Like many teen female pop stars who came before her, 18-year-old Olivia Rodrigo got her start with Disney, starring in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. But unlike those stars, Olivia doesn't feel the need to curb what she says or does out of fear of being too controversial.
Speaking to NYLON magazine, Olivia says of past Disney stars like Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, "I'm very aware of that classic 'Disney pop girl' archetype [but] my music is definitely separate from my acting in a way I always dreamed would happen."
"When 'Drivers License' came out, everyone was like, 'I have no idea who this Olivia Rodrigo girl is, but I love this song.' That is the absolute dream for me, because I've always wanted to be taken seriously as a songwriter," she explains.
Olivia adds, "And people always ask me, "Oh, did you say 'f**k in ‘Drivers License’ to show that you aren't just a Disney star?' It’s cool that people might think that, but I’m just making music that I love and that I feel passionate about."
"It’s who I am. I have a dirty mouth," says Olivia. "It was what felt natural and good to me, and people resonated with that. If I am ushering in a new generation of pop stars that aren't afraid to speak their mind, that's so cool."
Olivia's debut album, Sour, is out Friday.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
