keane, while Jon Shave provided additional songwriting. A synth-pop track driven by synthesisers and vocoded vocals, it was written about self-comparison, paranoia, insecurities, and suicidal ideation. Upon its release, fans speculated that the track was written about Taylor Swift and her relationship with Matty Healy of the 1975. This speculation was amplified by Swift reissuing her album The Tortured Poets Department (2024) in the United Kingdom a week after Brat's release, blocking it from reaching number one on the UK Albums Chart. Following this, the audience at Charli XCX's DJ set in São Paulo chanted "Taylor is dead!", which she condemned. She also later debunked the speculation of the track's subject, expressing that the track was written about anxiety, insecurities, and situational self-doubt, and Swift later praised Charli XCX in an interview with Vulture. A remix version featuring Ariana Grande was released on 11 October 2024, from the remix album Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat. As opposed to the original version, the remix deals with the pitfalls of being in the public eye. The remix, as well as the original version, received positive reviews from critics. Many publications believed the remix was one of the album's best, and the original version was included in Consequence's list of the best songs of 2024. Both versions charted in various countries; the original received a gold certification from Music Canada (MC). Charli XCX included the song in the setlist of her Sweat tour with Troye Sivan throughout 2024 and 2025, and performed it on Saturday Night Live in November 2024.
Infobox
Released
7 June 2024 (2024-06-07)
Studio
Sleeper Sounds (London)
Genre
Synth-pop electropop hyperpop
Length
2:31
Label
Atlantic
Songwriters
Charlotte Aitchison Finn Keane Jonathan Christopher Shave
Producers
Charli XCX Finn Keane
Tables
Chart performance for "Sympathy Is a Knife" · Charts
Australia (ARIA)
Australia (ARIA)
Chart (2024)
Australia (ARIA)
Peakposition
21
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)
Chart (2024)
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)
Peakposition
18
Spain (PROMUSICAE)
Spain (PROMUSICAE)
Chart (2024)
Spain (PROMUSICAE)
Peakposition
81
UK Singles (OCC)
UK Singles (OCC)
Chart (2024)
UK Singles (OCC)
Peakposition
56
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
Chart (2024)
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
Peakposition
10
| Chart (2024) | Peakposition |
| Australia (ARIA) | 21 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 18 |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) | 81 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 56 |
| US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) | 10 |
· Certifications
Canada (Music Canada)
Canada (Music Canada)
Region
Canada (Music Canada)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
40,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Region
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Weekly chart performance for "Sympathy Is a Knife featuring Ariana Grande" · Ariana Grande remix › Charts › Weekly charts
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)
Chart (2024)
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)
Peakposition
49
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
Chart (2024)
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)
Peakposition
37
France (SNEP)
France (SNEP)
Chart (2024)
France (SNEP)
Peakposition
173
Germany (GfK)
Germany (GfK)
Chart (2024)
Germany (GfK)
Peakposition
70
Global 200 (Billboard)
Global 200 (Billboard)
Chart (2024)
Global 200 (Billboard)
Peakposition
20
Greece International (IFPI)
Greece International (IFPI)
Chart (2024)
Greece International (IFPI)
Peakposition
34
Ireland (IRMA)
Ireland (IRMA)
Chart (2024)
Ireland (IRMA)
Peakposition
7
Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)
Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)
Chart (2024)
Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)
Peakposition
21
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Chart (2024)
Netherlands (Single Top 100)
Peakposition
95
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)
Chart (2024)
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)
Peakposition
1
Portugal (AFP)
Portugal (AFP)
Chart (2024)
Portugal (AFP)
Peakposition
41
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)
Chart (2024)
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)
Peakposition
61
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)
Chart (2024)
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)
Peakposition
91
UK Singles (OCC)
UK Singles (OCC)
Chart (2024)
UK Singles (OCC)
Peakposition
7
US Billboard Hot 100
US Billboard Hot 100
Chart (2024)
US Billboard Hot 100
Peakposition
36
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
Chart (2024)
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
Peakposition
2
US Hot Dance/Pop Songs (Billboard)
US Hot Dance/Pop Songs (Billboard)
Chart (2024)
US Hot Dance/Pop Songs (Billboard)
Peakposition
6
| Chart (2024) | Peakposition |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 49 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100) | 37 |
| France (SNEP) | 173 |
| Germany (GfK) | 70 |
| Global 200 (Billboard) | 20 |
| Greece International (IFPI) | 34 |
| Ireland (IRMA) | 7 |
| Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) | 21 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 95 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) | 1 |
| Portugal (AFP) | 41 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 61 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 91 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 7 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 36 |
| US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) | 2 |
| US Hot Dance/Pop Songs (Billboard) | 6 |
Monthly chart performance for "Sympathy Is a Knife featuring Ariana Grande" · Ariana Grande remix › Charts › Monthly charts
Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)
Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)
Chart (2024)
Lithuania Airplay (TopHit)
PeakPosition
78
| Chart (2024) | PeakPosition |
| Lithuania Airplay (TopHit) | 78 |
Year-end chart performance for "Sympathy Is a Knife featuring Ariana Grande" · Ariana Grande remix › Charts › Year-end charts
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
Chart (2024)
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)
Position
28
| Chart (2024) | Position |
| US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) | 28 |
· Ariana Grande remix › Certifications
United Kingdom (BPI)
United Kingdom (BPI)
Region
United Kingdom (BPI)
Certification
Silver
Certified units/sales
200,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Region
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
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