Seems like “Vampire” isn’t the only Olivia Rodrigo song that fans thought was about Taylor Swift, as her song “The Grudge,” taken from her highly-anticipated sophomore album Guts, which was released on Friday, September 8th, is also making the internet believe that it could be about the “Bad Blood” singer. And we’re going to dissect some of the lyrics a little further down!
For what it’s worth, the 20-year-old High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star previously addressed the speculation that “Vampire” was about Taylor in an interview with The Guardian, telling the pub that she was “very surprised when people thought that.” Although she didn’t directly say whether it was or wasn’t about the “Anti-Hero” singer, she *did* say: “I mean, I never want to say who any of my songs are about. I’ve never done that before in my career and probably won’t. I think it’s better to not pigeonhole a song to being about this one thing.”
Is Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘The Grudge’ About Taylor Swift?
Although Olivia hasn’t confirmed anything, let’s take a look at some of the lyrics to see why fans think “The Grudge” might be about the 33-year-old “Look What You Made Me Do” singer, while briefly taking into account some of the history between them.
“I have nightmares each week ’bout that Friday in May / One phone call from you and my entire world was changed,” Rodrigo sings. “Ooh, your flowers filled with vitriol / You built me up to watch me fall / You have everything and you still want more.”
The lyrics “Friday in May” are significant because Olivia (a self-confessed Swiftie) and Taylor finally met at the Brit Awards in May 2021 and even posted a cute photo together on Instagram. The awards took place on a Tuesday, so it’s likely that the Friday in May that fans think Olivia could be referring to is when her debut album, Sour, was released: Friday, May 21st.
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Fans think the lyrics “You built me up” could be in reference to Taylor saying she was proud of Olivia, as she publicly applauded her single “Drivers License” in January 2021, saying, “I say that’s my baby and I’m really proud,” and even reportedly sent her gifts. Things appeared to change after Olivia’s album was released in May that year, possibly because Olivia had interpolated a few of Taylor’s songs.
Rodrigo gave Swift and Jack Antonoff – who is Swift’s close friend and longtime collaborator – writing credits and royalties for her track “Déjà Vu” as it had interpolated Swift’s “Cruel Summer.” She also gave them writing credits for “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back” as it interpolated Swift’s “New Year’s Day.”
Olivia said on the Zach Sang Show back in May 2021: "I came up with the 1 step forward concept and I wrote a verse and a chorus, and when I got home... I decided to sing it over the chords of "New Year’s Day." I think they’re really beautiful chords and I was lucky enough to get that approved, and it’s on the record now."
One month prior to that interview, she said during Rolling Stone’s The Breakdown that she was also inspired by Taylor's "Cruel Summer" for the last bridge of her song "Déjà Vu."
Fan Comments
"Olivia Rodrigo’s new song 'The Grudge' is absolutely about Taylor Swift, right? #GUTS" one fan wrote on Twitter, as another added: "Read all the lyrics to the new Olivia Rodrigo album. The drama. The anger. I wasn’t on board with vampire being about Taylor swift. But convinced by the lyrics of the grudge. And now I think Taylor really started beef with a literal teenager. Will be on repeat."
"We have to allow Olivia to write about her feelings just like we always have let Taylor. That being said… the grudge is so clearly about Taylor," added another. Someone else said: "I need to read a really GOOD analysis about the grudge and how it's not about taylor to stop believing that it is."
Olivia Rodrigo Addresses Feud Rumors
While many people online think Olivia is feuding with Taylor due to some of the lyrics in her songs, she seemingly shut down all feud rumors in a new interview with Rolling Stone for its October 2023 issue.
"I don’t have beef with anyone. I’m very chill," she told the mag, for which she is also on the cover. "I keep to myself. I have my four friends and my mom, and that’s really the only people I talk to, ever. There’s nothing to say." Although she didn’t mention Taylor by name, it may have been her way of shutting down the feud rumors for good. She added: "There’s so many Twitter conspiracy theories. I only look at alien conspiracy theories."
| Taylor Swift applauding and cheering when Olivia’s name was annouced. pic.twitter.com/TmkFhU3S9U
— Olivia Rodrigo HQ (@OliviaRodrigoHQ) September 13, 2023
While Taylor didn’t address the feud rumors either, footage from the 2023 MTV VMAs on Tuesday, September 12th showed her applauding when Olivia's performance was announced. Twitter also seemed to think that Taylor's applause spoke volumes, as one person wrote: "The non-existent beef has been squashed." Another added, "Finally, everyone shut up now," as someone else exclaimed, "You can tell there’s no beef. Stop it guys!"
