American actress and singer, songwriter Olivia Rodrigo found fame on the TV show 'High School Musical, The Musical, The Series' before releasing her No. 1 hit single "Drivers License" in 2021.
Olivia
Rodrigo grew up in
Olivia
Isabel Rodrigo was born on February 20, 2003, in
Rodrigo
showed an early affinity for music. At the age of 5, she started singing
lessons; she was soon competing in local contests and talent shows. She was
also writing songs at a young age. When Rodrigo was 9, she began piano lessons.
She initially hated studying the piano but came to appreciate
that the instrument helped with her songwriting.
Rodrigo's
youthful songwriting compositions often focused on heartbreak, even before
she'd had a boyfriend. "I literally wrote breakup songs before I ever held
a boy's hand," she told People.
By the
time she was 6, Rodrigo was taking acting classes. She had roles in school
productions, but also started to audition for professional jobs. To do this,
her parents would take her on a 90-mile trek to
Rodrigo
wasn't an overnight success. Her parents, who hadn't pushed her to become a
child actress, told their daughter she could stop auditioning.
However, she was determined to continue. At 10, Rodrigo got the lead role in
"An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success" (2015).
A
12-year-old Rodrigo was cast as Paige Olvera on
"Bizaardvark" (2016-19). She starred alongside Madison Hu, who
remains a close friend. The role required Rodrigo to learn guitar. It also
meant getting a place in
When she
was 15, Rodrigo landed a starring role as Nini Salazar-Roberts on "High
School Musical: The Musical: The Series." In addition to acting, she
continued to write her own songs. "I Am More," which she shared on Instagram,
led to the show asking her to compose a song for her
"HSM TM TS" character.
Rodrigo
performed the resulting ballad, "All I Want," when she was
16. It became a hit for "HSM TM TS" and also charted on the
Billboard Hot 100 in 2020.
The
abilities Rodrigo demonstrated with "All I Want" drew attention from
multiple labels. She ultimately signed with Geffen Records. Other singers who
got their starts on Disney programming, such as Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez, had first
signed with Disney's Hollywood Records, so Rodrigo's choice marked a different
trajectory. She has admitted, "I think there's a specific archetype of
the Disney star turned pop star that I didn’t want to follow."
With
support from producer Dan Nigro, who first reached
out to Rodrigo after seeing her sing on Instagram,
"Drivers License" was recorded for release in January 2021. The
breakup ballad debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making Rodrigo, then
17, the youngest performer to accomplish this. It was also
a success on radio, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Amazon Music. On TikTok,
countless people lip-synched and created cover videos for the song.
Rodrigo's
confessional style has been compared with Taylor Swift, who is an idol of hers. The song's content also sparked rumors that
it was about a breakup with Rodrigo's "HSM TM TS" costar Joshua
Bassett. However, the song's appeal
goes beyond Disney fans. Rodrigo told The New York Times, "The cool thing about
"Drivers License" is I've seen so many videos of people being like,
'I have no idea who this girl is, but I really love this song.'" The
tune's reach was reflected in a viral "Saturday Night Live" sketch in
which a group of men rhapsodized about "Drivers License."
After
"Driver's License," Rodrigo opted to create a full-length album instead of
sticking to her prior plan to release an EP. She worked for 13 hours a day,
seven days a week to complete "Sour," which Nigro produced. Rodrigo
wrote or co-wrote every song on the album.
In April
2021, "Deja Vu," a single from "Sour," went to No. 8 on the
Billboard Hot 100. This made Rodrigo the first performer to have her first two
singles launch in the Top 10. Another single, "good 4 u," arrived in
May 2021 and became another chart topper. These
successes demonstrated that Rodrigo was not a one-hit-wonder.
"Sour"
came out on May 21, 2021, to both critical and commercial success. Rodrigo is
proud of its heartfelt content, with multiple songs that address heartbreak.
"I'm a songwriter who writes from a place of authenticity and truth,"
she declared to Billboard. "And truthfully, love and happiness and
everything wasn't feelings that I was feeling at the time. And what's the point
of putting out a record if it isn't something that you feel is important to say
to people?" The tracks' different styles reflect the variety of Rodrigo's
musical influences, which include Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette and Green Day.
Rodrigo
performed "Drivers License" on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon"
in February 2021. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, her first live performance
didn't happen until the Brit Awards in the
Rodrigo's
mother has German and Irish heritage, and her father is of Filipino descent.
Rodrigo is proud to be a biracial Filipino American but has confessed she didn't always feel that way. "Me
and my other more ethnic friends grew up in this world where we thought that
being a white girl would be better, and you'd be happier, and people would like
you more." She hopes her music will speak to young girls with similar
insecurities.
Rodrigo
not only experienced breakthrough music success in 2021; she also graduated
from high school and moved into her own apartment. In July 2021, Rodrigo
visited the White House and met President joe Biden as
part of an effort to encourage young people to get a Covid-19 vaccine.
Aware of
the impact fashion can have on the planet, Rodrigo opts for eco-conscious
labels, as well as thrifting, vintage and exchanging clothes with friends.
In April
2022, Rodrigo won best new artist, best solo performance and best album
with her debut "Sour" at the Grammys.
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