Robbie Williams has defended Olivia Rodrigo after listeners compared her new festive single, 'take me home (4 christmas)', to his 2012 hit 'Candy', making clear he has no intention of pursuing her over the similarities.
The British singer addressed the discussion on Instagram, using his response to challenge what he sees as an increasingly aggressive culture of plagiarism accusations in the music industry.
Williams acknowledged that some complaints are justified and that artists deserve protection against genuine theft. But he argued that familiar melodies do not automatically mean someone has deliberately copied another songwriter's work.
Turning directly to Rodrigo, Williams suggested she might have unintentionally arrived at something resembling his music.
"It sounds to me as though she may have accidentally stumbled across a musical echo of mine in one of her new songs," he wrote.
His response was unequivocal: he was not interested in taking the matter further. Williams said he had no desire to investigate whether any publishing or copyright issue existed, adding that his established career gave him the financial freedom to take that position.
The former Take That star also praised Rodrigo's talent, recalling his admiration for 'brutal'. His wider concern was that treating every musical resemblance as a potential claim could discourage artists from creating.
For Williams, influence and unconscious similarities are part of making music. He argued that protecting songwriters should leave room for musicians to arrive independently at familiar ideas.
Rodrigo's first Christmas single has also prompted comparisons with The Waitresses' 1981 favourite 'Christmas Wrapping'. That song's writer, Chris Butler, welcomed the resemblance, describing Rodrigo's recording as an affectionate homage and rejecting suggestions of plagiarism. He also praised her recognition of earlier artists and her wider work.
Although listeners continue to debate the songs' similarities, Williams' own position is clear: he admires Rodrigo and has no plans to turn the comparison into a dispute.
