"Deja Vu" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Olivia Rodrigo | ||||
from the album Sour | ||||
Written | August 2020 | |||
Released | April 1, 2021 | |||
Recorded | 2020 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:35 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Dan Nigro | |||
Olivia Rodrigo singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Deja Vu" on YouTube |
"Deja Vu" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on April 1, 2021, through Geffen and Interscope Records, as the second single from her debut studio album, Sour (2021). Rodrigo wrote the song with its producer Dan Nigro, with Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, and St. Vincent receiving writing credits for its interpolation of Swift's 2019 song "Cruel Summer". An incorporation of various pop sub-genres, "Deja Vu" explores themes of nostalgia, heartbreak, and the complexity of moving on from a past relationship. Olivia Rodrigo reflects on the memories associated with her previous relationship and the struggle to let go, even as she acknowledges that the new couple is creating their own memories.
"Deja Vu" received acclaim from music critics, many of whom considered it a strong follow-up to "Drivers License" (2021) and praised its lyrics. In the United States, the song debuted at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and made Rodrigo the first artist to debut their first two singles in the chart's top 10. It eventually peaked at number three. "Deja Vu" reached the top 10 in Ireland, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, Latvia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and the Czech Republic.
Allie Avital directed the music video for "Deja Vu", filmed in Malibu, California, which shows how the place she is at the moment can be nostalgic and remind her to previous relationships, played by Talia Ryder. Rodrigo performed the song on shows such as MTV Push and Billboard Women in Music, and included it on the set lists for her 2022 Sour concert tour, the Glastonbury Festival, and the 2024 Guts World Tour.
Olivia Rodrigo began meeting with record labels in early 2020, and subsequently signed with Geffen Records and Interscope Records, intending to release her debut extended play in 2021. [1] American songwriter and producer Dan Nigro encountered a video of her performing her then-unreleased song "Happier" and was impressed by her vocals, stating, "her voice is insane". He contacted Rodrigo suggesting they make music together. [2] Their plans were initially delayed due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the two began working on music at Nigro's home studio a few months later. Rodrigo and Nigro co-wrote the song "Drivers License" in July 2020, [2] [3] which she released as her debut single in January 2021, to unprecedented commercial success. Billboard declared it one of the "most dominant" hits in Hot 100 history. [4]
Rodrigo and Nigro wrote "Deja Vu" over the course of one day in August 2020, a month after "Drivers License" was written. [5] [6] The song was inspired by a lyric idea she had stored in the notes application on her phone: "When she was with you do you get deja vu?". [5] Rodrigo elaborated on its concept: "I get déjà vu all the time. So I thought it would be a cool play on words to use déjà vu as a metaphor for this very universal thing that happens when you break up with someone and they get with somebody else, and see them living the life that you lived". [6] The recording of "Deja Vu" went on over several months as she rerecorded her vocals and brainstormed new melodies. [5] The song's bridge was influenced by Taylor Swift's 2019 song "Cruel Summer". [7] Rodrigo and Nigro considered introducing electronic dance music-influenced vocal chops into its post-chorus, but opted for a synthesizer riff instead as Rodrigo thought the former were "too poppy". [8]
Rodrigo began hinting the release of a new song by deleting posts from her Instagram account and sharing cryptic teasers of it in late March 2021. [9] On March 29, she revealed its title, "Deja Vu", artwork, and release date. [10] Rodrigo chose "Deja Vu" as her second single as she considered it a "natural progression" from "Drivers License", displaying her versatility as an artist: "I can make heartbreak songs but I can also make cool alternative pop songs. I didn't want to be pigeonholed into the 'heartbreak ballad girl' thing." [5] [6] She posted three clips preceding the announcement, featuring a melting ice cream cone, drifting clouds, and a car being driven along the ocean. [11] In an interview with MTV News, Rodrigo stated that the song was "definitely not like 'Drivers License' at all", and was excited and nervous about her audience viewing a different aspect of her artistry on it. [12] Geffen Records released it for digital download and streaming on April 1, 2021, [13] as the second single from her debut studio album Sour (2021). [14] Interscope Records sent "Deja Vu" to contemporary hit radio stations in the United States five days later, and for radio airplay in Italy on April 23. [15] [16] In July 2021, Swift, Jack Antonoff, and St. Vincent, the writers of "Cruel Summer", received writing credits on "Deja Vu" for its interpolation of the former. [17] This followed Swift and Antonoff previously being credited on Sour's fourth track "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" for interpolating their 2017 song "New Year's Day", and preceded the members of Paramore receiving credits on "Good 4 U" (2021). [18] [19]
"Deja Vu" is 3 minutes and 35 seconds long. [13] Nigro produced and recorded the song at Amusement Studios in Los Angeles. He handled drum programming, and plays the acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Wurlitzer, bass, Juno-60, and percussion, Jam City plays the organ and guitar, and Ryan Linvill plays the flute and saxophone. Sterling Laws recorded the drum at Heavy Duty Studios in Burbank, and Chris Kaych and Jasmine Chen handled drum engineering. Mitch McCarthy mixed it at SOTA Studios in Los Angeles and Randy Merrill mastered it at Sterling Sound in New York City. [18] [17]
"Deja Vu" is a midtempo [20] psychedelic pop, [5] pop rock, [21] art pop, [20] and indie pop song, [22] with influences of alternative music. [5] [23] The song is set over a piano instrumental, complemented by the glockenspiel and heavy drums after the pre-chorus. [23] It also includes buoyant synths. [24] "Deja Vu" has a sensitive beat that crests into an expansive bridge according to Entertainment Weekly 's Marcus Jones. [25] Rodrigo delivers harmonious vocals over the song's bell sounds and faded electronics; The Observer 's Michael Cragg thought its whispered vocals recalled Lorde. [26] [27] The song's similarity with "Cruel Summer" occurs during the bridge, where she emulates the "angry-chanty thing" from Swift's newer songs according to Variety 's Chris Willman. [28] Bobby Olivier of Spin thought that with the "attention [it] paid to quotable and cresting bridges", both songs concluded on a similar note, and The Guardian 's Rachel Aroesti described "Deja Vu" as a "Taylor Swiftian" pop song. [29] [30]
"Deja Vu" has lyrics about heartbreak. [31] Throughout the song, Rodrigo addresses a past partner who is currently pursuing a different relationship and recalls how they are repeating things he did with Rodrigo, like driving up the California coast, eating strawberry ice cream, trading jackets, watching reruns of Glee , and listening to Billy Joel's 1983 single "Uptown Girl". [32] She expresses anguish about him recycling jokes she told. [33] Over its hook, Rodrigo sarcastically wonders if he ever accidentally addresses his new girlfriend by her name. [34] By the conclusion of "Deja Vu", she begins contemplating that the experiences she shared with him, perhaps, were not original to begin with: "I hate to think that I was just your type." [35] Entertainment Weekly's Maura Johnston described the song as "a gauzy fantasia with a time-blackened heart" and a "venom-filled diatribe toward an ex who's moved on". [24] Writing for The New York Times , Jon Caramanica identified its lyrics as "plain and pinpoint pained", and the "power struggle over who taught who about cool music" as an element reminiscent of Swift as well. [36]
"Deja Vu" received acclaim from music critics, [37] many of whom perceived it as a strong follow-up to "Drivers License". Stereogum 's Tom Breihan commended the song's stylistic change of pace from Rodrigo's debut single, describing it as a "giddy, stomping pop banger with a euphoric-singalong chorus", although he also noted their similar subject matter. [38] Tatiana Tenreyro of The A.V. Club lauded it as an improvement, stating that it was a remarkable and sparkling track that "feels like a marriage between Taylor Swift and Radiohead". [39] Writing for NME , Rhian Daly called "Deja Vu" an illustrious follow-up, and Rolling Stone 's Angie Martoccio and Chicago Tribune thought it dispelled any notion that she was going to be a one-hit wonder. [40] [41] [42]
Quinn Moreland of Pitchfork stated that with "Deja Vu", Rodrigo proved to be "pop music's next heavyweight", complimenting its gratifyingly enmeshing production, and deemed it an audacious and poignant catharsis. [43] Cragg described the song as an outstanding and lyrically sharp "kiss-off", and writing for Exclaim! , Heather Taylor-Singh opined that it is mesmerizing and "displays the nuances of young love". [27] [44] Pitchfork's Olivia Horn wrote that she uses her emotional turbulence like jet fuel on it and praised its specific lyrics. [45] Caramanica thought Rodrigo captured the torment of collapse, and the apprehension of watching your old partner reassemble. [35] Craig Jenkins of New York thought "Deja Vu" worthy of immediately being placed in a "hall of fame". [46] Writing for DIY , Jenessa Williams called "Deja Vu" the "perfect bedfellow to Conan Gray's 'Heather'", and described it as a "'don't know what you're missing' fantasy that thrives under chunky drums and painfully relatable snark". [47] AllMusic's Heather Phares viewed "shades of Alanis Morissette's jagged, jilted younger woman in [the song's] hyper-literate litany of tarnished memories". [48]
Some publications included "Deja Vu" in their list of the 100 best songs of 2021. Rob Sheffield placed the song at number two, and deemed it the finest and most underrated among Rodrigo's successful releases that year, establishing her as the "pop savant of the moment". He was highly enthusiastic about its "Uptown Girl" reference: "It's a perfect ride on the pop time machine". [49] Pitchfork included "Deja Vu" at number 10, and Jenn Pelly stated that despite the chart success of "Drivers License", "Deja Vu" heralded Rodrigo's emergence as an artist. She noted her earnest umbrage over her ex and his partner's trivial activities, and declared that "in the drama of [the song,] Olivia is directing". [50] NPR listed it at number 20, and Lyndsey McKenna stated that despite the interpolation, "the track is all Rodrigo: a sharp send-off of an earworm, somehow delivered with both irreverent playfulness and brute force". [51] In 2023 rankings of Rodrigo's discography, Sheffield named "Deja Vu" her best song and Jessie Atkinson called it her fifth best. [52] [53]
"Deja Vu" debuted at number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 issued for April 17, 2021, making Rodrigo the first artist to debut their first two singles in the chart's top 10. [54] [lower-alpha 1] Upon Sour's release, the song peaked at number three on the chart issued for June 5, 2021, and received a 4× Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. [55] [56] On the Canadian Hot 100, it charted at number four, and Music Canada certified it 6× Platinum. [57] [58] "Deja Vu" reached number four in the United Kingdom, and earned a double Platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry. [59] [60]
In Australia, "Deja Vu" peaked at number three, and the Australian Recording Industry Association certified it 4× Platinum. [61] [62] The song appeared at number 33 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2021, alongside four other songs from Sour. [63] It charted at number three in New Zealand, and received a Platinum certification from Recorded Music NZ. [64] [65] "Deja Vu" reached the top 20 of national record charts, at number two in Ireland; [66] number three in Malaysia and Singapore; [67] [68] number four in Latvia; [69] number five in Portugal; [70] number 10 in the Czech Republic; [71] number 11 in South Africa; [72] number 15 in India; [73] number 17 in Lebanon, Lithuania, and Norway; [74] [75] [76] and number 19 in Greece, Hungary, and Slovakia. [77] [78] [79] The song earned a double Platinum certification in Poland, [80] a Platinum in Norway, and Portugal; [81] [82] and Gold in Denmark, Italy, and Sweden. [83] [84] [85]
Allie Avital directed the music video for "Deja Vu", which was released on April 1, 2021. Talia Ryder makes a cameo in it. [86]
In the video, Rodrigo drives up the Pacific Coast Highway in a headscarf reminiscent of those worn by actresses in Alfred Hitchcock's films. She reaches home and tries on the same green gown as Ryder, and faces the latter's reflection in the mirror. Rodrigo realizes the similarities between her ex-partner's former relationship with her and his present one with Ryder. She initially tries to be happy for her and smiles, but eventually gets angry and breaks television sets with a sledgehammer. According to People 's Darlene Aderoju, it depicts "the emotional journey that a heartbroken lover experiences when their ex officially moves on with someone else". [6] [87]
Rodrigo's performance of "Deja Vu" for MTV Push was published online on May 1, 2021. [88] She reprised the song during her Tiny Desk Concert in a department of motor vehicles in December 2021. [89] [90] Rodrigo sang it in a pink dress for Billboard Women in Music on March 2, 2022. She was accompanied by a four-piece, all-female band in all-white outfits during the pre-filmed performance. Billboard's Andrew Unterberger remarked that Rodrigo displayed typically vulnerable intimacy and bluntness and offered an alternately pleasant and grimy rendition. [91] She included "Deja Vu" in the set list for her 2022 Sour concert tour. [92] Rodrigo performed the song at the Glastonbury Festival 2022. [93] She introduced it by saying "I just wanted to ask you guys a question, does anyone here ever get deja vu?", which The Guardian's Laura Snapes thought highlighted the cacophony between her more impromptu and planned moments during the show. [94] Rodrigo reprised "Deja Vu" as a duet, with Billy Joel on piano, during one of the latter's Billy Joel in Concert shows, followed by "Uptown Girl". [95] [96] [97] She included the song on the set list of her 2024 concert tour, the Guts World Tour, [98] [99] where NME's Thomas Smith considered it a highlight. [100]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Sour [18] and Tidal. [17]
Studio locations
Personnel
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [62] | 5× Platinum | 350,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [144] | 2× Diamond | 320,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [58] | 6× Platinum | 480,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [83] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [145] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [84] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [146] | Diamond+2× Platinum+Gold | 1,050,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [65] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [81] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [80] | 2× Platinum | 100,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [82] | Platinum | 10,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [147] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [60] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [56] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Sweden (GLF) [85] | Gold | 4,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | April 1, 2021 | Geffen | [13] | |
United States | April 6, 2021 | Contemporary hit radio | Interscope | [15] |
Italy | April 23, 2021 | Radio airplay | Universal | [16] |
"Uptown Girl" is a song written and performed by American musician Billy Joel from his ninth studio album An Innocent Man (1983), released in September 1983 as the album's second single. The lyrics describe a working-class "downtown man" attempting to woo a wealthy "uptown girl". The 12" EP has the tracks "My Life", "Just the Way You Are" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me", whereas some 7" single versions featured "Careless Talk" as a B-side.
"Déjà Vu" is a song by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé, featuring rapper Jay-Z. It was produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, 808-Ray and Beyoncé for her second solo album, B'Day (2006). "Déjà Vu" is an R&B song, which incorporates elements of 1970s funk and soul music. Its music is largely based on live instrumentation, including bass guitar, hi-hat and horns, except the Roland TR-808 drum machine, which is a non-live instrument. The song's title and lyrics refer to a woman being constantly reminded of a past lover.
Daniel Leonard Nigro is an American musician, songwriter, instrumentalist, and record producer. He was the lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band As Tall as Lions. Nigro has produced, written, and co-written songs for Sky Ferreira, Joe Jonas, Kylie Minogue, Caroline Polachek, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Dermot Kennedy, Maisie Peters, and Conan Gray. He won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for producing Sour in 2021. He was named as the Songwriter of the Year at the 2024 ASCAP Pop Music Awards.
Olivia Isabel Rodrigo is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She first became known for starring on the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark (2016–2019) and the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019–2022). Shifting focus onto her recording career, Rodrigo signed with Geffen Records to release her 2021 single, "Drivers License", which peaked atop the US Billboard Hot 100 and raised her to international prominence. Her debut studio album, Sour (2021), was released in May of that year; it spawned her second number-one song, "Good 4 U", and won her three Grammy Awards. The documentary Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U followed in 2022, which chronicles the creative process of Sour. The following year, she released her second studio album, Guts (2023).
"Drivers License" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on January 8, 2021, by Geffen and Interscope Records, as the lead single from her debut studio album Sour. She wrote the song alongside producer Dan Nigro. Containing poignant lyrics detailing heartache, "Drivers License" is a power ballad blending bedroom pop, alt-pop, and power pop styles. It is characterized by a minimalist, piano-led production, incorporating kick drums, harmonies, syncopated hand-claps, and a dreamy bridge. One of 2021's most successful songs, "Drivers License" launched Rodrigo's music career.
American singer and actress Olivia Rodrigo has released two studio albums, one reissue, three extended plays (EPs), ten singles, and ten music videos. She contributed to the soundtrack of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, releasing ten promotional singles from it, with "All I Want" managing to chart worldwide at a peak position of 119. After signing with Interscope and Geffen Records in 2020, she released her debut single "Drivers License" in January 2021, which propelled her to international fame. "Drivers License" debuted at number one in the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it stayed for eight consecutive weeks, and topped the charts in 25 other countries. Subsequently, "Drivers License" was certified six times platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), eight times platinum in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), seven times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), three times platinum in Norway and Portugal, two times platinum in United Kingdom, Poland, New Zealand and Sweden, and platinum in 10 other countries.
Sour is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on May 21, 2021, by Geffen Records. The album was written by Rodrigo and producer Dan Nigro. Originally planned as an EP, Sour was expanded into a full-length album following the viral success of her debut single, "Drivers License".
"Favorite Crime" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It is the tenth track on Rodrigo's debut album Sour, which was released on May 21, 2021, through Geffen Records. It is a folk-pop and indie pop ballad, written by Rodrigo and its producer Dan Nigro.
"Happier" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, seen as the eighth track on Rodrigo's debut studio album Sour (2021), which was released on May 21, 2021, through Geffen Records. The song was produced by Dan Nigro. According to Rodrigo, this song was inspired by the song ''Perfect'' by Ed Sheeran in both the lyrics and the instrumental track.
"1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It is the fourth track on her debut studio album, Sour, which was released on May 21, 2021, via Geffen Records. Dan Nigro produced the song. Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff also received songwriting credits for its interpolation of Swift's 2017 song "New Year's Day".
"Traitor" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released to US mainstream radio on August 10, 2021, through Geffen Records, as the fourth single from Rodrigo's debut album, Sour (2021). An indie pop and guitar-rock ballad, the song was written by Rodrigo and Dan Nigro, and produced by the latter.
"Brutal" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released to Italian radio on September 3, 2021, through Geffen Records, as a promotional single from Rodrigo's debut album, Sour (2021). "Brutal" was written by Rodrigo and Dan Nigro, and produced by the latter.
"Good 4 U" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on May 14, 2021, through Geffen and Interscope Records, as the third single from Rodrigo's debut studio album, Sour (2021). The song was written by Rodrigo and its producer Dan Nigro who co-produced it with Alexander 23.
Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U is a 2022 American documentary directed by Stacey Lee, released to Disney+ on March 25, 2022. Based on the making of Olivia Rodrigo's debut album, Sour, the documentary is about a road trip Rodrigo took between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles along with her live band, where they performed songs from Sour on different spots along the trip. The documentary also contains clips of Rodrigo and Sour producer Dan Nigro, as well as interviews where Rodrigo explains the meaning behind songs from the album. The documentary won "Best Music Documentary" at the 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards and was nominated for "Best Longform Video" at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards.
"Vampire" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. Geffen Records released it on June 30, 2023, as the lead single from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo co-wrote the song with its producer Dan Nigro. A pop rock tune, "Vampire" is driven by piano and rock instrumentation consisting of electric guitars, synthesizers, and programmed drums. An accompanying music video for the song directed by Petra Collins was released simultaneously.
Guts is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, released on September 8, 2023, through Geffen Records. It was written and recorded with Rodrigo working closely alongside Dan Nigro, the producer and multi-instrumentalist of her debut album Sour (2021). Inspired by the period of time immediately following Sour's success, Rodrigo conceived Guts hoping to reflect the process of maturity she experienced toward the end of her teenage years.
"Love Is Embarrassing" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote the song with its producer, Dan Nigro. It became available as the album's ninth track on September 8, 2023, when it was released by Geffen Records. A new wave song, "Love Is Embarrassing" has self-deprecating lyrics in which Rodrigo derides her crush and expresses embarrassment about how much she was attracted to him.
"The Grudge" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote it with its producer, Dan Nigro. The song became available as the album's tenth track on September 8, 2023, when it was released by Geffen Records. A piano-driven power ballad, "The Grudge" details Rodrigo's regret and burnout after somebody she looked up to betrayed her trust. Critics varied in their interpretation of the song, with some interpreting its subject as the breakup of a romantic relationship while others believed it was about Rodrigo's relationship with Taylor Swift.