The 67th annual Grammys has just been and gone. Don’t get us wrong, there were many well-deserved winners this year, but the true victors are definitely the pop princess stans who have been holding out for a reconciliation between Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo this year. *Spoiler Alert* it happened!!!
If you aren’t up-to-date on all the drama and latest developments around the starlets’ relationship, do not fear: we’re breaking down the *alleged* beef, and giving you a full timeline of Sabrina and Olivia’s complicated past.
what happened between sabrina & olivia?
Let's take a look at the timeline...
November 8, 2019: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series comes out
The set of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is where Olivia Rodrigo and fellow actor Joshua Bassett first met. It’s been reported that they started a relationship when they were filming, but the exact date of their break up isn’t public knowledge.
June 2020: Sabrina Carpenter & Joshua Bassett are spotted together
Joshua and Sabrina were seen attending a Black Lives Matter protest, and according to onlookers, Joshua was spotted giving the singer a kiss on her forehead.
January 8, 2021: Olivia releases 'Driver’s License'
Olivia Rodrigo smashed the charts with her debut single ‘Driver’s License.’ The song has many suggestive lyrics like: “And you’re probably with that blonde girl / who always made me doubt / she’s so much older than me.” Many fans were quick to speculate that this may be about Sabrina, as she was believed to be dating Joshua at the time.
January 22, 2021: Sabrina Carpenter releases 'Skin'
Sabrina dropped her single ‘Skin’ and fans started speculating that the heart-felt song was a quick rebuttal to Olivia’s catchy track. She sings: “Maybe we could’ve been friends / If I met you in another life,” followed by references to “sides” of a story, which led fans also believe that “Skin” is a direct response. “You been tellin’ your side / So I’ll be tellin’ mine,” Sabrina sings.
Joshua publically reacted to the song via his Instagram story, writing: “Been stuck in my head since I heard it. Congratulations @sabrinacarpenter on ‘Skin,’ the new label, & all that’s to come.”
February 2021: Olivia shares that she doesn’t *actually* know Sabrina
In an interview with radio.com, Olivia spoke candidly about her relationship with Sabrina, revealing that she doesn’t really know the fellow Disney actress “at all.”
She told the publication: “I think we’ve met once or twice in passing, but I’ve never had a conversation with her. I don’t think I could write a song that was meaningful or emotional about somebody that I don’t know.”
June 2021: Joshua responds to 'Driver’s License' rumours
In a conversation with GQ, Joshua responded to rumours that he was the motivation behind Olivia’s ‘Driver’s License’ along with her debut album, Sour.
“People don’t know anything they’re talking about,” he shared. “The hardest thing [about the experience has] been biting my tongue, in a lot of ways, but the reality is it’s kind of like a lost cause trying to talk about any of that stuff, and I refuse to feed into any of the bullshit, so I just don’t.”
He continued, “[Everyone] is asking me about Sabrina and Olivia. Why don’t we focus on these women for who they are? Let’s focus on the art that they’re making and how great they are instead of their relationship to a boy.”
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September 2021: Sabrina comments on the rumours 'Skin' was written about Olivia
Sabrina spoke to Teen Vogue about the accusations that she was dissing Olivia in ‘Skin.’
“I felt like in that moment, the most honest thing would be to put it out when it was accurately reflecting what was going on in my life…because that’s literally all I ever do is write about my life and my situations, not just my life, but the way I see the world through situations I’m experiencing, people I’m experiencing. Then it’s kind of on everyone else and what they choose to make it about.”
December 2021: Joshua and Sabrina Carpenter split
Joshua Bassett confirmed that he was single to GQ in December 2021. “I think that’s something that’s been good about this last little bit: I’m good on my own. I don’t need somebody else,” he said.
July 15: 2022: Sabrina drops 'Because I Liked a Boy'
Sabrina released a song that reflected her relationship with Josh and seemingly addressed the hate she received off the back of ‘Driver’s License.’
“Now I’m a homewrecker, I’m a slut/ I got death threats filling up semi trucks/ Tell me who I am, guess I don’t have a choice/ All because I liked-/ I’m the hot topic on your tongue, I’m a rebound gettin’ ‘round stealin’ from the young/ Tell me who I am, guess I don’t have a choice/ All I because I liked a boy,” she sings on the chorus of ‘All Because I Liked A Boy.’
August 2024: Sabrina hints at a love triangle in her album
Sabrina made waves with her sixth album, Short n’ Sweet. In particular, she subtly nodded to an old love triangle in the song ‘Taste’.
On the track, she sings, “You can have him if you like / I’ve been there, done that once or twice / And singin’ ’bout it don’t mean I care / Yeah, I know I’ve been known to share.”
Some fans thought the song might have been a reference to the Olivia and Josh scenario. However, others have connected it to her relationship with Shawn Mendes (and, by extension, his ex, Camila Cabello)—but more on that here. Sabrina hasn’t commented on the subject matter of the song.
January 2025: Olivia and Sabrina are spotted hugging at the Grammys
Fast forward to the 2025 Grammys: clips have emerged that feature the two pop stars talking to each other, then hugging as Taylor Swift walked past them during the broadcast.
Olivia was also filmed stopping by Sabrina’s table, crouching down, and chatting to the blonde beauty. Although it’s unclear what was discussed, they both seem to have put their rocky past behind them and appear to be moving forward on good terms!
Check back here for updates.
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