Robbie Williams says he will not pursue Olivia Rodrigo

Robbie Williams said he will not pursue Olivia Rodrigo over fan comparisons between her Christmas song “Take Me Home 4 Christmas” and his 2012 hit “Candy,” while declining to assess whether the songs raise a copyright or publishing issue.

Williams addressed the comparisons in an Instagram post after listeners discussed similarities between the tracks online. He said Rodrigo may have accidentally found a musical echo of his work, but added that he did not know whether there was a technical issue and did not want to determine one. He said he was not going after her.

The comparisons came after Rodrigo released “Take Me Home 4 Christmas,” her first Christmas song. Some listeners have pointed to similarities in its melody and beat to “Candy.” Those reactions are fan observations, not an independent finding that Rodrigo copied Williams or infringed copyright.

Williams praised Rodrigo, saying he had been a fan since her song “Brutal” and thought she was brilliant. He also argued that artists can arrive at similar musical ideas because they work with a limited set of notes and chords, and said musical influences can be conscious or unintentional.

He criticized what he described as...