“deja vu” is the second single from Olivia Rodrigo’s debut studio album, SOUR, and her first release since the breakout success of her debut single, “drivers license.” This song finds Olivia at a different stage than its predecessor, with her beginning to move on from heartbreak. Olivia questions bo...
[Verse 1]
Car rides to Malibu
Strawberry ice cream, one spoon for two
And tradin' jackets
Laughin’ 'bout how small it looks on you
(Ha-ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha-ha)
Watching reruns of Glee
Bein' annoying, singin’ in harmony
I bet she's braggin' to all her friends, sayin' you're so unique, hmm
[Chorus]
So when you gonna tell her that we did that, too?
She thinks it's special, but it's all reused
That was our place, I found it first
I made the jokes you tell to her when she's with you
Do you get déjà vu when she’s with you?
Do you get déjà vu? (Ah) Hmm
Do you get déjà vu, huh?
[Verse 2]
Do you call her, almost say my name?
’Cause let's be honest, we kinda do sound the same
Another actress
I hate to think that I was just your type
And I bet that she knows Billy Joel
’Cause you played her "Uptown Girl"
You're singin' it together
Now I bet you even tell her how you love her
In between the chorus and the verse (Ooh; I love you)
[Chorus]
So when you gonna tell her that we did that, too?
She thinks it's special, but it’s all reused
That was the show we talked about
Played you the songs she's singing now when she's with you
Do you get déjà vu when she's with you?
Do you get déjà vu? (Oh-oh)
Do you get déjà vu?
[Bridge]
Strawberry ice cream in Malibu
Don't act like we didn't do that shit, too
You're tradin' jackets like we used to do
(Yeah, everything is all reused)
Play her piano, but she doesn't know (Oh, oh)
That I was the one who taught you Billy Joel (Oh)
A different girl now, but there's nothing new
[Outro]
I know you get déjà vu
I know you get déjà vu
I know you get déjà vu
deja vu was written by St. Vincent & Taylor Swift & Jack Antonoff & Olivia Rodrigo & Dan Nigro.
deja vu was produced by Dan Nigro.
Olivia Rodrigo released deja vu on Thu Apr 01 2021.
I wrote this song with my friend Dan Nigro last fall and I’m so stoked to finally share it with you all. It’s a lot different than “drivers license” lyrically, musically, and melodically, which is super exciting to me.
via Olivia’s newsletter
In a March 2021 interview, Olivia was asked to describe her next single in three words, to which she replied: “more upbeat than ‘drivers license,’ clever, and dreamy.” Later that month, she shared multiple cryptic videos of clips being played on an analog television:
Teaser #1 (March 26, 2021)
Tea...
I had this single picked out in September [2020] … so it sort of took the pressure off for me of following up “drivers license” since we planned this so far in advance. But it’s definitely not like “drivers license” at all, which I’m really happy about. I didn’t want to pigeonhole myself into this c...
“deja vu” debuted at #8 on the Hot 100 during the week ending April 17, 2021. Olivia became the first artist in history to have their first two singles debut in the top ten. During the week ending June 5, 2021, “deja vu” peaked at #3 on the Hot 100.
I’m sort of obsessed with the concept of deja vu, like I really love that concept. I get deja vu all the time. So, I thought it would be a cool like play on words to kind of use deja vu as a metaphor for like how, it’s a very universal thing that happens. You break up with someone, and they get with...
I’m obsessed with Killing Eve, it is my favorite show ever. I’m like obsessed with Jodie Comer, she’s incredible and I love that show so much. So I wanted to do a Killing Eve-esque video, that’s like female stalkery.
— Olivia via Instagram Live
Inspired by everything from Ingrid Goes West, Persona...
Olivia performed “deja vu” live for the first time on MTV Push on May 3, 2021:
Other notable live performances include:
Vevo LIFT (May 12, 2021)
NPR Tiny Desk (December 7, 2021)
“deja vu” was certified 4x platinum by the RIAA on June 30, 2023.
I remember for ‘deja vu,’ actually, there’s this post-chorus that was initially going to be this vocal chop, which I thought was so pop-y and not my thing. And I really wanted it to be that synth sound. Every time I listen to it, I’m like, ‘I’m glad that I stuck to my guns on that one.’
I’m very obsessed and weirded out with the idea of all relationships just being so recycled. ‘Cause I think I was just learning about relationships and love for the first time and I was like, “Wait, none of it is special, it happens over and over and over.”
When Dan and I wrote “deja vu” together,...