Olivia Rodrigo Addresses Taylor Swift Speculation: 'It Comes With The Territory'
Olivia Rodrigo opens up about navigating fan theories and public perception regarding her relationship with Taylor Swift, emphasizing her focus on creating music and maintaining positivity.
Fans have long speculated about the dynamic between Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift, and the Gen Z pop star is addressing the rumors head-on.
During a recent appearance on the New York Times podcast Popcast, Rodrigo acknowledged the constant speculation surrounding her relationship with Swift, whom she once admired openly. The speculation intensified after Swift received songwriting credits on Rodrigo's Sour single "Deja Vu" in 2021. This led to fans noticing Rodrigo's subsequent silence about Swift, sparking theories of a rift caused by pressure from Swift's team to credit her on the hit song.
"I don’t really read too far into it," Rodrigo stated, addressing the fan theories. "I think it comes with the territory, and it’s par for the course. If I dove into every internet detective sleuth that got things right or wrong about my life or any of my relationships, I think I’d just go crazy. There’s not enough time in the day."
She also reflected on how her initial enthusiasm for Swift seemed to backfire when the songwriting credit issue arose. Three months after praising Swift's "Cruel Summer" in a Rolling Stone video discussing the creation of "Deja Vu" in April 2021, Swift, Jack Antonoff, and St. Vincent were added to the latter song's credits. Shortly after, Paramore was credited on Rodrigo's hit "Good 4 U" due to similarities to their song "Misery Business."
"I try to not let it get to me or upset me," she told Popcast, discussing whether she now feels more cautious about expressing admiration for her inspirations. "It was so long ago — there’s no use in harping on it. I just try to make songs that I love and try to be kind and good to other people, and supportive of other people."
She added, "At the end of the day, I think that’s all you can do."
The podcast appearance follows renewed public interest in their relationship after both singers attended a Paul McCartney concert in Los Angeles. Before that, fans speculated whether songs like "Vampire" or "The Grudge" from Guts alluded to lingering resentment from the rumored conflict. However, during Rodrigo's performance of "Vampire" at the Grammys, Swift was seen singing along in the audience.
Rodrigo also admitted to Popcast that she was "a little caught off guard" by the "Deja Vu" credit change in a 2023 Rolling Stone cover story. "At the time, it was very confusing, and I was green and bright-eyed and bushy-tailed," she said. "I don’t think I would ever personally do that. But who’s to say where I’ll be in 20, 30 years. All that I can do is write my songs and focus on what I can control."
These days, Rodrigo, who is preparing to release her third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, on June 12, feels at peace with the constant speculation about her relationships with other celebrities. She credits the experience of her breakout hit "Drivers License" and the subsequent theories about her supposed love triangle with Sabrina Carpenter and Joshua Bassett in 2021 for teaching her how to handle the scrutiny.
"I think it made me feel detached from it," she said. "I had to detach from it in order to literally be OK. It was such a crazy experience for everyone involved."
Watch Rodrigo’s full Popcast interview above.
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