Charli XCX photographer explains ‘tone deaf’ detail amid backlash from Taylor Swift fans

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American photographer David LaChapelle has provided context behind the severed hand detail in his Charli XCX cover shoot for New York Magazine, which some Taylor Swift fans have interpreted as “obvious shade.”

Charli, real name Charlotte Aitchison, appeared on the cover of the publication’s August issue, where she spoke about her recent Brat album, her viral “kamala IS brat” tweet and her rivalry with Swift in the music charts.

Featured alongside the interview was a series of photos taken by LaChapelle showing the British pop star, 32, in a variety of settings, including posing in front of a car in pink lingerie surrounded by paparazzi, submerged at the bottom of a fish tank holding a green apple and lying on a stretcher as an EMT holds open an ice box containing her severed hand with lime green friendship bracelets.

Speaking to New York Magazine about his intended message with the photo series, LaChapelle explained: “She’s sort of trapped by fame and all the tabloid photographers are chasing her.

“An animal trapped in the woods would bite off its own limb – she bites off her hand,” he said. “As she lies on the stretcher, you see people still taking photos of her, the paparazzi and the fans. People will watch the rise as much as they’ll watch the fall. Then she’s brought to the hospital and probably given some sort of painkiller. She’s hallucinating. She’s stuck in a dreamscape, but in the end, she frees herself.”

Friendship bracelets have become synonymous with Swift’s Eras Tour after her fans began making and trading them at her concerts. A number of people have therefore construed the detail in the photo to be a dig at Swift.

“I’m not even that hardcore about Taylor but isn’t it kinda obvious that everybody correlates friendship bracelets to her like putting a severed hand with friendship bracelets feels very obvious shade to me, no? like there’s no way that correlation didn’t cross her brain?” one person noted on X.

A second agreed, writing: “I’m sorry but the whole Charli XCX situation is very suspicious, I don’t wanna suggest anything, but it’s all a bit weird, why else would she put friendship bracelets on a hand that’s cut open????”

Others found the seeming reference to be more “insensitive” as the photo shoot comes just weeks after Swift was forced to cancel three Vienna shows due to a foiled terror attack and nearly a month after three young girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.

“How insensitive can Charli XCX be?” one tweeted, while a second said: “Tonedeaf to say the least.”

“Although friendship bracelets are not exclusive... after 3 little girls died after being stabbed in Southport, maybe, wait before you do something like this,” another suggested.

In Charli’s profile for Vulture, Swift herself put any beef rumors to bed: “I’ve been blown away by Charli’s melodic sensibilities since I first heard ‘Stay Away’ in 2011. Her writing is surreal and inventive, always.

“She just takes a song to places you wouldn’t expect it to go, and she’s been doing it consistently for over a decade. I love to see hard work like that pay off.”