Olivia Rodrigo spoke candidly about intense online speculation that there is tension between her and Taylor Swift.
“I think I tried to not let it get to me or upset me. I think I just try to keep it trucking,” Rodrigo, 23, explained during an appearance on the Thursday, May 29, episode of the New York Times’ “Popcast” podcast. “It was so long ago. I think there’s no use in harping on it.”
She continued, “I just try to make songs that I love and try to be kind and good to other people and supportive of other people. I’ve always tried to be like that. At the end of the day, I think that’s all you can do.”
Rodrigo hasn’t been shy about her love for Swift, 36, throughout her career. However, rumors started swirling that things fractured between the two singer-songwriters after Rodrigo’s debut album Sour was released in 2021.
Swift was always credited on Rodrigo’s track “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back,” which sampled her song “New Year’s Day.” The drama apparently stems fromSwift receiving a retroactive songwriting credit on Rodrigo’s “Deja Vu” after fans noticed that the song’s bridge was similar to “Cruel Summer.”
Getty Images (2) Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo may have taken one step forward and three steps back. Rodrigo grew up as a self-proclaimed “diehard” fan of Swift, first covering her songs at the age of four. After Rodrigo’s song “Driver’s License” from her debut album, Sour, hit No. 1 on the charts in January […]
Rodrigo, however, made it clear in a September 2023 interview with Rolling Stone that she doesn’t have “beef with anyone” in the music industry when asked about Swift.
“I’m very chill. I keep to myself,” Rodrigo said in the same interview. “I have my four friends and my mom, and that’s really the only people I talk to, ever. There’s nothing to say. There’s so many Twitter conspiracy theories. I only look at alien conspiracy theories.”
A similar situation happened with Rodrigo’s song “Good 4 U.” She retroactively added Hayley Williams and Josh Farro as songwriters on the tune after the similarities between “Good 4 U” and Paramore’s “Misery Business” were pointed out on social media.
It’s been reported that Rodrigo gave up “millions” in royalties after adding the additional songwriting credits.
Rodrigo reflected on the songwriting drama during Thursday’s podcast episode.
“I think it’s a really hard time just personally,” she said. “I don’t know, I’m a fan girl. I love music and nobody can take that away. That sounds so cheesy, but I love music and I feel so lucky that I get to do what I do.”
Rodrigo continued, “I, like, love so many songs and have grown up being surrounded with awesome music and awesome bands, and I truly just do feel so lucky.”
The singer said she just loves “writing songs,” and it’s something she would be doing even without a career.
“You got to be a fan. It’s so boring to not be a fan of music,” she added. “There’s so much good music to be a fan of.”