Why Olivia Rodrigo Fans Think Her New Song ‘The Grudge’ Is About Her Rumored Fallout With Taylor Swift

etcanada.com:

The singer’s fans believe the new song is about a possible fallout with Taylor Swift. Olivia Rodrigo‘s highly anticipated sophomore album, Guts, has taken the music world by storm, with fans praising her witty lyrics and emotional depth across its 12 tracks.

However, it’s one song, in particular — “The Grudge” — that has ignited intense speculation and fan theories about a potential fallout with her idol, Taylor Swift.

Rodrigo’s song, “Vampire,” released in June, was the first glimpse into what fans could expect from Guts. Almost immediately, some listeners theorized that the track might be inspired by a rumored rift between Rodrigo and Swift, a relationship that had initially started with admiration and mutual support.

The roots of the speculation trace back to Rodrigo’s debut album, Sour, released in May 2021. Swift was credited on the album track “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back” due to its interpolation of Swift’s 2017 song, “New Year’s Day.” While Rodrigo openly acknowledged the inspiration and expressed her gratitude for Swift’s approval, fans were puzzled when Swift was retroactively credited on another hit, “Deja Vu,” for its alleged interpolation of Swift’s “Cruel Summer.” Things escalated in August when Hayley Williams and Josh Farro from Paramore were retroactively given songwriting credits on Rodrigo’s chart-topper, “Good 4 U,” claiming similarities to Paramore’s “Misery Business.” Rodrigo reportedly agreed to share 50 percent of the royalties for each of these songs with the respective artists.