For Millennials. By Millennials.
Olivia Rodrigo surprised the whole world with her talent in vocals and lyrics with her ‘sour’ album. It all started with her debut song ‘drivers license’. Many knew that her songs were about her ex-boyfriend Joshua Bassett. It definitely led to a lot of hate coming at Joshua’s way especially since he was rumored to be dating singer Sabrina Carpenter right after things ended with Rodrigo. But it turns out that there was more to the story than the public thought. Joshua Bassett lays out his side in his latest songs ‘Crisis’, ‘Secret’ and ‘Set Me Free’. In doing so, he seems to be hinting that Olivia Rodrigo broke up with him first and that another guy might have been involved.
Let’s take a close look at everything that happened between Olivia and Joshua.
Related: Olivia Rodrigo Says 2021 Grammy Nominations are a Dream Come True
A quick recap on Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Sour’ Album
The young sensation Olivia Rodrigo starred alongside Joshua Bassett in Disney’s ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’. They played a couple on-screen, Nini and Ricky. The two became good friends off-screen as well and there were rumors that they were dating. However, fans were surprised to suddenly see Joshua Bassett in a romantic setting with actress and singer Sabrina Carpenter. And then we got to hear Olivia Rodrigo’s new song ‘driver’s license’ which helped explained a lot.
Olivia Rodrigo debuts her unbelievably talented voice and lyrics with ‘driver’s license’. It’s about how she finally got her driver’s license and she could drive to her beloved’s house. But of course, her beloved isn’t her beloved anymore and the reason for that is more complicated than you think.
And you’re probably with that blonde girl
Who always made me doubt
She’s so much older than me
She’s everything I’m insecure about
Many took this as a hint that Olivia is talking about her ex-boyfriend Joshua Bassett who was publicly seen with Sabrina Carpenter at the time. Carpenter is also 3 years older than Rodrigo.
There was also an SNL sketch about it, where they actually take the names of everyone involved.
And in ‘deja vu’, Olivia Rodrigo talks about how her ex-lover is doing the same things with his new girlfriend that he was doing with her:
That was our place, I found it first
I made the jokes you tell to her when she’s with you
Do you get déjà vu when she’s with you
In another instance, Olivia again seems to be talking about her ex’s new lover.
We kinda do sound the same
Another actress
I hate to think that I was just your type
Then there’s the song, ‘good 4 U’ which also paints the narrative that her ex-boyfriend moved on to another girl.
Well, good for you, I guess you moved on really easily
You found a new girl, and it only took a couple weeks
Remember when you said that you wanted to give me the world? (Ah-ah-ah-ah)
We also see how deeply hurt Olivia Rodrigo was from her last relationship with the beautifully penned lyrics in ‘favorite crime’:
Know that I loved you so bad
I let you treat me like that
I was your willing accomplice, honey
With ‘enough for you’ we also see how Olivia was trying to perfect herself and mold herself into what her boyfriend wanted but it was still not enough for him:
You found someone more exciting
The next second, you were gone
And you left me there cryin’, wonderin’ what I did wrong
When driver’s license and the sour album was released, Joshua Bassett definitely got a lot of heat. During it, he was also hospitalized after he released his song ‘Lie Lie Lie’. In that song, Bassett was simply trying to clear his name:
So they told me all the things that you said
Running all over my name, oh
And you’re acting oh so innocent
Like I’m the only one to blame
And right after the release, he got hospitalized after dealing with septic shocks. Posting a video of himself on Instagram on January, he shared:
“welp… not the first place i assumed i’d be on my Lie Lie Lie release day… the ER!! (before you ask, no it’s not covid.). after an unknown, uncomfortable feeling turned into, times 10, the worst pain of my life, i figured i’d just try to sleep. after multiple, very very ugly days and nights, i had no choice today but be taken to the hospital. i’d like to say thank you!!!! for all the support on the song!!! i’ve been doing what i can today to stay involved. had my first surgery tonight ! gonna rest at the hospital and the doctors will see what they see in the morn!”
Moreover, he also came out as bisexual during the same time.
Another hint that Olivia was talking about Sabrina Carpenter was that the latter released a song ‘Skin’.
The song’s lyrics speak for themselves. Sabrina Carpenter sings about how someone is trying to get under her skin because she’s dating someone’s ex-boyfriend.
You can try
To get under my, under my, under my skin
While he’s on mine
But Carpenter isn’t throwing too much shade at Olivia Rodrigo, in fact, it seems like she’s trying to reveal that she didn’t want any drama with her:
Maybe we could’ve been friends
If I met you in another life
Maybe then we could pretend
There’s no gravity in the words we write
Maybe you didn’t mean it
Maybe blonde was the only rhyme
Another verse that seems to conveying kind words is how Sabrina Carpenter sings that one day she and Olivia Rodrigo can move past this and simply laugh about it. And of course, Carpenter cleverly uses the words of ‘drive’ which can be an allusion to Olivia’s ‘driver’s license’.
I just hope that one day
We both can laugh about it
When it’s not in our face
Won’t have to dance around it
Don’t drive yourself insane
It won’t always be this way
Related: Is Sabrina Carpenter’s Cryptic Apology About Griffin Gluck?
Meanwhile, Olivia Rodrigo admitted that she didn’t like the narrative that was being spun around about her song ‘driver’s license’ and Sabrina Carpenter.
In an interview with Variety, she shared that she didn’t know that she would get all the attention from the song and how people would be speculating about her love life. Meanwhile, she also shared:
“I don’t really subscribe to hating other women because of boys. I think that’s so stupid, and I really resent that narrative that was being tossed around.”
Now, we have Joshua Bassett releasing 3 new songs ‘Crisis’, ‘Set Me Free’ and ‘Secret, sharing a different picture all together
Following the release of Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘sour’ album, Joshua Bassett got plenty of hate and on extreme occasions even death threats. Bassett revealed to GQ that he and Olivia hadn’t spoken to each other since ‘driver’s license’. There was also an occasion where a waitress at a cafe kept playing Olivia’s songs, forcing him to leave the cafe.
But now he’s ready to sing and share his side of the story.
He shares in his new song ‘crisis’ how his record label is convincing him to take advantage of his unfortunate situation:
My label said to never waste a crisis
And, honestly, I didn’t wanna write this
if you get to tell your truth, then so do I
And it’s cool if you want me to play the bad guy
Moreover, he makes the claim that Olivia was lying in her songs and it was merely a career move for her to paint the narrative that she did. Plus, Joshua Bassett sings that he was equally hurt in their relationship and she’s lying when she’s singing otherwise.
But don’t you dare act like I didn’t love you
Don’t go thinkin’ that I didn’t hurt, too
Don’t you ever wonder if I’m okay after all you put me through?
Half the shit you’re saying’s only half-true
Messin’ with my life as a career move
And Joshua Bassett drops a big new side to the story when he sings:
Weren’t you the one who left in the first place?
Weren’t you the one who called things off?
In ‘Secret’, Joshua Bassett sings that Olivia Rodrigo may have been the one to leave him for another guy.
I shoulda seen it comin’, mm-mm-mm-mm
Swore that you only had a crush
You told me that you would cut him off…
Keeping up with his revelation of a ‘secret’, Bassett sings about how Olivia Rodrigo had everyone fooled and tricked.
I rеally hope you had your fun, good for you foolin’ everyone
You had me tricked for sixteen months
Oh, your smoke and mirrors had me hypnotized
Right in front of my eyes
Well, I heard the truth last night.
Joshua Bassett sings about how the secret is safe with him and everyone else who apparently knows about the alleged cheating.
Yeah your secret’s safe with me
And him
And everyone else who knows
Darling how could you be so cold
Moreover, he throws a little shade directly at Olivia Rodrigo’s music and songs that have been largely about her painful break-up.
When woe is me stops working
I bet your songs won’t sound the same
Related: Is Olivia Rodrigo Dating Zack Bia After Splitting Up With Adam Faze?
In ‘Set Me Free’, Joshua Bassett sings in a more painful voice and sings more solemnly.
In the song, he sings about how he’s taking his freedom back by singing about his story openly.
Why do I have to hurt for you feel okay?
You don’t get to take all of me
(Set me free)
I don’t need your apology
(Let me be)
He also sings about he doesn’t know what he did to get all the pain he got from her. He also sings that he would take back the pain he caused her if he could:
Anything I did to make you feel worse I’d take it all back if I could
Despite his care for her, Joshua Bassett now has his guard up and won’t let her hurt him again:
I hope you know that I still care about you dearly
But I gotta lock the door and throw away the key
I hope you know that I still care about you darling
I won’t ever let you hurt me how you hurt me Again Ever again
And as expected, this has raised a lot of speculation. But Joshua Bassett asked his fans to not send hate to anyone:
“Thank you for seeing me, and each other, as living, breathing, healing and hurting human beings. Due to the nature of pop culture, and the current public perspective, [there] will be a lot of loud voices in this next chapter — positive, negative and everywhere in between. all i ask is you treat everyone with respect and love. anyone who sends hate on my ‘behalf’ is no fan of mine.”
And as for the relationship status for Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter…
Joshua and Sabrina have still yet to confirm the status of their relationship, they were only seen together in July and October this year. But they were seen hanging out together at a recent Harry Styles ‘Love On Tour’ concert.
As for Olivia Rodrigo, she was rumored to be in a relationship with 24-year-old film producer Adam Faze. The two were spotted kissing in public, confirming their relationship.
So, it’s unclear whether Olivia Rodrigo will respond to Joshua Bassett’s new songs. Perhaps, she will sing her response. And as talented as she is, we can’t wait to hear her either way. Joshua Bassett also shined in his new songs and is receiving a lot of praise for his voice.
Drama or not, these two have a bright future ahead of themselves.
What do you think about the story? Are you on any side or are you just enjoying the music from everyone?
Related: Joshua Bassett Responds To People Saying He Deserves To Be Sexually Assaulted
