For context, the song received immediate backlash when it was announced last week, due to Taylor's rumored relationship with the 1975 singer Matty Healy. Matty had previously appeared on a podcast where racist comments were made about Ice Spice. So when Taylor said they were now doing a song together, many fans viewed it as a PR move and a way to protect Matty from further controversy.
Speaking to Spotify about the collaboration, Taylor said, “Collaborating with Ice Spice on ‘Karma’ was one of the most natural things. She reached out through her team, just kind of saying, ‘Hey, you know, Ice has been a big fan of Taylor since she was a little kid. [We] would love to collaborate if that was ever something that came about.’"
A fan of Ice Spice herself, Taylor "immediately" jumped on the opportunity. "I immediately got her number and said, ‘Hey, would you want to do your version of ‘Karma?' ... She jumped in headfirst."
While it's unclear when exactly they recorded the song, Ice Spice's producer, RiotUSA, said on Instagram that it had been in the works for "months."
Ice, for her part, has yet to comment publicly on the situation, but we'll let you know if she does!