Entertainment
So, Did Something Go Sour Between Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo? on September 6, 2023 at 9:07 pm Us Weekly
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Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo may have taken one step forward and three steps back.
Rodrigo grew up as a self-proclaimed “diehard” fan of Swift, first covering her songs at the age of four. After Rodrigo’s song “Driver’s License” from her debut album, Sour, hit No. 1 on the charts in January 2021, Swift showed her support to the ingénue by sending Rodrigo a handwritten note with personalized gifts to celebrate the single’s huge success.
“I got a letter from Taylor Swift last night, which is insane. Last night, I opened it for the first time, so I’m still reeling,” Rodrigo gushed to Radio.com in March 2021. “My tears are on it, my snot from sobbing my eyes out is on it. I love her. One of my favorite lyrics of hers is, ‘Past me, I’d like to tell you not to get lost in these petty things / Your nemeses will defeat themselves before you get the chance to swing.’ It’s in ‘Long Story Short’ off of Evermore. So she wrote about that in her letter a little bit. She’s like, ‘I think we make our own luck and I think when you’re kind to people and do what’s right, it always comes back to you in the best way.’ I just adore her and that’s what I’ve literally been thinking about since I opened that thing last night, it’s the only thing in my brain. […] I actually can’t talk about it, I’m, like, going to cry. It’s so insane, I can’t even comprehend.”
Swift was seemingly becoming a mentor for Rodrigo, but the duo’s relationship appeared to hit a snag after Rodrigo released her second single, “Deja Vu,” in April 2021. Some listeners pointed out similarities to Swift’s “Cruel Summer” — a song Rodrigo admitted she used as inspiration while writing her album.
Swift — along with her collaborators Jack Antonoff and St. Vincent — were ultimately given retroactive royalties on the song, but Swift and Rodrigo haven’t addressed each other publicly since.
Keep scrolling for every high and low between Swift and Rodrigo over the years:
A Cruel Cover
In April 2020, Rodrigo performed a cover of “Cruel Summer” — a track off Swift’s 2019 album Lover — for MTV’s Alone Together Jam Session.
“THE TALENT,” Swift wrote via her Instagram Story of the rendition. “Love This!!! Thanks for this beautiful performance @olivia.rodrigo @mtv.”
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Born to be a Swiftie
Even before she was uploading Instagram videos of herself rocking out in her car to Swift’s “Better Than Revenge,” Rodrigo was the “world’s biggest Swiftie,” claiming the Folklore singer’s lyrics even helped her form some of her earliest songs.
“I was making up songs about pickup trucks, even though I had never seen a pickup truck in my life up to that point,” Rodrigo told Nylon magazine in 2021 of being inspired by Swift’s hit track “Picture to Burn.”
Dance Party Promo
Rodrigo and BFF Conan Gray took to social media to help tease the re-release of Swift’s song “You Belong With Me” in April 2021. In the TikTok clip, the pair recreated the iconic music video by writing each other signs, jumping on the bed and lip-syncing into hairbrushes.
Screaming, Crying, Throwing Up
When Rodrigo’s song “Driver’s License” charted at No. 3 on iTunes in January 2021, it landed directly below two of Swift’s songs, “It’s Time to Go” and “Right Where You Left Me.” At the time, Rodrigo shared a screenshot of the list via Instagram, writing, “Next to Taylor on the US iTunes chart I’m in a puddle of tears.”
Swift, for her part, reciprocated with her own comment: “I say that’s my baby and I’m proud.”
Rodrigo then shared the comment to her social media page, captioning the post, “What is breathing?”
Rodrigo later gushed about having so many of her idols reach out to congratulate her on her success. “Taylor obviously commented on my Instagram post and it made a big splash, it was insane,” she said in an interview with UK’s “Big Top 40” later that month. “I am the biggest Swiftie in the whole world and the fact she did that truly just made my life.”
An Ingenue in the Making
Swift sent Rodrigo a handwritten note and gifts in March 2021.
“She gave me this ring because she said she wore one just like it when she wrote Red and she wanted me to have one like it and all of this amazing stuff,” Rodrigo told Sirius XM’s “The Morning Mashup” at the time. ”She, like, hand-wrapped these gifts.”
Courtesy of Olivia Rodrigo/Instagram
Enchanted to Meet You
The pair finally met in person at the Brit Awards in May 2021, where they posed for a sweet snap. Prior to the ceremony, Rodrigo penned a handwritten note to Swift — as well as Harry Styles and Little Mix.
Turning Sour?
The duo’s blossoming friendship seemingly hit a snag when Rodrigo’s debut album, Sour, was released later that month. Swift was always credited on the song “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back,” which uses an interpolation of her track “New Year’s Day.”
However, Swift was retroactively credited for Rodrigo’s second single, “Deja Vu,” in July 2021, after listeners accused her of plagiarism and copyright infringement via social media.
Billboard later reported in September 2021 that Rodrigo had given up “millions” in royalties on each of the songs.
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Bloodsucker, Fame F—ker?
After Rodrigo released the single “Vampire” in August 2023, some fans began to speculate the pop anthem was about Swift. The pointed lyrics seemed to tease a falling-out, but it was unclear if Rodrigo was singing about a romantic or platonic relationship.
Rodrigo later appeared to shut down the rumors, telling The Guardian in September 2023, “I mean, I never want to say who any of my songs are about. I’ve never done that before in my career and probably won’t. I think it’s better to not pigeonhole a song to being about this one thing … I was very surprised when people thought that.”
Not in Any Era
When asked by The Guardian if she went to see Swift’s Eras Tour, Rodrigo explained that the promotion of her second album, Guts, kept her from attending.
“I haven’t [gone] yet,” she told the outlet. “I’m going to Europe this week.”
Getty Images (2) Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo may have taken one step forward and three steps back. Rodrigo grew up as a self-proclaimed “diehard” fan of Swift, first covering her songs at the age of four. After Rodrigo’s song “Driver’s License” from her debut album, Sour, hit No. 1 on the charts in January
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By Bolanle Media | July 2, 2026
Photo: Tyla at the 2026 Met Gala in custom Valentino — days before making the biggest business move of her career.
There are career moves, and then there are statements. Tyla just made a statement that will be studied in music business classrooms for years.
The South African superstar — born Tyla Laura Seethal, 24 years old, and already the proud owner of two Grammy Awards — has officially signed a multi-million dollar global deal with Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s powerhouse entertainment company, walking away from Epic Records to align herself with the most influential roster in the music business. The signing was confirmed across social media with a major digital announcement this week, and the reaction from industry insiders was immediate — shock, admiration, and the quiet acknowledgment that someone just changed the trajectory of African music forever.
From “Water” to a Global Phenomenon
Let’s not forget where this all started. In 2023, a 21-year-old from Johannesburg released a song called “Water” that nobody could quite categorize and everybody needed to hear. Within weeks, it had sparked one of the most viral TikTok dance challenges of the decade, charted simultaneously across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Africa, and earned Tyla a Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance — the first year that category even existed.
That win wasn’t just personal. It was a signal. African music — Afrobeats, Amapiano, and now what Tyla herself calls A*Pop — was no longer knocking at the door of the global mainstream. It had walked through it. And Tyla had handed it the key.
What followed was a whirlwind two years of sold-out shows, magazine covers, red carpet domination, and a growing reputation as one of the most stylistically fearless artists on the planet. She attended the 2026 Met Gala — her third consecutive appearance — wearing a custom Valentino gown dripping in diamond chains with a sweeping teal skirt, styled by the legendary Law Roach, with beauty by Pat McGrath. The look was breathtaking. But it was also strategic. Every Met Gala appearance, every fashion moment, every carefully placed interview has been building toward exactly this: the infrastructure to match the vision.
What Roc Nation Actually Means
To understand why this deal matters, you have to understand what Roc Nation actually is — because it is not simply a record label.
Founded by Jay-Z in 2008, Roc Nation is a full-service entertainment company with divisions spanning artist management, touring, brand partnerships, film and television, sports management, and philanthropy. Its roster has included Rihanna, Alicia Keys, J. Cole, Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, and Megan Thee Stallion — artists who didn’t just sell records, but built multi-decade cultural empires that extended into fashion, film, business, and beyond. The through-line isn’t genre. It’s scale.
For Tyla specifically, the Roc Nation deal unlocks a completely different level of access. We’re talking about premium budgets for music videos and live production, top-tier brand partnership pipelines with luxury and lifestyle companies, film and television placement relationships that most artists spend a decade trying to build, and the kind of media weight that gets you on the cover of Vogue, Time, and Billboard in the same calendar year. Roc Nation doesn’t just manage artists — it engineers icons.
On the African music side, Tyla joins fellow Roc Nation signee Ayra Starr, the Nigerian pop star who inked her deal in 2025, deepening the label’s clear and deliberate strategic investment in African pop as the next dominant global genre. Jay-Z is not betting on a trend. He is betting on a generation.
The Album That Could Rewrite the Playbook
The timing of this signing is not accidental — it is surgical.
Tyla’s highly anticipated sophomore album, A*POP, is officially set to drop July 24, 2026, just three weeks away — a 14-track project that she has described as unapologetic, globally ambitious, and deeply rooted in her South African identity while simultaneously reaching for something universal. The lead single “She Did It Again” features Swedish pop titan Zara Larsson, a collaboration that announces in no uncertain terms that Tyla is not staying in any lane she didn’t build herself.
With Roc Nation’s full machine now behind the album rollout — promotional infrastructure, media relationships, tour routing, brand activations — A*POP arrives with a runway that Epic Records simply could not have provided at this scale. The industry is already paying attention. For music supervisors, film and TV executives, brand marketers, and entertainment investors reading this right now — put A*POP on your radar immediately. This is the kind of release that shapes culture, not just charts.
The Bigger Picture Nobody Is Talking About
Here is what gets lost in the excitement of a big announcement: the systemic significance of what Tyla just did.
The music industry’s historical relationship with African artists has been, at best, transactional — major labels slow to invest, quick to cash in on a viral moment, and consistently reluctant to build the kind of long-term infrastructure that turns an artist into a brand. Tyla has navigated that system with remarkable intelligence, refusing to be reduced to a trend, building her artistic identity on her own terms, and now — at 24 — arriving at the negotiating table with enough leverage to choose Roc Nation on her terms.
That matters. Not just for Tyla, but for every African artist watching this unfold from Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Houston. It is proof that the path from regional phenomenon to global superstar is not only possible — it is being paved right now, in real time, by a young woman from Johannesburg who refused to shrink.
For media companies, content platforms, entertainment executives, and brand strategists operating in the African diaspora space — this is your data point. African pop is not a niche. It is not a trend. It is not a moment. It is a movement, and Tyla just secured the most powerful co-sign available in the global music business to lead it.
Watch this space. Very closely.
Follow @bolanlemedia on Instagram for real-time music, film, and entertainment industry news. Read more at bolanlemedia.com
AfriqueFest: Pan-African Musical Experience — World Cup Edition is set to take over Noto Houston on Sunday, June 28, bringing together East, South, and West African sounds in one immersive celebration of music, culture, and connection. Presented by Experience Noir and Bolanle Media, the event is designed as a cinematic night for the culture, blending global energy with Houston nightlife in a way that feels elevated, intentional, and deeply rooted in African creativity.
Spotlight on DJ Shinski
At the heart of this year’s experience is DJ Shinski. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and now based in Houston, DJ Shinski has built an international name off high-energy sets that move effortlessly across Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae, and electronic sounds.
He has also become Africa’s most‑subscribed DJ on YouTube, crossing the 2‑million‑subscriber mark and turning his mixes into a global destination for music lovers.
DJ Shinski’s style is precise but unpredictable: one moment it’s classic Afrobeats, the next it’s East African anthems, then a run of throwback hip‑hop or R&B that still feels fresh. That ability to read a room and connect multiple worlds in a single set is exactly why AfriqueFest is building so much of the night’s energy around him.
At AfriqueFest, DJ Shinski helps drive the Safari Grooves segment, representing East and Central Africa from 4 PM to 6 PM. Expect a journey that moves from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Addis, and beyond, all filtered through his signature “vibes on vibes” approach behind the decks.
DJ Tunez and the rest of the night
Supporting that energy, DJ Tunez leads the Gold Coast Beats chapter from 8 PM to 10 PM, bringing his own Nigerian‑American Afrobeats pedigree to the stage. Together with the Diamond Rhythms segment (South) and a curated roster of DJs, the night stretches across the continent in three distinct musical chapters, all connected by a single dance floor.
Hosted by @chris_gone_crazy, @kingdrewwskyy, @roselynomaka, and @samsnewleaf, AfriqueFest is positioned as more than a party—it’s a celebration of sound, style, and Pan‑African identity in Houston, with DJ Shinski anchoring the experience from the moment doors open.
Brought to you by Bolanle Media & Experience Noir
Brought to you by Bolanle Media and Experience Noir, this World Cup edition of AfriqueFest is crafted as a night where global DJs, storytellers, and music lovers collide and create a shared cultural memory. With DJ Shinski front and center—and DJ Tunez helping close the night—guests can expect a show that reflects both the future of African nightlife and the power of the diaspora to create unforgettable live moments.
If you want to experience DJ Shinski live at AfriqueFest, now is the time to lock in your spot. Purchase your tickets now at AfriqueFest.com and get ready for a night of music, movement, and culture at Noto Houston.
Laughter Meets Inspiration: Our Ladies Show Lands on The Roku Channel
A bold new sketch comedy series for women premieres June 13 across the U.S., U.K., and Canada — arriving on the back of a festival-winning run that has critics and audiences already paying attention.
It isn’t every day a brand-new comedy arrives already wearing a row of trophies. Our Ladies Show does. The seven-episode inspirational sketch comedy series — created, written by, and starring Christin Jezak — begins streaming on The Roku Channel on Friday, June 13, 2026, available free to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Produced in partnership with global media services leader Encompass Digital Media, the series sets out to do something rare in today’s streaming landscape: make women laugh out loud and leave them lifted. In a media moment crowded with noise and cynicism, Our Ladies Show is a deliberate counterweight — comedy with a conscience, built for women of every age and background.
A Show Built Around Real Life — and Real Laughs
Each of the seven episodes opens with a monologue from one of the cast members introducing the theme, then rolls into three or more sketches that hit the subject from every comedic angle. The series tackles the things women actually carry: holding grudges, comparison, beauty, patience, gift giving, the importance of community, and dealing with anxiety.
The comedy comes from a place of warmth rather than mockery — a “laugh at ourselves” spirit that runs through a gallery of unforgettable characters: a nosey neighbor, an overwhelmed mom, relentlessly optimistic flight attendants, beauty pageant winners past their prime, and a crew of unruly campers with a counselor who simply cannot hold it together.
Then the show does something most sketch series don’t. In the final segment of every episode, the cast gathers in a living-room setting and invites the audience in — sharing real inspiration drawn from the theme, the sketches, and their own personal stories. It’s the moment the laughter turns into something that stays with you.
The Women Behind the Show
Our Ladies Show brings together three performers with serious range:
- Christin Jezak — creator, writer, and star (Miracle at Manchester, Raising Hope, Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
- Hillary Hawkins — (Primal, Nick Jr.’s Play Along, Gullah Gullah Island)
- Sarah Hernandez — (Nefarious, Unplanned, House of Payne)
“In a world with so much division and depression, I hope women of all ages and backgrounds will watch this show, laugh, be reminded of how beautiful, unique, and loved they are, and remember how much we need each other.”— Christin Jezak, Creator & Star
Already a Festival Favorite
The series’ recurring long-form sketch, Neighborhood Watch, didn’t arrive quietly. Originally released as a web series and revamped for Our Ladies Show with new footage, sound, and music, it has been sweeping the festival circuit:
- 🏆 Best Webseries — 2026 New Media Film Festival (Los Angeles)
- 🏆 Best Web/TV Series — Paris Film Awards
- 🏆 Best Web Series — Dallas Movie Awards
- 🏅 Additional wins at the London Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and Hollywood Gold Awards
- 🎬 Official Selection — 2026 Harvard Divinity School Film Fest
- ⭐ Finalist — Houston Comedy Film Festival
- 📣 Three nominations — 2025 Content Christian Media Conference, including Best Actress in a TV and Web Series nods for both Christin Jezak and Sarah Hernandez
Where and When to Watch
Our Ladies Show premieres Friday, June 13, 2026, streaming on The Roku Channel — the home of premium and free entertainment — in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. All seven episodes deliver the series’ signature blend of sharp sketch comedy and genuine encouragement.
Watch the trailer now on your platform of choice:
For more information, visit www.ourladiesshow.com and follow @ourladiesshow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
About Christin Jezak
Christin Jezak has worked for over 15 years in the entertainment industry. She created and stars in Our Ladies Show and the award-winning web series Neighborhood Watch. She produced the EWTN TV program For the Sake of the Gospel and the all-women web series Ladies Keepin’ It Real, played Dr. Sam in Miracle at Manchester (starring Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, and Eddie McClintock), and voices Agnes in the podcast Confessions of a Catholic Single. She held a lead role in a short film for NTT Data directed by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, has co-starred on Raising Hope, and appeared in Jimmy Kimmel sketches and a Grubhub Super Bowl commercial.
About The Roku Channel
Roku pioneered streaming on TV and is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, Dec. 2025). The Roku Channel is the home of premium and free entertainment, alongside Roku’s Howdy and Frndly TV services. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, California.
About Encompass Digital Media
Encompass Digital Media is a global managed services company — technology-driven, software-defined, and people-powered. Trusted by world-leading broadcasters, networks, sports rights-holders, and OTT platforms, it processes over 25,000 hours of content daily, serves 850 channels to 84 countries, distributes over 243,000 live events annually, and reaches 400 million radio listeners weekly worldwide. Learn more at www.encompass.tv.
Media & Interview Requests: To interview creator Christin Jezak or the cast, contact Christin at cjezak@p2ptheatre.com.
Why Some Songs End Up in Movies—While Others Never Do
They Told Him a Black Man Can’t Learn. He Sued Them and Won.
