Olivia Rodrigo Music Bio

Olivia Rodrigo is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is known for her role as Nini Salazar-Roberts on the Disney+ series “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”, and for her debut single “drivers license,” which became a viral hit in January 2021. She is also known for her song “deja vu” which was released on May 14, 2021.

Olivia Rodrigo Biography

A singer/songwriter and actor who uses her knack for telling relatable stories in every aspect of her career, Olivia Rodrigo brings the authenticity of her life to her roles and her music. With 2021’s record-setting smash hit “Driver’s License” — which made her the youngest artist ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 — and that year’s debut album Sour, her emotive mix of pop, folk, and alternative rock captured the highs and lows of a young woman expressing who she is and what she wants.

Singing

While growing up in Murrieta, California, Rodrigo’s first love was singing. She started vocal lessons in kindergarten and took up piano soon after; by age 12, she was playing guitar. At the suggestion of her vocal coach, Rodrigo pursued acting, and she appeared in productions at her elementary and middle school — experiences that led her to seek professional acting jobs.

Acting

The 5ft 5 star Olivia Rodrigo first shot to fame after playing the lead role in the flick ‘American Girl: Grace Stirs up Success’. The story revolves around the character Grace’s love for baking and her unexpected trip to Paris. The character also later becomes a part of the show ‘MasterChef Junior’ in a bid to save her grandparents’ bakery, which is on the verge of shutting down.

Disney

In 2016, she was cast as Paige Olvera in in the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark. It was an opportunity that led to Rodrigo winning the lead role of Nini Salazar-Roberts in the Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, a mockumentary-style show that follows the on- and off-stage drama that happens when the student body of East High puts on a production of High School Musical: The Musical. When the show’s creators — which included writer and Broadway librettist Tim Federle — learned Rodrigo was a songwriter, they encouraged her to pen original songs for the series. Written in Rodrigo’s living room during finals week of her sophomore year, “All I Want” garnered millions of streams after the show’s debut in November 2019 and entered the U.S. and Canada Hot 100 singles charts in January 2020. Rodrigo also collaborated with her co-star Joshua Bassett on the duet “Just for a Moment.”

In the wake of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ success, she continued to work on her own music, looking to the confessional songwriting of influences such as Fiona Apple, Phoebe Bridgers, and especially Taylor Swift for inspiration. After she signed with Interscope and Geffen, Rodrigo’s debut single, “Driver’s License,” arrived in January 2021 and quickly topped charts around the world. This included the Billboard Hot 100, making her the youngest artist to debut at number one on that chart.

Fun facts

Olivia Rodrigo began her career as a child actress, appearing in various television shows and films, including “Bizaardvark,” “The Goldbergs,” and “I Love You, Daddy.” She has been a fan of musical theater since a young age and has performed in various theater productions. In addition to her acting and music career, Rodrigo is also a skilled equestrian and has competed in various horse-riding competitions. She is currently signed to Interscope Records.

Music and records

Along with breaking several streaming records, the single was certified quadruple platinum in the U.S. and Canada and platinum in several other countries. That April, her second single “Deja Vu” appeared, and its debut at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 made her the first artist in history to have her first two singles debut within the Top Ten. A third single, “Good 4 U,” arrived in May, shortly before the release of Rodrigo’s Billboard 200-topping debut album Sour. Co-written by Rodrigo and producer Dan Nigro (who worked on Rodrigo’s singles and has also collaborated with Carly Rae Jepsen and Sky Ferreira), the album’s mix of pop, alt rock, and folk took inspiration from No Doubt, the White Stripes, Alanis Morrissette, and Kacey Musgraves, among others.

Career

She started her acting career in 2015 and she debut her first role as Paige Olvera in the comedy TV series Bizaardvark (2016). Rodrigo performed the role of Nini Salazar-Roberts in the musical series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

In 2020, she signed with record labels such as Interscope and Geffen Records. Later that year, she released her debut single, “Drivers License, ” with its two singles “Deja Vu” and “Good 4 U”. The song instantly topped many charts across the world.

She won the iHeartRadio Music Awards for Social Star Award in 2021. In the same year, she won the MTV Video Music Awards for Best New Artist, Song of the Year (for Drivers License), Push Performance of the Year. She also the Myx Music Awards for Global Achievement Award, RTHK International Pop Poll Awards for Top Ten International Gold Songs, and Time 100 Next for Phenoms, all in 2021.

Recently, in 2021, she released her debut studio album, “Sour” and received further praise and recognition. Rodrigo lived and grew up in Temecula. As a teen, her paternal great-grandfather moved from his native Philippines to the U.S.

As a child, Rodrigo took vocal lessons in kindergarten and learned to play the piano. She started taking acting and singing classes at age six and started acting in theater productions.

She played guitar at age 12 and grew up listening to her parents’ favorite alternative rock music. Later, she became interested in songwriting after listening to other singers’ music, especially Taylor Swift, an American singer, and songwriter. Rodrigo moved to Los Angeles when she picked up her role in Bizaardvark.