Although we covered Rodrigo’s SOUR last week, I wanted to point out something I haven’t seen anyone on social media talking about: a Taylor Swift credit?! That’s right, folks. You’ve heard it here first. Swift collaborated with the up-and-coming artist on her track, “1 step forward, 3 steps back.” Having listened to the track myself, I could definitely pick up on the subtle nuances of Taylor’s influence hidden within the track. The title itself even sounds more like Ms. Swift than it does Rodrigo. I was surprised to find no one but TikTok user Tatycake talking about this.
Swift was granted the writing credit on the track not because they actively collaborated but because Rodrigo interpolated Swift’s 2017 Reputation album closing track New Year’s Day, according to both Genius and music industry source Uproxx. Rather than sampling, Olivia opted to recreate the song of her own accord (knowing of the Scooter Braun drama regarding Swift’s mastered recordings), thereby cutting Braun out of the process entirely. Swift and Antonoff reportedly gave their express permission to write over their notes which left no room for Braun to profit off of the work. Genius even noted that “1 step forward, 3 steps back” could be a nod to Swift’s lucky number 13 although your guess is as good as mine. After the hyper of pop-punk track good 4 u, Rodrigo stated a dream collab would be with hyperpop Charli XCX. Another of her dream collaborations would be with the super sultry and dark Billie Eillish. According to Universal Music, in a recent interview, Rodrigo said she’d love to collab with K-Pop group BLACKPINK. I also could see her maybe collabing with Ms. Rebecca Black (whom you may know recognize from the Friday scandal) on a future project but I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Whether listening to the album in passing, or whereby clicking on specific tracks hunting for easter eggs, Swift’s (among other female powerhouses) influence is clear throughout. When listening to Deja Vu, I was reminded of Swift’s 2019 album Lover (from the lyrical composition and thematic presentation to the backing vocals). Rodrigo herself has stated that Swift serves as one of her biggest inspirations for songwriting by far. Similar themes interject between Swift’s music and that of Rodrigo’s. I’m anticipating a new wave of emotionally charged pop music to hit radio waves this summer!
The album is central in theme to teenage heartache, something we experience at one point or another. Growing pains, they called it. Topping the charts already, I could see why millennials today are resonating with the sound of an (now) 18-year-old girl. While she’s very young, her songs contemplate the emotions we experience in our darkest hours: jealousy, rage, grief, and insecurity.
SOUR is now available on all streaming platforms. You may stream here!