Alannah Hawkins-Munro
Everyone knows Olivia Rodrigo as the teenage sensation that wrote the viral album “Sour”. She was also in the TV show High School Musical and had previously written two songs before her massive hit. Some of her more popular songs include "Drivers License'', "1 step forward 3 steps back", "Good 4 U", and "Deja Vu". However, it is less known that Rodrigo’s recent fame may not have happened without another hit artist. Taylor Swift.
Taylor Swift is a world-renowned singer/songwriter. She has written many songs and albums over her long career. She is most known for her unique songs and mellifluous voice. Some of her songs include “Shake it off”, “Blank Space”, “Bad Blood”, “Mine”, and more. She also has stood up for women’s rights, and other important issues.
Now, you may be wondering, how would Olivia not exist without Taylor? Let me answer that question for you in one word. Songwriting. Olivia’s recent album “Sour”, was a big hit. But the closer you listen and look at each song, you can see little influences of Taylor in her work. As many know, Rodrigo has stated in many articles that she admired Swift and her work. If you take a closer look at Rodrigo’s work, you might even notice a crucial bit of information that has led people to believe that Swift helped Rodrigo write her album. After Rodrigo released the album, she confided in the press that she HAD in fact had Taylor Swift help her write songs. In the song “1 step forward 3 steps back” she even states that not only did Swift help her write the song, she also used a part of Swift’s song “New Years Day”. From a recent interview, she says, "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.' I think they're really beautiful chords. I was lucky enough to get that approved, and it's on the record now." This is just another example of how Swift has influenced Rodrigo’s work. She then goes on to talk about how a collaboration had been on the table between her and Swift for a while beforehand.
I personally agree with the thousands of other people around the globe that believe that Taylor Swift has greatly impacted Olivia Rodrigo’s music style and perception of the music industry. While she has taken lots of inspiration from Swift, Rodrigo makes it her own by adding flourishes of her personality into the mix while songwriting. We love some creative queens and hope for more collaborations in the future!
Further Reading