The Huge Clue Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Grudge” Is About Her Feud With Taylor Swift
Her sophomore album is getting glowing reviews for its honesty, wit, and raw emotionality. But the song, Olivio Rodrigo’s “The Grudge” lyrics are suspected to be about her rumored feud with Taylor Swift and the biggest clue is the opening line.
Swift was somewhat of a mentor to Rodrigo ever since she was a Disney star. When Rodrigo’s debut single “Driver’s License” charted at number three on iTunes, directly below two of Swift’s songs, Rodrigo proudly shared a screenshot to Instagram and wrote: “next to taylor on the us i tunes chart i’m in a puddle of tears.” Taylor reciprocated by commenting on the post: “I say that’s my baby and I’m proud.”
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Rodrigo would later tell NME in 2021 that: “I’ve always looked up to Taylor since I was literally five years old,” she said. “Obviously I think she’s the best songwriter of all time, but she’s so business-savvy and she really cares about her career in that regard too – that’s been really inspiring for me to watch somebody take control of their career and their life like that.”
After months of sending each other gifts and handwritten notes, the pair eventually met at the 2021 Brit Awards, taking a sweet photo together. During an interview with Ryan Seacrest, Rodrigo said: “She gave me this ring because she said she wore one just like it when she wrote Red and she wanted me to have one like it and all of this amazing stuff, she’s like hand-wrapped these gifts.”
What is Olivio Rodrigo’s “The Grudge” about?
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Because of the opening line, fans suspect Olivia Rodrigo’s song “The Grudge” is about Taylor Swift. Rodrigo’s debut album Sour was released on Friday, May 21, 2021.
Swift’s musical influence in Rodrigo’s work was most apparent in her song “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back,” which was imbued with Swift’s track, “New Year’s Day.” Indeed, she explained to Teen Vogue that “I came up with the ‘1 Step Forward’ concept and I sort of wrote a verse and a chorus. I was in the car on a road trip, and when I got home, I decided to sing it over the chords of ‘New Year’s Day.’”
This use of Swift’s work was authorized, but weeks after Sour’s release, fans noticed another credit to Swift, one added retroactively to Rodrigo’s hit song “Déjà vu”, though the references were more subtle. Swift, in addition to her collaborators Jack Antonoff and St. Vincent, was added alongside Olivia and songwriter-producer Dan Nigro’s.
It’s this exact reason why fans think “The Grudge” of Rodrigo’s latest album GUTS is about her feud with Swift because Rodrigo sings “I have nightmares each week about that Friday in May / one phone call from you and my entire world was changed”.
Olivia Rodrigo’s “The Grudge” Lyrics
I have nightmares each week about that Friday in May
One phone call from you and my entire world was changed
Trust that you betrayed, confusion that still lingers
You took everything I loved and crushed it in between your fingers
And I doubt you ever think about the damage that you did
But I hold on to every detail like my life depends on it
My undying love, now I hold it like a grudge
And I hear your voice every time that I think I’m not enough
And I try to be tough, but I wanna scream
How could anybody do the things you did so easily?
And I say I don’t care, I say that I’m fine
But you know I can’t let it go
I’ve tried, I’ve tried, I’ve tried for so long
It takes strength to forgive, but I don’t feel strong
The arguments that I have won against you in my head
In the shower, in the car and in the mirror before bed
Yeah, I’m so tough when I’m alone and I make you feel so guilty
And I fantasize about a time you’re a little fucking sorry
And I try to understand why you would do this all to me
You must be insecure, you must be so unhappy
And I know in my heart hurt people hurt people
And we both drew blood, but, man, those cuts were never equal
And I try to be tough, but I wanna scream
How could anybody do the things you did so easily?
And I say I don’t care, I say that I’m fine
But you know I can’t let it go
I’ve tried, I’ve tried, I’ve tried for so long
It takes strength to forgive, but I don’t feel strong
Ooh, do you think I deserved it all?
Ooh, your flower’s filled with vitriol
You built me up to watch me fall
You have everything and you still want more
I try to be tough, I try to be mean
But even after all this, you’re still everything to me
And I know you don’t care, I guess that that’s fine
But you know I can’t let it go
I’ve tried, I’ve tried, I’ve tried for so long
It takes strength to forgive, but I’m not quite sure I’m there yet
It takes strength to forgive, but
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