Bluebird Café Denies Olivia Rodrigo Team Requested Removal of Taylor Swift Photos

Images via Tinseltown / Shutterstock

The Bluebird Café in Nashville has addressed growing speculation online suggesting that Olivia Rodrigo’s team requested the removal of Taylor Swift memorabilia from the iconic music venue ahead of Rodrigo’s visit.

In a video posted to X (formerly Twitter) on June 18, Bluebird’s General Manager and COO, Erica Nichols, stated that the claims were false. She clarified that neither Rodrigo nor her team asked for any images of Swift to be removed.

Nichols explained that a specific photo of Taylor Swift was taken down solely for legal reasons due to copyright issues related to filming. “When we have filmings, we are required legally to remove images that are under copyright. We don't own those images, so we cannot give permission for them to be used in any kind of broadcast,” she said.

The clarification comes after an employee of the venue made viral comments suggesting that the café had “vowed to remove any visible signs of Taylor Swift” ahead of Rodrigo’s 2023 performance there. Nichols said the employee “spoke carelessly and haphazardly” and misunderstood the reasoning behind the removal.

Nichols emphasized that the rest of the Taylor Swift imagery remained untouched, and that the café continues to hold both artists in high esteem. “Taylor is a super friend of the Bluebird, and we hold her in the highest regard. We were honored to have Olivia here,” she said. “Please understand this was not anything in between two artists.”

Rodrigo has repeatedly denied any personal tension with Swift despite speculation fueled by fan theories and lyrical interpretations. In multiple interviews throughout 2023, she clarified that she keeps her songwriting subjects private and harbors no “beef” with anyone.

Rodrigo has publicly praised Swift in the past and credits her on two songs from her SOUR album: “1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back” and “Deja Vu,” both of which interpolate Swift’s work.