Rodrigo grew up as a self-proclaimed “diehard” fan of Swift, first masking her songs on the age of 4. After Rodrigo’s tune “Driver’s License” from her debut album, Bitter, hit No. 1 on the charts in January 2021, Swift confirmed her assist to the ingénue by sending Rodrigo a handwritten observe with personalised presents to have fun the one’s big success.
“I bought a letter from Taylor Swift final evening, which is insane. Final evening, I opened it for the primary time, so I’m nonetheless reeling,” Rodrigo gushed to Radio.com in March 2021. “My tears are on it, my snot from sobbing my eyes out is on it. I like her. Considered one of my favourite lyrics of hers is, ‘Previous me, I’d prefer to let you know to not get misplaced in these petty issues / Your nemeses will defeat themselves earlier than you get the possibility to swing.’ It’s in ‘Lengthy Story Quick’ off of Evermore. So she wrote about that in her letter a bit bit. She’s like, ‘I believe we make our personal luck and I believe if you’re type to folks and do what’s proper, it at all times comes again to you in the easiest way.’ I simply adore her and that’s what I’ve actually been excited about since I opened that factor final evening, it’s the one factor in my mind. […] I truly can’t discuss it, I’m, like, going to cry. It’s so insane, I can’t even comprehend.”
Swift was seemingly changing into a mentor for Rodrigo, however the duo’s relationship appeared to hit a snag after Rodrigo launched her second single, “Deja Vu,” in April 2021. Some listeners identified similarities to Swift’s “Merciless Summer season” — a tune Rodrigo admitted she used as inspiration whereas writing her album.
Swift — alongside along with her collaborators Jack Antonoffand St. Vincent— had been in the end given retroactive royalties on the tune, however Swift and Rodrigo haven’t addressed one another publicly since.
Maintain scrolling for each excessive and low between Swift and Rodrigo through the years:
A Merciless Cowl
In April 2020, Rodrigo carried out a canopy of “Merciless Summer season” — a monitor off Swift’s 2019 album Lover — for MTV’s Alone Collectively Jam Session.
“THE TALENT,” Swift wrote by way of her Instagram Story of the rendition. “Love This!!! Thanks for this stunning efficiency @olivia.rodrigo @mtv.”
Getty Pictures (2)
Born to be a Swiftie
Even earlier than she was importing Instagram movies of herself rocking out in her automobile to Swift’s “Higher Than Revenge,” Rodrigo was the “world’s largest Swiftie,” claiming the Folklore singer’s lyrics even helped her kind a few of her earliest songs.
“I used to be making up songs about pickup vehicles, though I had by no means seen a pickup truck in my life as much as that time,” Rodrigo instructedNylon journal in 2021 of being impressed by Swift’s hit monitor “Image to Burn.”
Dance Occasion Promo
Rodrigo and BFF Conan Grey took to social media to assist tease the re-release of Swift’s tune “You Belong With Me” in April 2021. Within the TikTok clip, the pair recreated the long-lasting music video by writing one another indicators, leaping on the mattress and lip-syncing into hairbrushes.
Screaming, Crying, Throwing Up
When Rodrigo’s tune “Driver’s License” charted at No. 3 on iTunes in January 2021, it landed immediately under two of Swift’s songs, “It’s Time to Go” and “Proper The place You Left Me.” On the time, Rodrigo shared a screenshot of the checklist by way of Instagram, writing, “Subsequent to Taylor on the US iTunes chart I’m in a puddle of tears.”
Swift, for her half, reciprocated along with her personal remark: “I say that’s my child and I’m proud.”
Rodrigo then shared the remark to her social media web page, captioning the put up, “What’s respiration?”
Rodrigo later gushed about having so lots of her idols attain out to congratulate her on her success. “Taylor clearly commented on my Instagram put up and it made a giant splash, it was insane,” she mentioned in an interview with UK’s “Huge High 40” later that month. “I’m the most important Swiftie in the entire world and the very fact she did that actually simply made my life.”
An Ingenue within the Making
Swift despatched Rodrigo a handwritten observe and items in March 2021.
“She gave me this ring as a result of she mentioned she wore one identical to it when she wrotePurple and he or she needed me to have one prefer it and all of this wonderful stuff,” Rodrigo instructed Sirius XM’s “The Morning Mashup” on the time. ”She, like, hand-wrapped these items.”
Courtesy of Olivia Rodrigo/Instagram
Enchanted to Meet You
The pair lastly met in particular person on the Brit Awards in Might 2021, the place they posed for a candy snap. Previous to the ceremony, Rodrigo penned a handwritten observe to Swift — in addition to Harry Kinds and Little Combine.
Turning Bitter?
The duo’s blossoming friendship seemingly hit a snag when Rodrigo’s debut album, Bitter, was launched later that month. Swift was at all times credited on the tune “1 Step Ahead, 3 Steps Again,” which makes use of an interpolation of her monitor “New 12 months’s Day.”
Nonetheless, Swift was retroactively credited for Rodrigo’s second single, “Deja Vu,” in July 2021, after listeners accused her of plagiarism and copyright infringement by way of social media.
Billboard later reported in September 2021 that Rodrigo had given up “hundreds of thousands” in royalties on every of the songs.
Getty Pictures (2)
Bloodsucker, Fame F—ker?
After Rodrigo launched the one “Vampire” in August 2023, some followers started to speculate the pop anthem was about Swift. The pointed lyrics appeared to tease a falling-out, nevertheless it was unclear if Rodrigo was singing a few romantic or platonic relationship.
Rodrigo later appeared to close down the rumors, telling The Guardian in September 2023, “I imply, I by no means wish to say who any of my songs are about. I’ve by no means performed that earlier than in my profession and doubtless gained’t. I believe it’s higher to not pigeonhole a tune to being about this one factor … I used to be very shocked when folks thought that.”
Not in Any Period
When requested by The Guardian if she went to see Swift’s Eras Tour, Rodrigo defined that the promotion of her second album, Guts, stored her from attending.
“I haven’t [gone] but,” she instructed the outlet. “I’m going to Europe this week.”
Holding a Grudge?
Following the discharge of Rodrigo’s second studio album, Guts, in September 2023, listeners instantly started to take a position if the tune “The Grudge” was referencing the copyright concern that unfolded between her and Swift.
“The arguments that I’ve gained towards you in my head / Within the bathe, within the automobile, and within the mirror earlier than mattress,” Rodrigo sings within the second verse. “Yeah, I’m so robust after I’m alone, and I make you are feeling so responsible / And I fantasize a few time you’re a bit f–kin’ sorry.”
She provides within the refrain: “Ooh, do you suppose I deserved all of it? / Oh, your flower’s crammed with vitriol / You constructed me as much as watch me fall / You may have every thing and you continue to need extra.”
Thank You!
You may have efficiently subscribed.
Displaying Assist
Taylor SwiftGiphy
Whereas in attendance on the 2024 Grammys, Swift was seen singing alongside to Rodrigo’s efficiency. She additionally applauded Rodrigo, who returned the favor when Swift gained for Greatest Pop Vocal Album later that evening.
Shocking Similarities
Swift launched “imgonnagetyouback” in April 2023 on The Tortured Poets Division: The Anthology, and it instantly drew comparisons to Rodrigo’s “Get Him Again!” as a result of wordplay. Swift’s refrain goes: “Whether or not I’m gonna be your spouse or / Gonna smash up your bike, I haven’t determined but / However I’m gonna get you again / Whether or not I’m gonna curse you out or / Take you again to my home, I haven’t decidеd but / However I’m gonna get you again.”
In the meantime, within the refrain of “Get Him Again!” — which was launched on Guts in September 2023 — Rodrigo sings, “I wanna get him again / I wanna make him actually jealous, wanna make him really feel unhealthy / Oh, I wanna get him again / ‘Trigger then once more, I actually miss him, and it makes me actual unhappy / Oh, I would like candy revenge.”
