Olivia Rodrigo has shaken up the music industry with her record-breaking music, and it may be too soon to measure her global success. But based on her rapid rise to stardom and success, one can’t help but wonder what’s in store for this talented artist in the future. 

One of the factors that stands out about Rodrigo is how she uses her inspiration from other well-established artists and openly admits to being influenced by their style as a singer and songwriter.1She takes the best from the artists that inspire her, adds her own unique twist to it, and presents it to the world. So, here’s a quick summation of her contributions and career since she became a pop sensation in 2021.    

Olivia Rodrigo’s Rise to Fame 

Rodrigo’s career began with acting at the age of 12 and started off with an appearance in an Old Navy commercial.2 Post this commercial, she bagged a lead role in the film An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success released in 2015. The following year, she was cast by Disney as Paige Olvera in the series Bizaardvark, a show where she got a chance to showcase her vocal skills. She appeared in a few other shows until she was chosen to play the lead role in 2019 in Disney’s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and one of her original songs, “All I Want,” was featured on the show and made it to number 90 on the U.S. charts.3

In January 2021, she became the youngest artist ever to debut at the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart with her first single, “Driver’s License.” The song held the spot for eight consecutive weeks. The song topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, and Singapore, giving her a taste of global success immediately after its release.4    

What are Olivia Rodrigo’s Songs About?

After “Driver’s License,” Rodrigo released “Deja Vu” and another Billboard number one hit, “Good 4 U,”5 which added to her success as a singer. Soon after, in May 2021, she released her album Sour, which became the number one album globally and became the longest-running debut album of the century in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart. 

Rodrigo’s songs express the feelings of her personal experience with heartbreak. This universal theme of failed relationships broke through the barriers of age and culture and connected with people across the world. However, she doesn’t reveal the stories behind her songs in detail and lets some things remain a mystery. She has also frequently mentioned that her music is inspired by her favorite music artist, Taylor Swift, who has shown her support for the young star on multiple occasions.     

Olivia Rodrigo’s Awards and Achievements 

In a short span of time, Rodrigo has been showered with numerous awards for her blazing debut in the music industry. Sour won the Grammy for the Best Pop Vocal Album, Driver’s License took the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance, and Rodrigo earned a Grammy for the Best New Artist this year.6

She also bagged the 2022 Billboard awards for Top New Artist, Top Female Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, Top Streaming Songs Artist, Top Billboard Global 200 Artist, and Top Radio Songs Artist, and Sour received the Top Billboard 200 Album award. 

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References
1. Olivia Rodrigo and why originality in art is overrated – Vox. (n.d.). Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.vox.com/culture/22556340/olivia-rodrigo-plagiarism-originality-copy-art
2. Who Is Olivia Rodrigo? How Did She Become Pop’s Newest Star? | Time. (n.d.). Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://time.com/6050587/olivia-rodrigo-sour/
3. How Did Olivia Rodrigo Become Famous? – Berklee Online Take Note. (n.d.). Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://online.berklee.edu/takenote/how-did-olivia-rodrigo-become-famous/
4. List of All Olivia Rodrigo Songs & Albums (Update: May 2021) – Justrandomthings. (n.d.). Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://justrandomthings.com/2021/05/17/list-of-all-olivia-rodrigo-songs-albums-update-may-2021/
5. Olivia Rodrigo: Billboard Woman of the Year 2022 Interview – Billboard. (n.d.). Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.billboard.com/music/features/olivia-rodrigo-billboard-woman-of-the-year-2022-interview-1235034016/
6. Olivia Rodrigo – Awards – IMDb. (n.d.). Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7111120/awards

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