1 step forward, 3 steps back is about the ups and downs of life and the challenge of navigating relationships with an inconsistent partner, as every time Olivia takes a step forward towards meeting her true love, she immediately feels pushed back from her goals.

The song contains a slight interpolation of Taylor Swift’s 2017 track New Years Day, while bearing some similarities in its main concept from another song by Swift, 2010’s Dear John

Olivia has praised Swift several times, citing her not only as a heavy inspiration for her introspective songwriting and melodies, but also as a role model in the music industry, as she told Nylon Magazine:

Obviously, I think she’s the best songwriter of all time, but she’s so business–savvy and she really cares about her career in that regard, too. That’s been really inspiring for me to watch somebody take control of her career life like that.

lyrics

Called you on the phone today
Just to ask you how you were
All I did was speak normally
Somehow, I still struck a nerve
You got me fucked up in the head, boy
Never doubted myself so much
Like, am I pretty? Am I fun, boy?
I hate that I give you power over that kinda stuff

‘Cause it’s always one step forward and three steps back
I’m the love of your life until I make you mad
It’s always one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me?
Boy, I don’t understand
No, I don’t understand

And maybe in some masochistic way
I kind of find it all exciting
Like, which lover will I get today?
Will you walk me to the door or send me home crying?

It’s one step forward and three steps back
I’m the love of your life until I make you mad
It’s always one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me?
Boy, I don’t understand

No, it’s back and forth, did I say something wrong?
It’s back and forth, going over everything I said
It’s back and forth, did I do something wrong?
It’s back and forth, maybe this is all your fault instead

It’s one step forward and three steps back
And I’d leave you, but the rollercoaster’s all I’ve ever had
Yeah, it’s one step forward and three steps back
Do you love me, want me, hate me?
Boy, I don’t understand
No, I don’t understand

olivia on ‘1 step forward, 3 steps back’

I really loved that concept of 1 step forward, 3 steps back – somebody texted it to me once and I was like, “Ooh, that’s really interesting.” I’ve never heard somebody say something like that, so I thought it would be a cool way to describe this toxic, sort of manipulative relationship. But … it can apply to anything, it can apply to any relationship, a friendship, you know, a work relationship. There are so many people who are just wishy-washy and you can sort of get in your head and feel like it’s because of you, but it never is, it’s always them.

I just wrote this song actually the day before this guy broke up with me, so I remember not being able to listen to it for a while. 1 step forward, 3 steps back, I wrote in my car, on the way to Salt Lake City with my mum. I think loving someone who is so inconsistent is so challenging, and just really anxiety-inducing, and makes you feel so insecure. It’s a really tough thing to feel like you’re walking on eggshells around someone who you just want validation and love and support from. You feel like you can never really settle into that feeling. of being loved and accepted.

We interpolated New Years Day, which is Taylor’s song off of reputation. I came up with the “one step forward” concept and I wrote a verse and a chorus. I was in the car on a roadtrip, and when I got home, I decided to sing it over the chords of New Years Day, and I think they’re really beautiful chords. I was lucky enough to get that approved, and it’s on the record now, so yeah, it’s a cool thing.

lyric video