Who is Grammys’ Best New Artist Olivia Rodrigo?
Olivia Rodrigo, the 19-year-old American singer of heartbreak ballad "drivers license" on her album "Sour," scored three Grammy awards this year, including best new artist.
She is the rare breakout singer to debut at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with her very first single.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Let us find out more about the phenomenal musician below.
How did Olivia Rodrigo start out in showbiz?
Rodrigo was only 12 when she booked her first big commercial for Old Navy, and 13 when she made her Disney debut as the guitar-playing character Paige Olvera on the show "Bizaardvark".
"High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" became her biggest role in 2019 when she joined the cast as Nini Salazar-Roberts, the female lead opposite actor Joshua Bassett, making her a sensation with the youth. In 2020, she signed a record label deal.
Just ahead of her 18th birthday, Rodrigo released her first single, "drivers license", the song that would rocket her to new heights.
Rodrigo was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live too, where she performed two of her singles: "drivers license" and "good 4 U."
Like Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus before her, Rodrigo used her acting background as a springboard, working with Disney before her solo musical success.
How has Olivia Rodrigo become so popular?
"High School Musical: The Musical: The Series" became a sleeper hit for Disney Plus, with charming performances from Rodrigo and Bassett.
In addition, Rodrigo dropped "drivers license" right during a pandemic-induced lull in releases from A-list artistes. With a compelling romantic backstory that references other Gen Z celebrities and a viral TikTok trend, Rodrigo was destined to find herself under the limelight.
She continues to find success through a smart promotional strategy with a teen-friendly aesthetic, and music that is catchy, witty, and relatable all at once.
What is the story behind 'drivers license'?
The song tells the story of a high school love gone awry, of a partner with whom the singer built hopes and dreams only to find herself left behind. The high school nostalgia of it is cross-generational and timeless.
While never publicly confirmed, many believe Rodrigo was in a relationship with her co-star Bassett before he allegedly started seeing actress and singer Sabrina Carpenter. Since all three celebrities have passionate fan followings in their own right, listeners searched for clues as to whether or not the lyrics might have a real-life meaning.
But beyond gossip, "drivers license" became the subject of a viral TikTok trend.
Started by TikTok user Mel Sommers, users re-created a scene from Rodrigo's music video in which she falls back away from the camera during a dramatic shift between the verse and chorus. Many of the videos have millions of views and likes, a testament to how the trend played a vital role in the song's success on the charts.
What does 'Sour' sound like?
Rodrigo's debut album, "Sour", released in May 2021, is distinctly for Gen Z: she sings about watching reruns of "Glee", a show that came out in 2009.
Aesthetically, everything from her album cover to Instagram profile is a nod to her age, range of pastel colours and casual photoshoots that show off her trendy fashion sense.
But her sound, ranges from punk angst to bedroom-pop minimalism. She is clearly inspired by Taylor Swift, Fiona Apple, and Lorde – women who are known for turning vulnerabilities into lyrical masterpieces and using music for cathartic release.
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