Olivia Rodrigo.Photo:Brianna CapozziAfter skyrocketing success with the release of her debut single “Drivers License,“Olivia Rodrigohas learned how to trust her gut while she’s writing new music.In anInterviewMagazinecover story on Tuesday, the rising pop star sat down with fellow singer-songwriterPhoebe Bridgersto discuss facing media attention.When asked if she ever feels the responsibility “to send the subject of a song the song before it comes out,” Rodrigo thought back to the release of her hit “Drivers License.““I feel like last time there was so much weird media s— and I had no idea how to deal with any of it,” Rodrigo, 20, said. “Literally, it was the first song out of the gate and all of that s— happened. I felt so ill-equipped.“Brianna CapozziShe continued, “That was an overwhelming experience, but now I definitely feel a responsibility. I just try not to think about it during the writing process.“Rodrigo released “Drivers License” in January 2021 and it was the top streamed song in the U.S. and worldwide that year. Four days after its release, Rodrigoset Spotify’s record for most streamsin a single day with 15.17 million global streams. The following day, she broke her own record with 17 million streams.Elsewhere in the interview, the “Traitor” singer reflected on the writing process forGUTS, her sophomore album, which is due this Friday.“When I first started writing this record, I would sit at the piano and pretend other people were hearing what I was writing, which is so awful and counterproductive to any creativity, so I had to just write what I wanted to write and think about the social implications after,” she explained.She added, “It’s tricky. I don’t think anyone has it down to a science. I can’t even believe that people listen and talk about my music as it is, so it’s crazy to think about. I guess I’m still learning how to deal with all that stuff.“Olivia Rodrigo.Brianna CapozziBridgers, 29, responded, “It just means that the media attention and the scrutiny of your social life didn’t stop you from writing this cutting song, which f—ing rocks.“Last month, Rodrigo spoke toThe New York Timesabout how the success ofSOURaffected her decision making, including how she felt the need to grow up quickly.“I had such a desire to live and experience things and make mistakes and grow afterSOURcame out, I kind of felt this pressure to be this girl that I thought everyone expected me to be,” the pop-rock artist told the outlet. “And I think because of that pressure, maybe I did things that maybe I shouldn’t have — dated people that I shouldn’t have.”She noted, “I’m very tame,” but explained how those relationships were learning experiences that inspired songs and themes on her new record, which sees her reuniting with producer Dan Nigro.Olivia Rodrigo.Brianna CapozziRodrigo dropped thelead single ofGUTS, “Vampire,” in June, which details how an ex took advantage of her and exploited her celebrity.She explained toThe Timesthat she was uncertain if she should write the track about her fame at all, as she was worried it was “self-indulgent.”“I’ve always tried to write about the emotions rather than this weird environment that I’m in,” the singer-songwriter said. Rodrigo eventually decided to write the vulnerable ballad, though, because she sees songwriting as a way “to distill all of your emotions into their simplest, purest, most effective form.”
Olivia Rodrigo.Photo:Brianna Capozzi
Brianna Capozzi
After skyrocketing success with the release of her debut single “Drivers License,“Olivia Rodrigohas learned how to trust her gut while she’s writing new music.In anInterviewMagazinecover story on Tuesday, the rising pop star sat down with fellow singer-songwriterPhoebe Bridgersto discuss facing media attention.When asked if she ever feels the responsibility “to send the subject of a song the song before it comes out,” Rodrigo thought back to the release of her hit “Drivers License.““I feel like last time there was so much weird media s— and I had no idea how to deal with any of it,” Rodrigo, 20, said. “Literally, it was the first song out of the gate and all of that s— happened. I felt so ill-equipped.“Brianna CapozziShe continued, “That was an overwhelming experience, but now I definitely feel a responsibility. I just try not to think about it during the writing process.“Rodrigo released “Drivers License” in January 2021 and it was the top streamed song in the U.S. and worldwide that year. Four days after its release, Rodrigoset Spotify’s record for most streamsin a single day with 15.17 million global streams. The following day, she broke her own record with 17 million streams.Elsewhere in the interview, the “Traitor” singer reflected on the writing process forGUTS, her sophomore album, which is due this Friday.“When I first started writing this record, I would sit at the piano and pretend other people were hearing what I was writing, which is so awful and counterproductive to any creativity, so I had to just write what I wanted to write and think about the social implications after,” she explained.She added, “It’s tricky. I don’t think anyone has it down to a science. I can’t even believe that people listen and talk about my music as it is, so it’s crazy to think about. I guess I’m still learning how to deal with all that stuff.“Olivia Rodrigo.Brianna CapozziBridgers, 29, responded, “It just means that the media attention and the scrutiny of your social life didn’t stop you from writing this cutting song, which f—ing rocks.“Last month, Rodrigo spoke toThe New York Timesabout how the success ofSOURaffected her decision making, including how she felt the need to grow up quickly.“I had such a desire to live and experience things and make mistakes and grow afterSOURcame out, I kind of felt this pressure to be this girl that I thought everyone expected me to be,” the pop-rock artist told the outlet. “And I think because of that pressure, maybe I did things that maybe I shouldn’t have — dated people that I shouldn’t have.”She noted, “I’m very tame,” but explained how those relationships were learning experiences that inspired songs and themes on her new record, which sees her reuniting with producer Dan Nigro.Olivia Rodrigo.Brianna CapozziRodrigo dropped thelead single ofGUTS, “Vampire,” in June, which details how an ex took advantage of her and exploited her celebrity.She explained toThe Timesthat she was uncertain if she should write the track about her fame at all, as she was worried it was “self-indulgent.”“I’ve always tried to write about the emotions rather than this weird environment that I’m in,” the singer-songwriter said. Rodrigo eventually decided to write the vulnerable ballad, though, because she sees songwriting as a way “to distill all of your emotions into their simplest, purest, most effective form.”
After skyrocketing success with the release of her debut single “Drivers License,“Olivia Rodrigohas learned how to trust her gut while she’s writing new music.
In anInterviewMagazinecover story on Tuesday, the rising pop star sat down with fellow singer-songwriterPhoebe Bridgersto discuss facing media attention.
When asked if she ever feels the responsibility “to send the subject of a song the song before it comes out,” Rodrigo thought back to the release of her hit “Drivers License.”
“I feel like last time there was so much weird media s— and I had no idea how to deal with any of it,” Rodrigo, 20, said. “Literally, it was the first song out of the gate and all of that s— happened. I felt so ill-equipped.”
She continued, “That was an overwhelming experience, but now I definitely feel a responsibility. I just try not to think about it during the writing process.”
Rodrigo released “Drivers License” in January 2021 and it was the top streamed song in the U.S. and worldwide that year. Four days after its release, Rodrigoset Spotify’s record for most streamsin a single day with 15.17 million global streams. The following day, she broke her own record with 17 million streams.
Elsewhere in the interview, the “Traitor” singer reflected on the writing process forGUTS, her sophomore album, which is due this Friday.
“When I first started writing this record, I would sit at the piano and pretend other people were hearing what I was writing, which is so awful and counterproductive to any creativity, so I had to just write what I wanted to write and think about the social implications after,” she explained.
She added, “It’s tricky. I don’t think anyone has it down to a science. I can’t even believe that people listen and talk about my music as it is, so it’s crazy to think about. I guess I’m still learning how to deal with all that stuff.”
Olivia Rodrigo.Brianna Capozzi
Bridgers, 29, responded, “It just means that the media attention and the scrutiny of your social life didn’t stop you from writing this cutting song, which f—ing rocks.”
Last month, Rodrigo spoke toThe New York Timesabout how the success ofSOURaffected her decision making, including how she felt the need to grow up quickly.
“I had such a desire to live and experience things and make mistakes and grow afterSOURcame out, I kind of felt this pressure to be this girl that I thought everyone expected me to be,” the pop-rock artist told the outlet. “And I think because of that pressure, maybe I did things that maybe I shouldn’t have — dated people that I shouldn’t have.”
She noted, “I’m very tame,” but explained how those relationships were learning experiences that inspired songs and themes on her new record, which sees her reuniting with producer Dan Nigro.
Rodrigo dropped thelead single ofGUTS, “Vampire,” in June, which details how an ex took advantage of her and exploited her celebrity.
She explained toThe Timesthat she was uncertain if she should write the track about her fame at all, as she was worried it was “self-indulgent.”
“I’ve always tried to write about the emotions rather than this weird environment that I’m in,” the singer-songwriter said. Rodrigo eventually decided to write the vulnerable ballad, though, because she sees songwriting as a way “to distill all of your emotions into their simplest, purest, most effective form.”
source: people.com
