Robbie Williams has spoken out as Olivia Rodrigo’s Christmas song is compared to Candy
He was accused of shading her
Robbie Williams has commented after Olivia Rodrigo’s new Christmas song was compared to one of his biggest hits, and his response is probably not what anyone was expecting.
The 23-year-old singer recently released her first-ever Christmas single, take me home (4 christmas), but people soon started pointing out some familiar sounds.
View this post on Instagram
In particular, the track has been compared to Robbie’s 2012 single Candy, with people noticing similarities between the two songs’ melodies and beats. The former Take That singer has now shared a pretty lengthy statement about the whole situation, making it clear he’s not about to kick off over a few familiar notes.
On Saturday, Williams shared a message directly to Olivia on X, prompting people to accuse him of throwing shade at Olivia. He posted: “Happy Christmas @oliviarodrigo x”
Happy Christmas @oliviarodrigo x
— Robbie Williams (@robbiewilliams) November 7, 2026
On Monday morning, Robbie addressed the wider conversation on Instagram, writing: “There’s something about the music industry that’s been bothering me for a while. People coming after people because they’ve spotted a similarity between two songs. Some of it I completely understand. Some of it is absolutely justified. Most of it, I think, is complete bollocks.”
Turning his attention to Olivia, Robbie made it pretty clear he has nothing but love for the singer, even if her latest release has reminded people of his own back catalogue.
“I love Olivia Rodrigo. I’ve loved her since Brutal. What a f***ing record. I wish I’d made it,” he said.
He also suggested Olivia could have “accidentally stumbled across a musical echo of mine” when making the Christmas track, but insisted that it really wasn’t something he was losing sleep over.
“I couldn’t care less,” he said of the similarities, before adding that he had no intention of pursuing the matter.
View this post on Instagram
“I don’t know whether there’s technically a publishing issue, a copyright issue, or no issue whatsoever. And I don’t want to know. I’m not going after her. Because I think at some point, some f***ing sanity has to prevail,” Robbie continued.
“Some of this stuff has become ambulance chasing. And I think it’s disgusting. We all stand on the shoulders of people who came before us. Sometimes consciously. Sometimes without even knowing it.
“That’s how music works. If we keep punishing people for accidentally arriving somewhere somebody else has already been, eventually we’re going to frighten the creativity out of everyone.”
For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook.
Featured image via Instagram, CHRIS HOPKINS/EPA/Shutterstock
Latest
‘I thought I was damaged goods’: Russell Brand victim shares powerful statement in court
The brave woman spoke at his sentencing from behind a curtain
Six important things Taken: Natalee Holloway on Netflix left out about the investigation
Her dad funded his own deep sea search
Lancaster University to offer alcohol-free accommodation options on campus next year
LUSU Wellbeing Officer David Grice said the decision will ‘further support the rising group of students that choose not to drink’ at university
SKIMS issues statement after its £158 advent calendar sparks huge wave of complaints
It’s got to be a joke, surely
Revealed: The court documents filed by Sarah in her divorce from John after Love Is Blind
They broke up seven months ago
Romesh and Bash hit back at backlash over their Celebrity Traitors charity donations
They donated their winnings to refugee charities
The four people ITV is eyeing up to replace Maya Jama as host of Love Island
Some of these are rogue but sure
Met Police launches criminal investigation into University of London student hall voyeur
An unidentified person had been trying to photograph and record International Hall residents in the showers
The twisted history of The Pendle Witch Trials
The story behind the namesake of the college 1660 Lancaster students are home to
Bored of required uni reading? Here’s seven books I’m reading instead
Ready for cosy season? From literary classics to dystopian horror, this list has it all
How to survive the bleak month of November as a Leeds university student
The excitement of a new academic year is starting to wear off, but there’s still plenty to look forward to
The desperate ways ITV tried to keep Maya Jama when she said she was leaving Love Island
The channel really didn’t want her to go
Here’s what third year students really care about
Suddenly we’ve replaced club nights with pilates classes and cocktails with wandering around M&S
The grad job search: Top tips on staying sane
If I had a penny each time someone said ‘grad job’, I’d be a millionaire.
Two men released on bail as £1m fraud investigation at Uni of Greater Manchester continues
Police are urging university staff to share any further information
LUSU President launches walking bus initiative in Lancaster
The initiative come as part of Kate Bracewell’s campaign against high bus fares
Inside the ‘deceitful’ and ‘wrong’ UK true story that inspired Netflix’s Black Doves
So much darker than the show
Joran van der Sloot’s full confession transcript, where he admitted to killing Natalee Holloway
He recalled the crime 18 years later
Arrest made after Lancaster bar bouncer allegedly punched a man unconscious
The assault took place at local Lancaster bar Molly O’Malley’s in the early hours of Halloween
For Lancs students: Here are three events in Morecambe to finish off first term
A round-up of the upcoming entertainment events available in Morecambe