As a Disney star, Gen Z icon, and homeschooled child actor phenom, Olivia Rodrigo paved the way for fans to explore their emotions, struggles, and vulnerabilities through her diaristic songwriting. Her meaningful lyrics gave a glimpse into her personal life, making her music relatable and extremely emotional.
Born in California, Rodrigo began her career in the entertainment industry with her debut in ‘An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success’ (2015) and ‘Bizaardvark’ (2016–2019). Her fame continued to rise with her starring role in Disney’s High School Musical: The Musical—The Series in 2019. Along with her acting career, she became a starring musician once she launched her hit song, “Driver’s License.” The song broke all records on Spotify, making her known as the youngest person to top the Billboard Top 100 chart. Although the song had a lot of tabloid drama, and controversy surrounding it, it became a chart-topping hit, jump-starting her career from a Disney star to a pop queen.
Later in 2021, she officially released her first full-length album, Sour,” leading to Rodrigo winning three Grammys for her debut. Not only did she create an album, but she also collaborated with Disney to produce a documentary that showcased the true meaning behind all her songs on that album. After the success of Sour, Rodrigo took a two-year hiatus from publishing any new songs and focused on several other issues. In 2022, after the Roe v. Wade case (the Constitution of the United States protected a right to have an abortion) was overturned, Rodrigo publicly denounced the decision of the Supreme Court and created a charity known as Olivia Rodrigo’s “Fund 4 Good” to support reproductive rights and prevent gender-based violence.
To further spread awareness, Rodrigo released her highly anticipated album, Guts, in 2023, exploring the themes of heartbreak, self-discovery, and teenage experiences. Rolling Stone magazine called her album, “another instant classic.” As Guts topped the UK and US charts, it became nominated for six Grammy Awards, and Rodrigo announced she was going on a world tour in 2024. Aside from all the heavy fame she earned, the tour and the album were held under heavy criticism for multiple reasons. One main reason was that parents were upset that the show was much more mature than they had realized, and thus bringing their smaller children to the concert was not a good choice. To add on, Rodrigo and her team gave out morning-after pills and information about safe sex and abortion during the concert, which further enraged parents, as they believed that their children were too young to learn about contraception when in reality, most of Rodrigo’s fanbase is made up of teenagers. Despite all the hate, it cannot be denied that she possesses an undeniable talent that never fails to disappoint the youth.
The pop star’s albums are the perfect soundtrack to relive the heartbreak, insecurity, and all the emotions of adolescence. If you haven’t listened to Olivia’s latest album yet, then you’re missing out! Press play and get ready to discover the beauty that lies within all our experiences.