Singer Olivia Rodrigo has pushed back against online criticism of her decision to wear babydoll dresses in her recent music video and live performances, saying the backlash reveals how widely sexualisation of women is normalised in popular culture.
The controversy centres on Rodrigo’s appearance in her Drop Dead music video and at her recent Spotify Billions Club Live concert, where she wore babydoll-style dresses that drew criticism online suggesting the look infantilised and sexualised her.
As reported by Variety, Rodrigo addressed the criticism directly, saying the logic behind it “shows how we really normalise pedophilia in our culture.”
Olivia Rodrigo babydoll dress and the backlash
Rodrigo said she was inspired by artists she admires, naming Kathleen Hanna and Courtney Love as reference points for the aesthetic.
Both are associated with the riot grrrl movement and have a history of using femininity and girlhood aesthetics deliberately and provocatively within their work.
She added that the responsibility for sexualisation lies with the person doing the sexualising, not with the woman wearing the clothes.
“You shouldn’t be responsible for some guy sexualizing you,” she said.
The remarks landed as her music was simultaneously charting strongly, with The Cure debuting at number one on Spotify’s Daily Global chart with 7.215 million streams on 22 May 2026.
New album arriving in June
The timing of the controversy coincides with Rodrigo’s most commercially active stretch in years.
Her new album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, is set for release on 12 June 2026. She revealed the 13-track listing on 26 May, confirming that the songs are arranged in two sections that split the album title in half.
Her single “drop dead” has been on Spotify’s prediction list for Songs of Summer 2026, alongside tracks from Ariana Grande and others.
The song returned to the top ten of Spotify’s Daily Global chart after the release of The Cure, signalling consistent momentum in the lead-up to the album.
What comes next for Rodrigo
Rodrigo has already expanded her Unraveled Tour to 86 arena shows across North America, Europe and the UK, reflecting strong demand ahead of the album’s release.
The babydoll conversation is unlikely to subside before the album drops, and may in fact drive additional attention to the project as the June release date approaches.
The broader cultural debate she has opened up, around who bears responsibility when clothing choices are sexualised by others, has attracted responses across social media and media commentary and is likely to continue well into the album’s rollout.
