Clarification has been provided by Nashville’s Bluebird Café regarding the recent rumors suggesting Olivia Rodrigo’s team sought to remove Taylor Swift’s pictures from the venue before filming there.

Erica Nichols, the general manager and COO, felt compelled to address the growing online speculations following accusations that Swift’s images were removed prior to Rodrigo’s appearance in 2023.

In a video released on June 18, Nichols confirmed the removal of pictures but clarified that it was done to comply with copyright laws and was unrelated to Rodrigo’s involvement.

‘We did have a filming with Olivia Rodrigo here,’ she began. ‘Olivia’s people did not ask us to remove an image of Taylor Swift. Nobody did. 

‘We removed an image of Taylor Swift that was in a position where the filming was taking place.

‘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 those images to be used in any kind of broadcast. 

‘That’s the sole reason that the photograph was removed from the place it stood.’

Nashville’s Bluebird Café has set the record straight over reports that Olivia Rodrigo ‘s team asked to remove pictures of Taylor Swift at their restaurant prior to filming there 

An employee had claimed the establishment took down ‘any visible sign of Taylor’ before Olivia performed there in 2023 

Nichols explained that the employee who initially ignited rumors didn’t fully understand why the picture was taken down.

‘He spoke carelessly and haphazardly about it, maybe trying to be funny, I don’t know,’ she continued. ‘But regardless, that image was removed for legal reasons.’

She also pointed that other pictures in the room were also taken down.

‘Please understand this was not anything in between two artists,’ Nichols added. 

‘We support all songwriters, all artists and give them equal share. Taylor is a super friend of the Bluebird, and we hold her in the highest esteem.

‘We were honored to have Olivia here, and please know they both live extremely high in our regard.’

Concluding her message, she said: ‘It was a mistake on the part of the employee, and I’m here to clear that up so you know that this was something that we were just required to do for legal reasons.

‘Thank you so much for listening. Please know that we at the Bluebird Café support Taylor. We support Olivia and we’re grateful for your support.’

General manager and COO Erica Nichols spoke out to clarify mounting online rumors 

In the viral clip, a Nashville’s Bluebird Café employee claimed that the acclaimed music venue had ‘vowed to remove any visible signs of Taylor Swift.’

Swift was notably added to the credits of Rodrigo’s song Deja Vu back in 2021 after fans noticed the chords resembled ones from the Swift track Cruel Summer. 

Afterwards, fans speculated the duo were embroiled in a feud with one another. 

In 2023, Rodrigo addressed online speculation that she had written her song Vampire about Swift.

‘I was very surprised when people thought that,’ she told The Guardian at the time.

‘I never want to say who any of my songs are about. I’ve never done that before in my career and probably won’t.

‘I think it’s better to not pigeonhole a song to being about this one thing.’

Rodrigo has also publicly praised Swift’s work. 

‘Olivia’s people did not ask us to remove an image of Taylor Swift. Nobody did,’ she said, adding it was taken down for copyright reasons

‘I would just love to just be in a studio with Taylor,’ she said on Apple Music 1’s The Travis Mills Show in 2021.

‘I don’t even have to write with her. I just want to watch how she does it because I just think she’s such a genius.’

‘I don’t have beef with anyone,’ she told previously Rolling Stone. ‘I’m very chill. I keep to myself. 

‘I have my four friends and my mom, and that’s really the only people I talk to, ever. There’s nothing to say.’

She also said she wasn’t all that ‘involved’ in the songwriting credit matter: ‘It’s not something that I was super involved in.

‘It was more team-on-team. So, I wouldn’t be the best person to ask.’