Did Taylor Swift make a reference to Olivia Rodrigo on The Tortured Poets Department?

Los Angeles, California - Taylor Swift may have alluded to fellow singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo in one memorable track off of her hot new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

Taylor Swift (l.) has sparked new speculation with a track off The Tortured Poets Department that appears to allude to Olivia Rodrigo.
Taylor Swift (l.) has sparked new speculation with a track off The Tortured Poets Department that appears to allude to Olivia Rodrigo.  © Collage: SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP & Jason Kempin / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The 34-year-old pop star's record set social media abuzz on Friday, with a whopping 31 songs for fans to overanalyze after a surprise double release.

Amid the chatter about ex-boyfriends and A-list enemies, another name has been thrown into the mix courtesy of the ballad Clara Bow.

Once again, Olivia Rodrigo has been launched into the Swiftie discourse as fans debate whether the song, which borrows its title from the name of a famed 1920s movie star, is alluding to the 21-year-old.

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Clara Bow dives deep into the cycle of fame, beginning with the line, "You look like Clara Bow / In this light, remarkable / All your life, did you know / You'd be picked like a rose?"

The song continues on to describe a fresh new starlet who earns comparisons to increasingly contemporary leading ladies.

"You look like Stevie Nicks in '75 / The hair and lips / The crowd goes wild at her fingertips / Half moonshinе, a full eclipse," Taylor sings.

The apparent reference to Olivia comes at the end as the Grammy winner adds: "You look like Taylor Swift / In this light, we're loving it / You've got edge, she never did / The future's bright, dazzling."

Is Olivia Rodrigo Taylor Swift with an "edge?"

Fans are convinced Taylor Swift's (r.) lyric referring to a young singer with an "edge" she never had could be about Olivia Rodrigo.
Fans are convinced Taylor Swift's (r.) lyric referring to a young singer with an "edge" she never had could be about Olivia Rodrigo.  © Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/oliviarodrigo & taylorswift

Olivia has been repeatedly compared to Taylor for adopting a similarly diaristic style of songwriting, but there's one aspect that has always set her apart: a pop-punk flair.

While the Karma artist originally tapped into the country genre alongside pop, Olivia has aligned herself with the grungier side of things, proudly sporting chipped black nails, performing in fishnets and Doc Martens, and even scoring a Grammy nod for Best Rock Song.

So, it's safe to say there's at least some evidence for the theory.

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Thankfully, this potential reference doesn't provide fuel for rumors of an ongoing feud between the stars.

Instead, it comments on the cyclical (and fleeting) nature of fame and immense pressure put on the day's It Girls – a theme Billie Eilish just so happened to explore in a similar track that she later revealed was inspired by Olivia.

Cover photo: Collage: SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP & Jason Kempin / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

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