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\n Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images\n <\/p>\n
An up-and-coming pop girlie<\/a> is beefing with Taylor Swift<\/a> on Instagram, but it sort of seems like it could end up being for the greater good. Pop singer Eli<\/a> has spent the past few days battling with Swifties<\/a>, first joking that Swift would \u201cnever be trans\u201d and then pivoting to discussing artists\u2019 rights and the long-rumored conflict<\/a> between Swift and Olivia Rodrigo. There\u2019s honestly a lot going on here, so let\u2019s just get right into it.<\/p>\n To fully understand what\u2019s going on, we have to go back to October, when Eli was promoting her album Stage Girl. As every singer is required to do now, Eli was pumping out TikToks in the lead-up to her album release, including one that read \u201cmy album \u2018stage girl\u2019 comes out in 4 weeks so it\u2019s time to start unnecessary beef.\u201d In that video, Eli, who is trans, looked directly into the camera and said, \u201cTaylor Swift, you will never be trans\u201d before launching into her song \u201cGirl of Your Dreams.\u201d On its own, it\u2019s a very funny video.<\/p>\n Swift was not the only pop star in Eli\u2019s crosshairs. She also started \u201cunnecessary beef\u201d with Zara Larsson<\/a> (\u201cWhere is our remix?\u201d) and told Sabrina Carpenter<\/a> that she, in fact, is trans. No grade of beef, necessary or un-, came about from this at the time, but Eli\u2019s Swift video did go a little viral.<\/p>\n Last week, Eli posted another TikTok of her doing a photo shoot in a kitschy showgirl costume, plastic karaoke microphone in hand. In the video<\/a>, which has since been deleted, Eli once again says, \u201cTaylor Swift, you will never be trans\u201d before posing for a photo. This clip seems to have broken through to the Swifties. On Thursday, Eli posted multiple slides<\/a> on her Instagram Story, first addressing the Swifties and then Swift herself.<\/p>\n \u201cSwifties are so similar to maga,\u201d Eli wrote on one slide, adding on the next, \u201cThey are mad at me rn because Taylor Swift will never be a trans woman.\u201d Eli wrote that she had \u201c100+ swifties\u201d in her DMs that were \u201ccalling me fat and a man because I said she will never be trans.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am not afraid of the predatory establishment upheld by that calculated fame fucking billionaire,\u201d Eli wrote. \u201cGive Olivia Rodrigo her publishing back and then we\u2019ll talk!!\u201d<\/p>\n When Rodrigo\u2019s album Guts debuted, fans noted that the song \u201cDeja Vu\u201d kind of sounded like Swift\u2019s \u201cCruel Summer.\u201d Rodrigo herself admitted<\/a> that she was inspired by the song (although not necessarily that she interpolated it) and later gave Swift, Jack Antonoff, and St. Vincent writing credits on the track, which gave them royalties from the hit song. Rodrigo, who previously spoke at length about her love for Swift and even helped promote<\/a> Fearless (Taylor\u2019s Version), has since distanced herself from Swift. When asked about the \u201cDeja Vu\u201d credits while promoting her second album, Guts, Rodrigo told The Guardian<\/a>, \u201cI was so green as to how the music industry worked, the litigious side \u2026 I feel like now I know so much more about the industry and I just feel \u2026 better equipped in that regard.\u201d<\/p>\n Why, yes. In her lengthiest Instagram Story, Eli really went off on Swift. \u201cHow are you gonna be the face of \u2018the great american songwriter\u2019 and completely betray the art of songwriting by unjustly & selfishly using ur power and dominance to steal the rights and royalties of a young up and coming songwriter because she shouted 4 doubles of a gang vocal in an incredible distinct and singular pop song that is far from [derivative] and DOES NOT EMULATE OR BELONG TO YOU AT ALL,\u201d Eli wrote. For the record, no one involved in this situation has ever said that it was Swift who demanded a credit.<\/p>\n \u201cHow are you gonna degrade the integrity of songwriting and turn your back on a young up and coming woman in the industry because you are greedy and mentally crystallized at 12 years old on that tennessee radio show where they told you \u2018you\u2019ll never be good enough,\u2019\u201d Eli continued. She then went back to addressing Swifties, saying that all Swift does is \u201csteal your money and buy more houses.\u201d<\/p>\n Eli then added credit where it was due, noting that \u201cfolklore + evermore is an amazing album.\u201d<\/p>\n One more thing. After her Instagram Story posts became a talking point, Eli took her thoughts to the main grid. She posted a letter to Swift on Instagram and X, writing, \u201cI humbly plead for you to use your power and influence for good.\u201d Eli went on to ask Swift to encourage her \u201cpowerful counterparts and contemporaries\u201d to sit down with the heads of the major labels and streaming services and \u201cbegin the process of restructuring the exploitative royalty splits that keep us dormant in the industry, from $.003 payout to $0.3 payout as well begin the necessary pressure for the restructuring of record label and publishing deals in order to end the oppression and exploitation of working musicians, artists, and creatives beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n Eli then acknowledged that this is not Swift\u2019s personal responsibility, but that \u201cthe corporation that is \u2018Taylor Swift\u2019 holds an extraordinary and INCOMPARABLE cultural and economic power\u201d and that that kind of power \u201ccould and should be used to abolish these abusive systemic structures.\u201d Eli then offered to send Swift a Zoom link if she ever wanted to chat further. Eli signed off as \u201cthe girl who said you will never be trans (however, always open to the contrary).\u201d<\/p>\n Interestingly, these two have more in common than either of them might think. Artists getting a fair share is kind of Taylor\u2019s whole thing. It has come up again and again over her career, whether through her own rerecording process, her moves to get artists better rates on streaming platforms, or the recent news<\/a> that a clause in her contract will earn other artists a payday when Universal Music Group sells its Spotify stock. Perhaps she and Eli should get on a Zoom.<\/p>\n No. She has been busy seeing Sadie Sink on the West End<\/a> and going to Travis Kelce\u2019s teammate\u2019s wedding<\/a> in Greece.<\/p>\n The Cut has reached out to a representative for Swift and will update this post if they give us a comment.<\/p>\n Stay in touch.<\/p>\n The latest in style, self, culture, and power in your inbox.<\/p>\n Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice<\/p>\n