"Nothing in music is ever new. There’s four chords in every song…" says Olivia Rodrigo of the criticism she's faced this year regarding Sour songwriting credits.
After dealing with months of controversy following the release of debut album Sour in May, Olivia Rodrigo has spoken about the issues and comments she's faced regarding songwriting credits.
The pop star – who, in August, gave Paramore’s Hayley Williams and former guitarist Josh Farro songwriting credits for mega-hit good 4 u due to its similarities to Misery Business – addressed the songwriting criticism that's been thrown her way in a new interview with Teen Vogue, admitting that, "I think it’s disappointing to see people take things out of context and discredit any young woman’s work.
"But at the end of the day I’m just really proud and happy to say that my job is being a songwriter …All music is inspired by each other. Obviously, I write all of my lyrics from my heart and my life first. I came up with the lyrics and the melody for good 4 u one morning in the shower."
Read this: Will the success of Olivia Rodrigo’s good 4 u be good for rock music?
She adds that she's "had a harder time learning" about the business side of the music industry as fame has come her way in 2021, explaining that, "I’ve been sort of growing through that this year, but I’ve just been trying to remember that I write songs because I love them. I feel lucky I get to do that and be a songwriter and a performer for a living… At the end of the day, I feel it doesn’t have too much to do with me."
Olivia also reasons that artists all find inspiration from each other, and that, "What’s so beautiful about music is that it can be so inspired by music that’s come out in the past. Every single artist is inspired by artists who have come before them. It’s sort of a fun, beautiful sharing process. Nothing in music is ever new.
"There’s four chords in every song. That’s the fun part – trying to make that your own."
