Olivia Rodrigo: The 18-Year-Old Teen That Took the Music Industry by Surprise
- Florencia Lombardi
- Jun 4, 2021
- 2 min read
Olivia Rodrigo, the 18-year-old Disney star, recently released her debut album, and it has already gained notable success. As “Sour” opens at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, Rodrigo captures the biggest week of 2021 for an album.
Her debut release sold 295,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. during the week ending May 27. With these sales, “Sour” surpassed Taylor Swift’s “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)”, which had 2021’s previous biggest week. Additionally, Rodrigo’s album has the title for the second-largest streaming week ever for a non-R&B/hip-hop album and second-biggest for an album of any genre by a female artist.
Released on May 21, “Sour” includes 11 tracks, including “Drivers License”, a big hit with 800 million streams on Spotify. “Good 4 U”, which also topped Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart, is featured on the album.
Before the outstanding success of “Drivers License”, Rodrigo first started as an actor in Disney. She took part in “Bizaardvark” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”, contributing to the soundtrack of both shows. Many were hesitant about whether she would succeed because of her Disney origins. However, with a blockbuster debut record, two No. 1 singles, and performance on “Saturday Night Live”, Olivia has proven herself.
One reason behind Rodrigo’s fast rise to the top is her connection to youth culture. The artist began her career in a digital era and resonated with her young fans. Combined with her incredible talent and relatable songwriting, the power of the TikTok generation launched Olivia Rodrigo to stardom.
Bibliography
Billboard Staff (2021, May 13) Olivia Rodrigo: Photos From the Billboard Cover Shoot [Photograph]. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/photos/9570289/olivia-rodrigo-photos-billboard-cover-shoot/
Bruner, R. (2021, May 24) How Olivia Rodrigo Became America’s Biggest New Pop Star. Time.
Caulfield, K. (2021, May 30) Olivia Rodrigo's 'Sour' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart With 2021's Biggest Week. Billboard.
Dunn, F. (2021, January 14) Olivia Rodrigo on heartbreak, Taylor Swift and her TV obsession [Photograph] i-D. https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/pkdmz8/olivia-rodrigo-interview-about-drivers-license-taylor-swift-and-disney-hsmtmts
Saywitz, R. (2021, May 21) Olivia Rodrigo cements her success story on the explorative and heartbroken Sour [Photograph] The Line of Best Fit. https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/olivia-rodrigo-sour-album-review
Shah, N. (2021, May 30) Olivia Rodrigo Tops Music Charts in Explosive First Week With ‘Sour’. The Wall Street Journal.
Comments