Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift’s Rumored Feud Timeline, Explained

How did the beef between Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift start?

Speculations about a rift between the two songwriters began to circulate on social media after that Sharp in May 2021. The song “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back” was given singing credits to Swift and producer Jack Antonoff due to the interpolation of Swift’s song “New Year’s Day”. Later, Rodrigo cited Swift’s song “Cruel Summer” as the inspiration for the “Deja Vu” bridge. In July of the same year, Swift and Antonoff were awarded songwriting credits for this song.

After that, things seemed to be much calmer between the two. When Sharp nominated for multiple Grammy awards in November 2021, Swift and Antonoff were initially credited as nominees for their contributions, was subsequently removed by the Recording Academy, which was cited as a “submission error”.

Rodrigo may have stopped talking about Swift publicly to prevent any further plagiarism allegations, but the silence hasn’t stopped fans from theorizing a feud between the two. Swift referred to Rodrigo and her close friend and fellow musician Conan Gray as “my two kids” in April 2021 after sending the pair an advanced version of “You Belong With Me (Taylor Version)”. In early 2023, Gray said he didn’t listen to Swift’s October 2022 album midnight yet, according to fans, he was no longer Swiftie.

After the release of “Vampire,” the first single from Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album, many fans theorized that the lyrics refer to her alleged feud with Swift.

Although the song seems to refer to male phrasing, as indicated by the lyrics “look at you, cool guy”, later lyrics seemed to refer, perhaps, to the challenge of singing credits. in the eyes of some Swifties. “The way you sold me out of parts/The way you sunk your teeth into me, oh/Bloodsucker, fame***er/Bleedin’ me dry, like a goddamn vampire,” especially cited as the strongest case for the Swift theory.

Has Olivia Rodrigo responded to the cheating allegations?

“I was very surprised when people thought that,” said Rodrigo The Guardian in early September when asked about the theory. “I don’t want to say who owns any of my songs. I’ve never done that before in my career and probably never will. I think it’s better not to punch a song than to be about this one thing.”

Rodrigo’s surprise seems to be a rather firm “no”, but the principles of the singer-songwriter came to reveal the inspiration behind her music as a refusal to confirm or deny such rumours, only adding fuel to the fire for the believers in the treachery.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone released September 12, Rodrigo cleared the air once and for all. “I have no beef with anybody. I am very cold. I stick to myself,” said the 20-year-old. “There are so many conspiracy theories on Twitter. I only look at alien conspiracy theories.”

It’s clear from Rodrigo’s comments that she doesn’t feel bad for anyone, whether it’s Swift or Jack Antonoff, or anyone else that fans and reporters are associated with. Her statement about “Twitter conspiracy theories” could be a subtle way of denying that any dot connecting Swifties affected the two musicians, and instead of being deliberately silent, she is joking and giving mind her own business.

In typical X fashion (formally known as Twitter), there are still many theorists who are not convinced. For example, a user @EkitiBabyGov he replied that it is difficult for fans of both artists to ignore the clear change in their relationship after the huge success of Rodrigo’s first album, Sharp,”

Perhaps the Swifties will remain disaffected until their idol, who has been trying to confirm fans’ interpretations of her music, comes along and makes a similar statement denying the fear.