Let’s rewind to February 2022 when I penned a blog post about Taylor and Olivia’s strained relationship. Time has only reinforced my stance.
It appears Taylor and Olivia’s friendship hit a snag when business interests clashed. It all started when it was suggested that Olivia’s song inspirations from artists like Paramore and TS actually fell under sampling and interpolation. This meant Taylor and her collaborators should be credited as writers on Olivia’s songs. Cue the drama.
Paramore’s Hayley Williams and Joshua Farro were added as songwriters to Olivia’s “good 4 u,” prompting a reaction from Hayley herself, hinting at newfound riches. Taylor and Jack Antonoff were also credited on “Deja Vu,” claiming it interpolated Taylor’s “Cruel Summer.” This move came after Olivia had already found success, raising eyebrows about the timing.
Olivia felt frustrated by this, as expressed in her Time interview, where she defended her creativity but hinted at shady dealings behind the scenes. Her producer echoed this sentiment, suggesting they were only approached after her songs gained traction. It was a lesson in the music business for Olivia, who had to navigate older artists wanting a piece of her success.
As tensions rose, Olivia’s behavior shifted. She distanced herself from the fangirl image, asserting herself as an artist in her own right. But the plot thickened when Olivia started breaking Taylor’s records, prompting speculation that Taylor strategically released music to rival Olivia’s success.
When Olivia’s album “SOUR” debuted at number one, Taylor dropped the vinyl version of “Evermore,” reclaiming the top spot. It was a move seen by many as a deliberate snub, with headlines accusing Taylor of sandbagging Olivia. The subsequent credits added to Olivia’s songs only added fuel to the fire, costing Olivia millions.
Fast forward to the present, where Taylor’s latest album shattered records, raising questions about whether she’s reclaiming her throne after Olivia’s breakthrough. Was Taylor deliberately blocking Olivia from breaking her records?
