While the world was quarantined, trying to escape the pandemic, Olivia Rodrigo was in her bedroom writing songs that expressed her teenage angst, wavering between the highs and lows of love and heartbreak. The world heard and felt the feelings that she put into song.
In advance of the 64th Grammy Awards, Grammy.com published a revelatory feature about teenager Rodrigo, who has been nominated in seven categories, including Best New Artist
Although the article didn't mention her Filipino American roots, it mentioned details about her road to success in 2021 as she burst onto the worldwide music scene in what apparently was a carefully planned strategy; taking advantage of the artist's natural likeability and her God-given talents for song writing and her singing voice.
Rodrigo's zoom to the top wasn't just luck or accidental. Although she is only 19, she has a realistic grasp on the business side of her career that is just beginning. Step-by-step, everything she does has a purpose, advancing her in a business that has known more than a few one-hit wonders.
Although she had been acting in various Disney roles on television, she was little noted outside of the Disney-created bubble. All that changed in January 2021, when Rodrigo seemingly burst out of nowhere, into world consciousness with "drivers license."
At 18 years old, she became the youngest solo artist ever to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 and broke the Spotify record for most plays in a single week twice.
Though the next two singles couldn't have been more different than "drivers license," they kept Rodrigo climbing the charts — and proved that Rodrigo was more than just a moment.
Her second release, "deja vu" — a wistful, indie-pop ode to heartbreak — helped Rodrigo become the first artist in history to debut their first two singles within the top 10 of the Hot 100 in April 2021. A month later, the angsty pop-punk anthem "good 4 u" became the singer's second single to debut atop the Hot 100 — making Rodrigo the first artist to land two No. 1 Hot 100 debuts from their debut LP.With "good 4 u" she expanded her repertoire beyond the "pop" music genre to become one of the leading ladies of the recent pop-punk resurgence. Rodrigo even paid homage to genre veterans Paramore, crediting the trio as songwriters on "good 4 u" after parallels were made to their hit "Misery Business."
"She spoke her truth and found really creative, clever, and beautiful ways to tell her story in a way that resonated with so many people," Lavigne tells GRAMMY.com. "Her music wasn't about chasing trends, but rather saying something honest and genuine, and I think the world saw through the noise and really connected with her songs and message."
Released in May 2021, Sour quickly became one of the best-selling albums of the year. It also sat atop the Billboard 200 chart for five non-consecutive weeks. The longevity of Sour has been undeniable — something that has likely been driven by Rodrigo's firsthand knowledge of how the industry works. "You definitely have to be a businesswoman to be a musician," she told TIME.
Inspired by her hero Taylor Swift, Rodrigo owns her masters in a partnership with Geffen Records. "There's a path for me to have a stake in the music and art I create, which is only fair," Rodrigo said to TIME.
Along with musical control, Rodrigo has created an impressive, immersive universe alongside Sour, too. Roughly a month after the release of her debut LP, Rodrigo shared her Sour Prom concert film — a prom-like spectacle that offered a taste of what a tour could look like when touring wasn't possible.
Sour Prom also gave young fans an at-home high school ending that they may have missed out on due to the pandemic, another way for Rodrigo to connect with her audience. "Since Olivia never got to go to prom, she knew she wanted to throw an event for everyone to celebrate together," Sour Prom director Kimberly Stuckwisch told Billboard.
But Rodrigo wasn't even close to done. On March 25, she shared driving home 2 u, a documentary detailing Sour's creative journey. In the Disney+ film, Rodrigo road trips from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, recalling memories of writing her first album.
driving home 2 u featured new live performances and gave viewers a closer look at the process of making her striking debut; the result was an intimate look at what made Rodrigo so impressionable. It's also the perfect segue into Rodrigo's forthcoming tour throughout North America and Europe — which is, of course, completely sold out.
The consistency in which Rodrigo has breathed new life into the songs fans have been scream-singing (and likely crying to) for months is what has helped her become the breakout artist she is — and will hopefully remain a foundation of her future work to come. And it might be coming sooner than you think: Rodrigo recently told Billboard that she's already working on new music.
"I have a title for my next album and a few songs," she said. "It's really exciting to think about the next world that's coming up for me. I just love writing songs. I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself. [I want to] just sort of explore and have fun right now."
After such a whirlwind breakout year, that "next world" is nothing but promising. So if she simply wants to have fun, we can’t help but say it: good for her.
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