Olivia Rodrigo faces backlash over reported relationship with AI investor amid 'fake job' lyric
Photo: AFP/X
Olivia Rodrigo has become the subject of online debate after reports linked her to investor Julian Croonenberghs, with social media users revisiting a lyric from her song "Expectations" about not dating someone with a "fake job".
The discussion gained momentum after photographs reportedly showed the pair together earlier this year and again while travelling from Iceland to New York this week.
According to DeuxMoi, the mystery man Olivia Rodrigo was spotted with in Clinton Hill has recently been seen on more dates with her, with the two kissing and all over each other. He isn’t famous, which makes him harder to identify (and no, it’s not Mitch Ryan in that picture). pic.twitter.com/jOBNJUlJOq
— luna 🌞 (@lunarayijph) June 25, 2026
The reported romance follows claims that Rodrigo and actor Louis Partridge ended their relationship in late 2025, although the singer has not publicly addressed those reports.
Much of the online reaction has focused on Croonenberghs' reported career.
Media reports state that he studied mathematics and computer science at Brown University, represented the United States men's national field hockey team between 2018 and 2020, previously worked at Goldman Sachs and is now a private equity associate at Hg, a firm with investments linked to artificial intelligence.
Critics on social media have argued that Rodrigo's reported relationship is inconsistent with her public image and past political views because of Croonenberghs' association with the AI sector.
One social media user wrote, “How can u sing about disdain for guys with 'fake jobs' and then go date the prompt man from the AI private equity factory.”
Another commented, “Rodrigo should stop normalising AI by removing human capital in the corporate world.”
A third user wrote, “Is she ok? She 'speaks out' against smtg but still promotes/uses it anyways.”
The criticism also centres on a lyric from Rodrigo's song "Expectations", in which she sings, “I won't settle for a guy with a fake job.”
Some fans have trolled Rodrigo over the lyric and how it conflicts with her reported relationship, others argue it was never intended to be taken literally.
The online discussion remains driven largely by social media reactions, with neither Rodrigo nor Croonenberghs publicly commenting on the speculation surrounding their reported relationship.