The drama continues! Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj teamed up for a new single “Swish Swish,” and fans are speculating that it’s a Taylor Swift diss track.
Both stars have publicly feuded with the “Wildest Dreams” singer. In September 2014, Swift, 27, told Rolling Stone that “Bad Blood” was about a fellow pop star who “tried to sabotage an entire arena tour” by hiring her backup dancers. Swift didn’t specify who she was speaking about, but fans assumed it was Perry.
Fans are now wondering if this is Perry’s response. In the first verse of “Swish Swish,” Perry sings, “A tiger / Don’t lose no sleep / Don’t need opinions / From a shellfish or a sheep / Don’t you come for me / No, not today / You’re calculated / I got your number / ‘Cause you’re a joker / And I’m a courtside killer queen.”
Some listeners were quick to point out that the “sheep” line could be in reference to a tweet Perry posted shortly after Swift’s Rolling Stone interview. “Watch out for the Regina George in sheep’s clothing,” she wrote, referencing the movie Mean Girls.
While Swift may have seemingly inspired some of the lyrics, Perry previously said that’s not the case. “There is no one thing that’s calling out any one person,” she told Entertainment Weekly of her album Witness. “One thing to note is: You can’t mistake kindness for weakness and don’t come for me. Anyone. Anyone. Anyone.”
Despite the denial, Swift’s squad member Ruby Rose took issue with “Swish Swish” and unleashed a series of tweets directed at Perry. “‘Purposeful poop’ to ‘bomb a petit’ to a sloppy mess of writing over the top of Funkagenda..stop trying to make ‘Wit..I mean ‘fetch’ happen,” she wrote on Thursday, May 18. “I just think with everything going on in the world to go from rebranding as political activist only to ditch it and go low.. is.. A bummer.”
When a fan asked Rose not to bring Minaj, 34, into the drama, the 31-year-old model replied, “Not gonna lie Nicki is great on it and basically the only part that doesn’t sound a mess.” Another fan asked if she was against “Bad Blood,” and Rose responded, “Wasn’t around sweetheart but my bully experiences came from one of the people involved in that song and it’s obviously not T.”
Minaj also briefly tussled with Swift over the rapper’s 2015 MTV Video Music Awards snub. “When the ‘other’ girls drop a video that breaks records and impacts culture they get that nominations,” Minaj tweeted. “If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year.” Swift took the tweets as a personal dig and replied, “I’ve done nothing but love & support you. It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot..” They two later patched things up and performed together at the awards show.
