The friendship bracelet trend is totally in this summer. Swifties started trading bracelets during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and it caught on. Now fans of many different artists have been trading bracelets at concerts, and it’s become quite a phenomenon. This week, Olivia Rodrigo performed on The Today Show to promote her album GUTS, and her fans brought the bracelets out, trading amongst each other to celebrate fan camaraderie. One Rodrigo fan even gave Today Show host Hoda Kotb a bracelet, and it had hilarious results.
When one fan gave Kotb a bracelet ahead of the “driver’s license” singer’s performance, the host had an incredible reaction. Not only did she accept the cute souvenir from the fan, but she also felt indebted by the gesture. The long-time anchor didn’t have a friendship bracelet to trade, so, she instead took off her gold bracelet she was wearing and gave it to the fan. It’s a hilarious and unexpected gesture that the fan couldn’t get enough of. You can see a Tweet sharing the moment below:
I GAVE @hodakotb A FRIENDSHIP BRACELET AND SHE GOES “WAIT I HAVE TO GIVE YOU ONE NOW TOO RIGHT?” AND RIPS HER GOLD AND SILVER BRACELETS OFF HER WRIST AND HANDS TO ME IM IN TEARSJEMMRR #GUTS @TODAYshow pic.twitter.com/fayekl1OkKSeptember 8, 2023
Hoda Kotb of course responded to the fan, quoting the Tweet and saying:
Twinsies!
The host is no stranger to the friendship bracelet trend, as Kotb attended Swift’s Eras Tour this summer and posted about it on Instagram. Many celebrities, like Simu Liu, partook in the trend too, embracing the viral practice. Whether security guards liked it or not, many fans approached the VIP tent to share their adorable crafts with A-listers. The Today Show host probably earned many bracelets from the concert, and understood she had to trade something when a fan approached her during Rodrigo’s concert. While I’m sure the fan expected nothing in return, she ended up with an incredible keepsake she’ll never forget.
Rodrigo’s Today Show performance is a part of her promotion for her latest album, GUTS. This is the former Disney star’s second studio album following the immense success of her first album, SOUR. The new record features hit songs like “vampire,” which she performed on her Today Show appearance, and viral tunes like “bad idea right?” The pop star is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in music, as evidenced by the massive crowds the singer drew for the mini-concert.
It’s no surprise that fans would want to trade bracelets at the performance. Rodrigo revealed years ago that she is a fan of Taylor Swift, and the singer has been a major influence on her as an artist. Their songwriting styles are similar, and Rodrigo has even sampled Swift’s music in previous work. Rumors suggest there is “Bad Blood” between the pop stars, however, the influence can not be denied. With such a connection, there is probably overlap in the fanbase, thus the friendship bracelet trading commenced. It’s so sweet that Hoda Kotb caught on right away too, and she wanted to participate in the fanfare as well. A true woman of the people.
You can check out Olivia Rodrigo’s latest album, GUTS, now, as it’s streaming on Spotify and Apple Music. You can also see her perform some of her other hit songs on the NBC morning show on The Today Show website. Fans of The Today Show can additionally watch previous episodes of the newscast they may have missed with a Peacock subscription.