Courtney Love Accuses Olivia Rodrigo Of Ripping Off Her Album Artwork
"Stealing an original idea and not asking permission is rude. There's no way to be elegant about it."
Courtney Love has blasted ‘drivers license’ hitmaker Olivia Rodrigo, accusing her of ripping off the album artwork for Hole’s Live Through This in a recent promo shot.
Rodrigo posted the photo to announce the upcoming release of her SOUR concert film event called the ‘SOUR Prom‘. The image — Rodrigo gripping flowers, wearing a tiara, gazing up with a tear-streaked face — is strikingly similar to the cover of Live Through This, released back in 1994. Compare the pair below.
View this post on Instagram
It’s a clear homage, but evidently, Rodrigo didn’t get in touch with Love to request permission or give her a courtesy heads up about the shot — and Love was a little miffed.
She posted Rodrigo’s shot on Instagram with the caption “Spot the difference #twinning”. When a fan asked whether she was angry or flattered by the image, she replied: “She didn’t ask. So bit of both. I dig manners.”
“It was rude of her, and Geffen [Records] not to ask myself or Ellen von Unwerth,” Love said in another message (von Unwerth was the photographer who shot the LTT cover). “It’s happened my whole career so i.d.c. but manners is manners.”
Rodrigo herself turned up to hose down the situation, writing in Love’s comments: “Love u and live through this sooooo much.”
To which Love replied: “Olivia — you’re welcome. My favourite florist is in Notting Hill, London! DM me for deets! I look forward to reading your note!”
In another comment on Facebook, Love dug in a little harder, accusing Rodrigo of “stealing an original idea” and calling her rude for not asking for permission.
“There’s no way to be elegant about it,” Love wrote. “I’m not angry. It happens all the time to me…but this was bad form. That’s not bullying or bomb-throwing. This person’s music has nothing to do with my life. Possibly never will. It was rude and I gave [sic] every right to stick up for my work. Don’t gatekeep me! I’m honourable as fuck to my fellow artists, and I expect the same.”
As many have pointed out, the Live Through This cover wasn’t entirely an original idea — rather von Unwerth revealed years ago that it was inspired by the film Carrie.
Flattery, imitation, something something.