Taylor Swift’s latest musical release has seemingly reignited her longstanding feud with Kim Kardashian.
The track titled “thanK you aIMee” from Swift’s album “The Tortured Poets Department” subtly appears to target Kardashian. The controversy stems from a feud that traces back to a 2009 incident during the MTV Video Music Awards involving Kanye West, Kardashian’s then-husband.
The discord initially escalated in 2016 after West released the song “Famous,” which included provocative lyrics about Swift. Swift contended that she did not approve the lyrics. In response, Kardashian released edited recordings of a phone conversation between West and Swift. These recordings seemed to suggest that Swift had some awareness of the lyrics, a revelation that triggered a substantial public backlash against Swift.
In March 2020, Kardashian asserted she was finished with the feud by releasing what she claimed was unedited footage from the phone call. She alleged this footage proved Swift was lying through her publicist. Despite this, Swift has consistently claimed she was recorded without her consent and was not informed about the controversial lyric that included the phrase, “I made that b-tch famous.”
In her new song, Swift incorporates lyrics that allude to her turbulent history with Kardashian, depicting a fictional character named “Aimee” who acts as a bully. The song lyrically sketches an image of a “bronze spray-tanned statue” and describes metaphorical scenarios of being pushed down stairs at school, which fans and media commentators interpret as veiled references to Kardashian. Moreover, fans noticed that the capital letters in the song’s title “thanK you aIMee” spell out “KIM,” adding another layer of intrigue to the interpretation.
This release is accompanied by other tracks on Swift’s album that also seem to touch on the feud, including “Cassandra.” These songs have sparked renewed discussions among fans and the media, highlighting the persisting tension between the two celebrities.
Despite the overt references in her music, Swift has not explicitly confirmed that the songs are directly about Kardashian. Representatives for Swift have clarified that she never denied the phone call’s existence but emphasized that she was not briefed on all components of the lyrics.
Kim Kardashian, who has refrained from responding directly to the latest tracks, stated in 2020 her intention to move beyond the controversy. Her last substantial remark on the matter was to clarify that her principal grievance was what she described as Swift’s dishonesty regarding the phone call.