"Traitor" | ||||
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Single by Olivia Rodrigo | ||||
from the album Sour | ||||
Released | August 10, 2021 | |||
Recorded | 2020 | |||
Studio | Amusement (Los Angeles) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:49 | |||
Label | Geffen | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | Dan Nigro | |||
Olivia Rodrigo singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Traitor" on YouTube |
"Traitor" (stylized in all lowercase) 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.
Before it was promoted as a single, upon Sour's release, "Traitor" became a fan-favorite and achieved commercial success. Music critics praised the song for its vocals and lyrics, and picked it as an album highlight. "Traitor" arrived at number nine in the United States, number five in the United Kingdom, and peaked within the top 10 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Portugal. The song was also certified diamond in Mexico and platinum in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The song received its debut performance in Rodrigo's YouTube concert film Sour Prom (2021) That was featured in her official channel.
Following the minor success of "All I Want" (2019), American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo signed with Geffen Records, a subsidiary of Interscope Records, intending to release her debut extended play in 2021. After the widespread success of Rodrigo's debut single "Drivers License", released on January 8, 2021, she decided she wanted to make a full-length studio album instead. [1] [2]
Alongside the release of her second single "Deja Vu" on April 1, 2021, Rodrigo announced that her debut studio album, under the placeholder title *O*R, would be released on May 21. [3] On April 13, Rodrigo announced the cover art and announced the title of her debut studio album Sour . Together with the announcement, the track listing was announced, and "Traitor" was revealed to appear as track two on Sour. [4] The song was released with a lyric video alongside the album on May 21, 2021. [5]
"Traitor" was sent to US contemporary hit radio on August 10, 2021, as the fourth single from Sour. [6]
"Traitor" is an indie pop and guitar-rock ballad. [7] [8] [9] The song has been rumored to be about American actor and singer Joshua Bassett, who co-starred with Rodrigo in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series . [10] Lyrically, the song is about "feeling betrayed when you see your ex stepping into a new relationship while you're still reeling from your separation", as she whispers the lyrics "Guess you didn't cheat but you're still a traitor". [11]
"Traitor" features a cinematic rise and fall of acoustics and a layering of harmonies. [12] Musically, the song is set in the key of E♭ major, and has a moderately slow tempo of 50 beats per minute. The song is set in 6
8 time, and Rodrigo's vocals in the song span from B♭ 3 to A♭ 5. [13]
The song received acclaim from music critics. P. Claire Dodson, writing for Teen Vogue , called "Traitor" "flawless", and remarked that the song had a "Kacey Musgraves-esquenlight-folk backdrop". [14] Tatiana Tenreyro of The A.V. Club called the song "[Rodrigo's] most vulnerable song yet". [9] NME 's Rhian Daly described the song as "gorgeous". [11] Larisha Paul from Billboard praised the song, deeming it to feature Rodrigo's "best vocal performance" throughout Sour. [12] As the song is sandwiched between two emotionally heavy tracks with heavy production, Larisha Paul of Billboard called the song a "chilling contrast" that features Rodrigo's best vocal performance on the album. [12] Rolling Stone 's Angie Martoccio also called the song as the "long-lost cousin" of Taylor Swift's 2020 song, "My Tears Ricochet". [4]
In the US, before it was promoted as a single, "Traitor" debuted and peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 upon the album's release, charting alongside "Good 4 U" and "Deja Vu" in the top 10 of the chart. [15] Billboard underscored how "Traitor" accumulated impressive sales and streaming units for an album track. "Traitor" also reached number 3 on Billboard Streaming Songs chart, distinguishing Rodrigo as the first artist in history to claim all of the top three on the chart for consecutive weeks. Commenting on the song's critical and commercial success, Rodrigo said "I wrote it on my bed while I was crying. I never really thought that it was going to be a song that resonated with so many people. I thought that it was a very specific situation that I was going through, and it's so funny that that's the non-single song that's the most successful. So many people have been like, 'How did you know? This is exactly what happened to me!'". [16]
The song landed at number seven on the UK Singles Chart, [17] before rising and peaking at number five the following week. [18] On Billboard's Global 200 chart, the song peaked at number seven. [19] "Traitor" also charted within the top 10 in Australia, [20] Canada, [21] Ireland, [22] and New Zealand, [23] and within the top 20 in Norway. [24] Additionally, the song was certified platinum in the United Kingdom [25] and New Zealand, [26] and quadruple platinum in Australia, [27] Canada, [28] and the United States. [29]
"Traitor" received its debut performance on June 26, 2021, as part of the release of Rodrigo's concert film Sour Prom. [30] [31] Later, she performed the song at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on September 17–18, 2021, in Las Vegas, Austin City Limits on October 2, 2021, as well as on Jimmy Kimmel Live and at the 2021 American Music Awards. An acoustic performance was featured on Rodrigo's documentary film Driving Home 2 U: A Sour Film, released on March 25, 2022, on Disney+. Olivia also performed "traitor" which was featured in her Tiny Desk Performance on the NPR Music YouTube channel on December 7, 2021. "Traitor" and was also featured for Dolby Atmos where she "experienced" the song in Dolby Audio. She performed this song on her SOUR Tour, where it was usually sandwiched between “Favorite Crime” and “Deja Vu”.
A music video for "Traitor", directed by Olivia Bee, was released on October 21, 2021. [32] [33] She promoted the video on Instagram with the caption "surprise! traitor mv out now!"
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Sour. [34]
Recording
Personnel
Weekly charts | Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [27] | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
Belgium (BEA) [71] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [72] | Diamond | 160,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [28] | 5× Platinum | 400,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [73] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [74] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [75] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [76] | Diamond+2× Platinum | 980,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [26] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [77] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [78] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [79] | 2× Platinum | 20,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [80] | Platinum | 60,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [81] | Platinum | 985,000 [82] |
United States (RIAA) [29] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece) [83] | Gold | 1,000,000† |
Sweden (GLF) [84] | Gold | 4,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | June 22, 2021 [lower-alpha 1] | [85] | ||
August 10, 2021 | Contemporary hit radio | [6] [86] | ||
Italy | December 17, 2021 | Radio airplay | Universal | [87] |
Olivia Isabel Rodrigo is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She first rose to prominence for starring on the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark (2016–2019) and the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (2019–2022).
"All I Want" is a song written by American singer and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo for the mockumentary television series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. It was performed by Rodrigo's character, Nina "Nini" Salazar-Roberts, in the fourth episode of the first season, "Blocking", which premiered on Disney+ on November 29, 2019. A ballad with piano and strings, "All I Want" was written in three days while Rodrigo was filming the first season. The song was produced by Matthew Tishler and recorded live for the episode during filming. It was released on November 27, 2019, through Walt Disney Records as a promotional single from the album High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: The Soundtrack.
"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 also is a part of the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and also 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.
"Deja Vu" 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" is about heartbreak and explores Rodrigo's anguish about her ex-partner repeating things they did in his new relationship.
Sour is the debut studio album by the American singer-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".
"Brutal" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It was released to Italian radio on September 3, 2021, through Geffen Records, as the fifth and final single from Rodrigo's debut album, Sour (2021). "Brutal" was written by Rodrigo and Dan Nigro, and produced by the latter.
"Our Song" is a song by English singer-songwriter Anne-Marie and Irish singer-songwriter Niall Horan. It was released on 21 May 2021 as the third single from the former's second studio album, Therapy (2021). Produced by TMS, "Our Song" was written by the two singers along with Philip Plested and the three members of TMS. The ballad's lyrics has the vocalists reminiscing about a past relationship.
"Heartbreak Anthem" is a song by Swedish electronic music duo Galantis, French DJ and music producer David Guetta and British girl group Little Mix. It was released on 20 May 2021 through Atlantic Records and appears on Little Mix's greatest hits album Between Us (2021). An EDM and pop song with dance-pop influences, it was co-written by Guetta, Galantis member Christian Karlsson, alongside Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall.
"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; Hayley Williams and Josh Farro were given co-writing credits due to influence from Paramore's "Misery Business" (2007).
"I Wanna Be Your Slave" is a song by Italian rock band Måneskin, from their second studio album, Teatro d'ira: Vol. I released on 19 March 2021 by Sony. Prior to its release as a single, the song managed to reach top-ten positions on charts across Europe, including number one in Finland and Slovakia, and went viral on the Spotify charts. It is the band's first song to reach the top 5 of the UK Singles Chart, and second to reach top 10 of Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.
"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.
"Bad Idea Right?" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). It was released by Geffen Records as the second single from Guts on August 11, 2023. Rodrigo co-wrote the song with its producer, Dan Nigro. An accompanying music video directed by Petra Collins was also released on August 11.
"Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo for her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote it with Dan Nigro, who produced it.
"Get Him Back!" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo from her second studio album, Guts (2023). Rodrigo wrote it with Dan Nigro, who co-produced it with Alexander 23 and Ian Kirkpatrick. The song was sent to Italian radio as the album's third single on September 15, 2023. "Get Him Back!" was inspired by Rodrigo's tendency to enter into her relationships due to people's expectations and details both her desire to return to her ex and get vengeance on him. Some critics picked the song as a standout.
"All-American Bitch" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It is the opening track on her second studio album, Guts (2023), which was released on September 8, 2023, by Geffen Records. Rodrigo wrote it with her producer Dan Nigro. A folk song that transforms into a pop-punk song midway, "All-American Bitch" was inspired by an essay written by Joan Didion that used the titular words. Its lyrics are about the societal expectations placed on women.
"The Grudge" is a song by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It is the tenth track on her second studio album, Guts (2023), which was released on September 8, 2023, by Geffen Records. Rodrigo wrote it with its producer, Dan Nigro. A piano ballad, "The Grudge" details how Rodrigo's relationship with a person went south after sharing an unpleasant phone call.
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