Olivia Rodrigo shares about her songwriting process

The singer-songwriter open up about heartbreak, her songs, and what keeps her grounded.

Olivia Rodrigo wrote and performed teen anthem after teen anthem in the past year. The singer-songwriter produced huge hits all over the world, making her a household name practically overnight. At just 18, her writing prowess is amazing. 

 

Olivia Rodrigo talked about her songwriting in an interview for CBS Sunday Morning with correspondent Tracy Smith. The 18-year-old pop star said that writing songs about her feelings is challenging and fun. 

 

Olivia Rodrigo's first single "Driver's License" became a worldwide hit. It's about a teenager getting her license and losing a significant other on the same day. 

 

Olivia confided that the song is actually based from a personal experience, which is her own breakup. "I was a 17-year-old girl going through my first real heartbreak. But I think a lot of people also think, listening to my music, that I'm a really sad, depressed person, and that couldn't be farther from the truth. It's fun to write about stuff like that." 

 

She said that it's those feelings of [sadness] that are moving, and talk about the human experience effectively. 

 

Olivia also said that she had been obsessed with the feeling of heartbreak before she even had a boyfriend. She had always wanted to write about it, even before she felt it. 

Olivia's first album, "Sour", which debuted last spring, is now ranked #1 on the charts. She also performed on SNL and even has been tapped by the White House to help out in the COVID-19 vaccination efforts of the state. 

 

Anyone can agree this is a lot for an 18-year-old. Olivia gave credit to her parents and therapist for helping her stay centered."I hadn't really started going to therapy 'til I was 16, and that was a really big life changing moment. And I've learned so much about myself. And it's a really wonderful thing that, I think, everyone should do." 

 

It's interesting to see an artist's point of view when it comes to writing songs. It's a very vulnerable process and it is refreshing to be able to hear and learn from them. 




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