Olivia Rodrigo is not the “new Taylor Swift”

Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo often make headlines, but now more than ever, they seem to be the main topic of conversation. Taylor Swift’s growing relationship with Travis Kelce has been the talk of the media. Taylor Swift: Eras Tour is already achieving record ticket sales and 1989 (Taylor’s version) is scheduled to be released later this month. Olivia Rodrigo has been talked about a lot in connection with the release of her second album. GUTSand the announcement of an accompanying world tour.

As we all know, Taylor Swift’s fan base is one of the most influential and reliable of any artist. Olivia Rodrigo calls herself a hardcore Swiftie and has repeatedly emphasized the influence that Taylor Swift’s music has had on herself. This has led many of her fans to call her the “New Taylor Swift”. While Swift and Rodrigo do have certain similarities, I would argue that by giving Rodrigo such a title we are limiting her artistic growth.

Olivia Rodrigo took center stage for the first time as Nini. High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. On the show, she performed “All I Want,” a sweet ballad about the dangers of teenage love that received a lot of attention. Shortly thereafter, in 2021, Rodrigo released her first non-show single, “Drivers License”, followed by “Déjà Vu”. I’m sure you all remember that people went crazy for both the tracks where she reminisces about past relationships. It was at this moment that fans established a romantic connection between Rodrigo and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series

co-star Joshua Bassett. As a result, Bassett and alleged then-girlfriend Sabrina Carpenter were not only completely demonized by the press, but Rodrigo gained a reputation – that of a familiar, angsty teenage girl who understood what it was like to be scorned, who understood what it was like to be us. However, this image can be a double-edged sword – while it helped grow Rodrigo’s fan base, it also created rigid expectations for the album, of which “Drivers License” and “Déjà Vu” were part: SOUR. Rodrigo rose to the occasion, however, with songs like “traitor,” “good 4 u,” and “happier” confirming her ability to sing about past relationships extremely effectively.

As the drama involving Bassett and Carpenter progressed, the tide began to turn against Rodrigo. She began to receive backlash due to the influence her songs had on Bassett and Carpenter. Many of her fans remained by her side, but her reputation deteriorated. This reputation is not unlike that of Taylor Swift, whose songs about young love made her popular, but also led to her receiving a lot of criticism over her perceived “exploitation” of her past relationships as a theme.

Soon after release SOUROlivia Rodrigo has been named the “Next Taylor Swift.” In some ways, this is a huge boon for Rodrigo’s career: Taylor Swift is one of the most influential and legendary singer-songwriters of our time. There’s a reason she was named Songwriter of the Decade at the 2022 Nashville Songwriters Awards; her lyrics reflect a nuance and thoughtfulness that is rare in today’s music world. Her ability to beautifully overcome the limitations of the genre is commendable. To compare to Taylor Swift is to compare to a legend.

Likewise, calling Olivia Rodrigo the “new Taylor Swift” is a limitation of artistry. By giving her this personality, fans are essentially writing her a creative future. This is especially important after leaving GUTS. This album was long-awaited – many were waiting for another one. SOUR, which included a number of ballads that showcased Rodrigo’s vocal range and demonstrated a soulful sensitivity that would be comforting to anyone who has ever been a teenage girl. What, as they say, GUTS marks a departure from such content. Instead of focusing on that aspect of her first album, she went in a different direction, which we got a taste of with SOUR songs like “brutality”: a Riot Grrrl anthem. Songs like “Logic” try to balance out this quality with a calmer vibe, but it feels forced as an attempt to keep fans’ attention. SOURsoft side. As Kat Zhang from Pitchfork

“The album’s darker offerings aren’t necessarily bad in and of themselves, but amid songs that display such renewed self-awareness, they can feel stuck in the past, content to repeat the same wounded, wide-eyed disbelief in ‘driver’s license.’ »»

This What’s the harm in comparing Olivia Rodrigo to Taylor Swift? Rumors We’ve Heard About Taylor Swift’s Influence SOURthis focused prose and instrumental focus were not only expected, but demanded V GUTS. GUTS showcased Rodrigo’s ability to do it all and showcased her development as an artist over the past two years, but it was overshadowed and underplayed by Taylor Swift’s title.

Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo are different artists, talented in their own right. To combine them is to define them and limit their potential. As new artists emerge, we must allow them to shine in order to drive change and innovation in the industry, rather than create a vortex of previously established talent.

Sydney Levinton is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be contacted at (email protected).