Breaking The Mold
Olivia Rodrigo’s quick rise to teenage stardom
By Jessica Katz, Online Editor
With two No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and a debut single breaking the Spotify record for most streams of a song in a single week, 18-year-old Olivia Rodrigo has quickly risen to teenage stardom (Coscarelli, 2021). Like Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, Rodrigo has taken her platform on Disney and attempted to shift to a broader, more mature audience. Despite these comparisons, she has managed to stand out in her newfound music career.
Born and raised in southern California, Rodrigo has performed since her childhood days. She made her Disney debut as Paige Olvera on “Bizaardvark,” which ran from 2016 to 2019 on Disney Channel, and she now stars as Nini Salazar-Roberts on the popular Disney+ series “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” (Coscarelli, 2021).
When it came to launching her music career, Rodrigo’s Disney fan base came in clutch. Her debut single “Driver’s License,” was an instant hit. According to Jeremy Erlich, co-head of music at Spotify, “there was a ton of X-factor that made this the perfect storm.” From gossip about the song’s inspiration to support from celebrities like Taylor Swift and Charli D’Amelio, “Driver’s License” reached success in a matter of days (Coscarelli, 2021).
The success didn’t stop there. With the release of two additional singles, anticipation built up for Rodrigo’s debut album “Sour,” which broke records of its own alongside profound female artists such as Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande (Shah, 2021).
As a singer and songwriter, Rodrigo stands out in her raw vulnerability, especially when it comes to writing about difficulties many young girls face in their teenage years — heartbreak, jealousy and insecurities. She effortlessly weaves together elements of Lorde’s hushed singing and Taylor Swift’s intricate songwriting. “Sour” holds the perfect balance between pop-punk and ballads, with high emotionality that draws listeners into the story within each song.
Comparisons have been made between Rodrigo and former Disney Channel stars, however, Rodrigo’s self-proclaimed “dirty mouth” sets her apart from her Disney counterparts. Her freedom within her music differs greatly from those before her. To Rodrigo, acting is based on telling lies, while songwriting is based on sharing your truth (Weinberg, 2021). Unlike the Disney pop girls of the early 2000s, Rodrigo has been able to separate her music from her acting career.
Her freedom in creating music goes beyond including explicit language. Rodrigo feels passionate in that she’s been able to speak her mind and show her true, authentic self through her songs. In her words, “It's who I am. I have a dirty mouth. It was what felt natural and good to me, and people resonated with that” (Weinberg, 2021).
Rodrigo is breaking the mold of the “classic” Disney archetype with her authenticity and emotional vulnerability. She has claimed her space in the music industry, and with a dedicated, adoring fan base, it is clear that she is not going anywhere soon.
Sources:
Coscarelli, Joe. 2021. “Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Drivers License’ Hit No. 1 in a Week. Here’s How.” The New York Times.
Shah, Neil. 2021. “Olivia Rodrigo Tops Music Charts in Explosive First Week With ‘Sour.’” The Wall Street Journal.
Weinberg, Lindsay. 2021. “Olivia Rodrigo Says She’s "Very Aware" of How Her Career Differs From Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez’s.” E Online.