Why Fans Think Olivia Rodrigo's New Song Is About Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter

Olivia Rodrigo's latest single may point to a real-life love triangle. When the 17-year-old High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star released a track called "Drivers License," fans began speculating that the song is about Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter. 

Though HSMTMTS co-stars Rodrigo and Bassett never confirmed an off-screen romance, fans believe the pair previously dated, before breaking up last year. Rodrigo did post a TikTok about "failed relationships" in August.

While any breakup song from Rodrigo would cause speculation about its inspiration, specific lyrics seem to point to it having a connection to Bassett.

For one, Rodrigo opens the track by singing, "I got my driver's license last week / Just like we always talked about / 'Cause you were so excited for me / To finally drive up to your house."

In a resurfaced social media video, Rodrigo revealed that Bassett took her driving for the first time, an experience,  she said, she'll "always remember."

"Drivers License" also features Rodrigo singing about having a song written about her in the past, which Bassett is rumored to have done. The actor, 20, has released songs including "Not Right Now" and "Common Sense;" the former discusses the right time to make a move and the latter is all about hoping for a second chance.

"Guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me / 'Cause you said forever now I drive alone past your street," Rodrigo croons in her song.

Carpenter's rumored connection to the track is also lyrically motivated, as at one point Rodrigo sings, "And you're probably with that blonde girl / Who always made me doubt / She's so much older than me / She's everything I'm insecure about."

Carpenter fits the description, as she's four years Rodrigo's senior and has blonde hair. Additionally, Carpenter and Bassett are rumored to be romantically linked, even posting their Halloween couples costume on TikTok.

Fans think that their theory is further substantiated by the fact that, in an early version of "Drivers License," the lyric referred to a "brunette girl" instead of a "blonde girl." Rodrigo shared that version of the song before the Carpenter and Bassett rumors began to swirl, so fans have speculated that she changed the lyric to be more applicable.

While Bassett may have moved on from his rumored relationship with Rodrigo, it doesn't seem like the actress is quite there yet.

"How could I ever love someone else? / And I know we weren't perfect but I've never felt this way for no one / And I just can't imagine how you could be so OK now that I'm gone," she sings on "Drivers License."

When ET spoke with Rodrigo and Bassett last month, the Disney+ stars opened up about challenging each other as songwriters.

"We grow from each other, I think," Bassett said. "... She still writes a song every single day and I'm like, 'Jeez, I gotta get on my game.' It's a healthy, sort of supportive way we're growing together."

"Both of us are really creative," Rodrigo agreed. "... Joshua also challenged me to write a song every day of quarantine. We both kind of fell off a little bit, but definitely challenging myself creatively was something that happened a lot over lockdown."

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