In 2021, Olivia Rodrigo hit the ground running with her viral turned massive No. 1 single, “drivers license.” The song which sat atop the Billboard Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks became the most-streamed song of 2021 and paved the way for Rodrigo’s debut album, SOUR. The project spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making Oliva’s first album the longest-reigning No. 1 album by any female artist that year.
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At 17 years old, Southern California-born Rodrigo went from Disney+ star to full-blown American Popstar, thanks to SOUR. The album, which chronicles the woes, anxieties and frivolity of being a teenager allowed Olivia to carve out her own niche in pop culture history.
The collision of Olivia’s ability to express teen anguish through her infallible songwriting skills and her tactful capacity to harness viral fame and gracefully keep the clickbait headlines coming without sullying her image has allowed the singer to create a dynamic path on her way to seizing the teen idol crown.
Known initially for beautiful piano melodies and melodramatic lyrics that tug at even the coldest of hearts, the songstress delivered unexpected range on her project, harnessing elements of pop-punk and doubling down on a snarling bratty motif on tracks like “brutal” and “good 4 u.” Whether she was making our hearts ache on tracks like “déjà vu” or morphing teenage girl rage into a full-blown trend, Rodrigo opened doors with the line “well, good for you, you look happy and healthy.”
Since the release of SOUR, we have seen a whole category of young female artists emerge, looking to deliver their take on rock tinged with teen angst. From Holly Humberstone to GAYLE to Tate McRae there has been a powerful insurgence of “girls to the front” and leading the charge, a-la Bikini Kill.
As a genre definer and objectively successful piece of music, SOUR stands alone amidst the 2022 nominees for “Album of the Year.” Rodrigo’s ingenuity and willingness to run with the unexpected means that SOUR is only the first taste of what Olivia is capable of.
The 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards happen live from Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3, featuring performances from Olivia, BTS, Billie Eilish and more. Stay with Audacy for more exclusive coverage of music's biggest night at audacy.com/grammys.
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