Olivia Rodrigo Answers The Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED

In this interview, Olivia Rodrigo reflects on the paradox of fame, noting that while “driver’s license” changed her world at 17, she remained the same person with the same friends and insecurities. She explains that she writes sad, lyric-driven songs because they help listeners understand their own emotions, and she describes her music as adventurous pop with rock and folk influences. Rodrigo also shares personal highlights, including failing her first DMV test, being close friends with Jenna Ortega, and identifying as “a Pisces through and through.” She discusses her new album GUTS, a title she loves for its connotations of bravery and spilling secrets, and confirms an upcoming tour she predicts will be “a ball.”

• ▶ 0:12 Olivia Rodrigo became widely famous after releasing "driver's license" at age 17, which she says changed her world forever.
• ▶ 0:12 She describes the paradox of fame: "everything changed in my life and nothing changed at all," as she kept the same friends, insecurities, and strengths.
• ▶ 0:50 She got her driver's license at 17, but failed her first DMV test because her mom's car horn wouldn't work—though she later got a song out of the experience.
• ▶ 1:43 Olivia makes sad songs because people genuinely connect with them—even she loves sad songs when she's happy, and she says a good sad song can help listeners understand their own emotions, which she calls "so powerful."
• ▶ 2:48 Olivia confirms she's friends with Jenna Ortega, saying they grew up together on Disney Channel; she calls Jenna "the coolest," and adds "I truly don't know anyone more kind or deserving."
• ▶ 3:15 Olivia describes her songwriting as very lyric-based, often inspired by everyday conversation and thinking of songs as "pieces of poetry," but she also starts with chords or melody—emphasizing the process changes every time.
• ▶ 3:45 Olivia jokes about being "high school-ish" and clarifies she was about 15 in high school.
• ▶ 3:58 Asked how to draw her, she admits she's "not the person to ask," says her attempt looks like a Picasso, and concludes "I write songs, I don't draw."
• ▶ 4:31 She defines her genre as "pop music that is adventurous," with sprinkles of rock, folk, and singer-songwriter influences.
• ▶ 4:49 She notes that while SOUR songs stayed angsty and largely unchanged, on the new album she did much more polishing and songs were "always changing."
• ▶ 5:12 Olivia names “drivers license” and “good 4 u” as her most-streamed songs, and reveals she had feared being a one-hit wonder before “good 4 u” took off.
• ▶ 5:42 She says “vampire” is about herself, since all her songs are introspective and “about nothing else.”
• ▶ 5:54 Olivia confirms a GUTS tour is happening, saying she’s excited and predicts it will be “a ball.”
• ▶ 8:27 Her new album is called GUTS, a title she loves because it's a "very loaded word" meaning bravery, intuition, and spilling secrets.
• ▶ 8:07 She identifies as "a Pisces through and through," describing Pisces as emotional, musical, and fond of water—she feels "reborn" after swimming or showering.
• ▶ 7:12 A college poetry class proved "quite fruitful": a poem she wrote there, "Lacey," became a song on her album.
• ▶ 8:56 Her nicknames include "Liv," "Livy," "Livy Lou Bell" from her mom, and "Oli" from her grandpa.
• ▶ 9:08 Her aesthetic is "TBD" — she loves 90s grungy looks from PJ Harvey and Alexa Chung, but says she's ever-changing.
• ▶ 9:26 Her daily routine starts with a matcha and two Brazil nuts, a TikTok habit she jokes is "probably a complete lie," then she tries to write every day.

• ▶ 0:00 Introduction and Early Fame (0:00 - 1:43) - Olivia introduces herself, talks about becoming famous, and getting her driver’s license.
• ▶ 1:43 Personal Questions and Songwriting (1:43 - 3:45) - She answers why she writes sad songs, who they’re about, parallel parking, her favorite color, friendship with Jenna Ortega, and whether she’s a good singer.
• ▶ 3:45 High School, Drawing, and Musical Style (3:45 - 5:12) - She covers her high school age, attempts to draw herself, defines her genre, and discusses changing lyrics.
• ▶ 5:12 Streams, "vampire," and Tour (5:12 - 6:53) - She names her most streamed songs, explains "vampire," confirms the GUTS tour, and touches on tattoos and a hidden "I love you."
• ▶ 6:53 Albums, College, and Zodiac (6:53 - 8:56) - She talks about her purple album covers, poetry class, Jack White, song quotes, Pisces zodiac sign, and the new album GUTS.
• ▶ 8:56 Nicknames, Daily Life, and Sign-Off (8:56 - 10:17) - She shares nicknames, her aesthetic, daily routine, shampoo, and wraps up the interview.