Olivia Rodrigo has already proven herself as a successful artist and her songs are super catchy. We love her, you love her, so what’s the problem? Well, some fans have taken issue with how she pronounces the letter “S.” For example, instead of saying “understands,” it sounds a lot like “undershtands.”
TikToker @vaaanneeesssaaaaaa recently made a short video highlighting Rodrigo’s pronunciation by playing her track “Vampire.” The lyrics include, “I tried you help you out, now I know that I can’t / ‘Cause how you think’s the kind of thing I’ll never understand.” The TikToker then filmed herself shaking her head, and this is how she feels “every time Olivia Rodrigo pronounces the letter s as sh.”
As it turns out, her pet peeve is something she and many other fans have in common.
Olivia Rodrigo fans react to her pronunciation
The comment section of the TikTok post is filled with messages from fans who agree that Olivia Rodrigo’s sound is unusual. “I thought i was the only one who noticed,” a comment reads. Other reactions include, “She does it sooo much in lacy but i still luv her,” “She used to never do that too,” and “I cannnttt stand itt.”
Still, some people find it endearing. “I personally love it,” a fan wrote. Another had similar thoughts, writing, “I’m the only one who finds it adorable.”
This is not the first time that someone has highlighted the musician’s pronunciation and there has been a Reddit thread dedicated to this very topic. So, what’s going on here? Is there a reason Rodrigo chooses to pronounce her songs in this way? Does she do it just because she feels it sounds better with the way she is singing (and she’s not the only singer to do this either, as fans note Gracie Abrams also has this vocal technique), or does she have a speech impediment?
There has been no evidence to suggest the latter; however, Rodrigo has previously spoken to Vogue about her synesthesia diagnosis (a neurological condition that results in her hearing a song and thinking of colors, which is why she has described some of her songs as being a specific color).
Love it or hate it? Regardless of which side we fall on, “Vampire” remains one of the most catchy songs to be released within the last year.