Olivia Rodrigo had a two-night run at TD Garden, which made many Bostonians happy. Many had met her when she was in High School Musical: The Series- but others knew her because of the power of her songwriting. She came fully into public consciousness as the singer of Driver’s License. Before that, she had starred in Bizaardvark, too.
During the same year, she debuted Sour, which earned her the love of critics and garnered three Grammy awards. For now, her endeavor is focused on touring for GUTS. Guts leans into the anxiety of adulthood and has a more pop-rock musical style.
She’s a music icon, a feminist icon – and most of all, a Filipino icon.
Her Music and Songwriting Skill
Gigi Galbo, an 11-year-old Bostonian and fan, admits she likes and connects to Olivia Rodrigo’s music. Ellery Zebrak, a year older than Galbo, admits to also enjoying Rodrigo’s music. She specifically mentions the lyrics and her voice. Rodrigo is no slouch for music – and it’s what she’s known for. She’s become one of the biggest and most prominent pop girlies, with plenty of her songs used on TikTok because of how poignantly she writes her lyrics – and how relatable they are. Another variable in her songwriting is the rising and falling tempo – with the release of the chorus and follow-up lyrics.
The NBA Odds and songs that Rodrigo’s music share some commonalities, funnily enough. Her songs that tackle excitement almost capture the same feeling when your favorite NBA player scores. The highs and lows of a game during the season are nearly the same as the emotional release you get when you belt out a release of her powerful lyrics or experience a last-second shot.
Relatability
When she became famous thanks to the pandemic, her songwriting ability made many enjoy her work. Drivers’ License resonated with plenty of teens and adults worldwide, especially with the rawness of the lyrics and its emotional honesty.
Cassandra Peck, at 22, admits that Rodrigo’s songs contain relatable content, and she believes that the younger generation can also relate to her. Rodrigo’s songs tackle the experience of a teenager falling in love and growing up, and it’s something that older and younger adults and teenagers can definitely relate to.
When one is a teenager, they go through a sea of emotions. There’s feeling out of place. There’s also struggling with growing up and wanting to scream. And for adults, nostalgia is a powerful tool. Some older adults grew up in the 2010s, and what they had was Taylor Swift.
A Symbol of Change in Pop
The experience of idolizing a singer in the 2000s and 2010s are two vastly different experiences. The singers in the 2000s were exposed to public sacrifice and their personal lives for the world to trash. But with the 2020s, times have changed; many have rethought the way the media has treated singers, especially Britney Spears, and her struggles with mental health and her conservatorship.
Rodrigo’s stardom in the 2020s is different now. She has more autonomy and control over her career trajectory and image. While on tour for GUTS, she ensures her profits are donated to Fund 4 Good, an organization that aims to build an equitable and just future for all women. She is also actively advocating for her political beliefs; as a protest, she and Lily Allen sang “Fuck You” after the right to get an abortion in the United States was abolished.
However, Rodrigo’s stardom is a glowing example of how things can change for the better, especially in pop culture.
Wrapping Up
Olivia Rodrigo is a rising talent in music. With her musical background and songwriting capabilities, she is a relatable icon. But most of all, Rodrigo is rising to be a star in her own right—and a wonderful one, too.