Olivia Rodrigo Wrote 4 ‘Jealousy, Jealousy’ Verses Before Deciding on the Lyrics

As a collaborator on several songs for Sour, Olivia Rodrigo shared insight into the more difficult pieces to write. The artist even wrote four different verses before deciding on the final version of “Jealousy, Jealousy.” Here’s what we know about Rodrigo’s 2021 release. 

Olivia Rodrigo debuted her Grammy-nominated album ‘Sour’ in 2021

This actor sometimes shared original music on her social media platforms, often accompanying herself on piano. Rodrigo also collaborated on original songs for the Disney+ original mockumentary High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. 

In 2021, the actor released her debut album, Sour, earning plenty of fans and international recognition. Since its premiere, this production earned several Grammy nominations, including Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year. 

Tracks like “Good 4 U,” “Brutal,” and “Drivers License” became fan-favorite releases, as did “Jealousy, Jealousy.” When it comes to the most challenging song for Rodrigo to write, though, “Jealousy, Jealousy” takes the cake.

Olivia Rodrigo changed the verse for ‘Jealousy, Jealousy’ 4 times

Rodrigo is also known for her close relationship with fans, personally inviting some to her “Sour Prom” event. She also connects with listeners on social media. During one Twitter “Question and Answer” session, one fan asked what was the most challenging Sour song for Rodrigo to write. 

“Maybe ‘Jealousy, Jealousy,’” the artist replied. “I wrote like four different verses before deciding on the one that’s on the record.”

The lyrics included in the final production of “Jealousy, Jealousy” dealt with the pressures of social media. Thinking too much about kids that don’t know her, Rodrigo mentioned the jealousy felt by many teenagers online.

‘Jealousy, Jealousy,’ was one of the first songs Olivia Rodrigo wrote for ‘Sour’

Since its debut, “Jealousy, Jealousy” became a favorite of many fans, earning over 345 million Spotify plays. During an interview with Nylon, Rodrigo said that “Jealousy, Jealousy” was one of the first written songs for Sour. Additionally, it was a track inspired by singer-songwriter Fiona Apple.

“In this time period, I was super obsessed with social media,” she said. “I would look for things that would hurt my feelings all the time and compare myself to everyone. I felt like my life was only what I showed to others. I didn’t feel like my life was any deeper than my Instagram feed.” 

“That’s a really troubling mindset to be in as a teenager,” Rodrigo continued. “And so I guess I wanted to write a song about that. It isn’t sad or ‘Oh, I don’t feel like I’m enough,’ it’s ‘Oh, God, I’m so jealous.’ It’s tongue-in-cheek, and a little funny to me. But the sonics on the song are the reason why we put it on the record. There’s this piano in the bridge that’s so convoluted and almost atonal. Sometimes it just doesn’t go with the music, and it’s so chaotic.”