Olivia Rodrigo says every man she falls for is ‘gay’ on new album ‘Guts’, and fans have thoughts
Olivia Rodrigo’s new song ”ballad of a homeschooled girl” has divided fans, with some assuming it’s about former boyfriend Joshua Bassett. (Getty)
Olivia Rodrigo has finally dropped her eagerly anticipated sophomore album Guts and one song, in which she laments falling for gay guys, has got the internet talking.
Fresh from the chart success of singles “vampire” and “bad idea right?”, the 20-year-old singer and actress has unleashed Guts on the world, and the record has already garnered critical acclaim.
Yet it’s new track ”ballad of a homeschooled girl” that’s got the internet gossiping, thanks to one lyric about Olivia Rodrigo apparently having a dodgy gaydar.
“I talkеd to this hot guy, swore I was his type, guess that he was makin’ out with boys, like the whole night,” she sighs with teenage angst in the second verse. “Everything’ I do is tragic, every guy I like is gay.”
The bawdy lyrics have seemingly split the internet down the middle, with some holding them up as an example of Rodrigo’s genius, and others decrying them as “problematic”.
Fans speculate that Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘gay’ lyric refers to ex-boyfriend Joshua Bassett
Some fans have speculated that Olivia Rodrigo’s “gay” lyric is a nod to former boyfriend and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star Joshua Bassett, who came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community back in 2021. Rodrigo and Bassett are rumoured to have dated for several months in 2020.
In May 2021, 22-year-old actor and singer Joshua Bassett appeared to come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community after revealing that he found fellow musician Harry Styles “hot” during an interview.
The following month, he clarified that he “wasn’t joking” in regards to his Harry Styles comments, and confirmed that he is “happy” to be part of the LGBTQ+ community – but was in “no rush” to label his sexuality.
“There are plenty of letters in the alphabet… Why bother rushing to a conclusion? Sometimes your letter changes, sometimes you try a different one, other times you realise you’re not what you thought you were, or maybe you always knew,” he told GQ.
“All of these can be true. I’m happy to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community because they embrace all. Don’t let anyone tell you love isn’t love. They’re the ones who probably need it the most.”
However, earlier this year, Bassett sparked concerned among fans after being baptised by the notoriously anti-LGBTQ+ Bethel Church, which has previously advocated for conversion therapy.
In a video of the baptism shared online, Bassett declared that “running away” from his Christianity had only ended in “addiction, depression, suicidal ideation, eating disorders” and that Jesus Christ had given him “peace”.
After the baptism went viral, Bassett addressed the church’s anti-LGBTQ+ stance on his X (formerly Twitter) page, saying that he was “unaware of some of their policies and beliefs” and he doesn’t “endorse all of them”.
The ”ballad of a homeschooled girl” lyrics have divided fans
Some fans have praised Olivia Rodrigo for shining some much-needed light on the “collective theatre girl experience”, while others said she positively reminded them of a “Glee character manifested into reality”. One person went as far to declare Rodrigo the Gen Z version of Fiona Apple.
Others, though, aren’t too impressed by what they see as the “insensitive” lyrics, believing they may lead to unnecessary criticism of Bassett.
“Trying to figure out why ppl are eating up ‘every guy I like is gay’, I actually hate it deeply. Awful lyric, dated joke,” scorned one social media user.
“Her including that ‘every guy I like is gay’ [lyric] with the way her fanbase was harassing the hell outta Joshua Bassett to the point that they were doubting his sexuality is a mean move,” wrote another.
“This is insensitive and uncomfortable,” another added, while a fourth shared: “Man I really hate when somebody being gay is portrayed as something tragic and awful for straight people.”
Many have been quick to defend Rodrgio’s lyrics though, claiming they have been misinterpreted.
“The song is about lacking social skills and doing embarrassing things (‘stumbled over all my words, called you the wrong name twice’) and this lyric is about unknowingly hitting on a gay guy,” wrote one fan.
“There’s an epidemic of people taking pop stars’ lyrics TOO literally. We used to get songs like [Katy Perry’s] ‘Ur So Gay’ and not blink an eye,” added another.
Guts is out now.
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