Olivia Rodrigo is a singer and actor born in California. However, some of her biggest music videos and shows, such as “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” have been filmed in the heart of Salt Lake City. She originally started off as a Disney Channel actor until she left to pursue a career in music, releasing her debut album “SOUR.”
“SOUR” is Rodrigo’s most successful album. Released in 2021, the album consists of mostly pop and pop-punk songs. Many listeners found her relatable, as her songs were mostly about heartbreak and the struggles of being a teenager/young adult. Her song “drivers license” jumped straight to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other songs frequently played on the radio included “good 4 u,” “traitor,” “deja vu,” and “brutal.”
Rodrigo was only 18 years old when she released “SOUR.” However, along with fame, drama came knocking at her door. Fans interpreted “drivers license” as a love triangle between her, Sabrina Carpenter, and Joshua Bassett. Rodrigo and Bassett, at the time, were co-stars whose characters dated on “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”
Though never addressing whether any of them were romantically involved with each other, the triangle blew up on social media. Bassett ended up releasing “Lie, Lie, Lie,” a song about a fake friend talking about him behind his back. Carpenter also released a song called “Skin,” giving cryptic messages about whether she is singing about Rodrigo and the drama or not.
The drama eventually subsided when Carpenter confirmed that her song “Skin” was about events in her past that got under her skin. She had finally confirmed that it had nothing to do with Rodrigo, which got everyone to leave the three of them alone for a while.
Rodrigo stayed quiet after the drama settled. She finished wrapping up her final season of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” and won three Grammy awards in 2022. Her songs continued playing on the radio, but no new music was teased.
However, in June and July of 2023, she announced she would be releasing a new album titled “GUTS.” She dropped her lead single, “vampire,” which climbed to number one on the Billboard Hot 100. She also released “bad idea right?” confirming that her album is more modern rock and alternative than pop. Her change of style and growth of voice has once again shot her back to the top.
“GUTS” will be released on Sept. 8.
