Olivia Rodrigo says she is the best version of herself in London
Los Angeles, June 7
Singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has shared that she experiences the peak of her existence in London. The singer feels like she's the "best version" of herself in the British capital. The 23-year-old singer wrote a huge chunk of her new album, 'You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love', in London.
The singer has admitted to feeling inspired by the city, reports 'Female First UK'.
The singer, who previously dated London-born actor Louis Partridge, told Dazed, "I'm the best version of myself when I'm there".
She further mentioned, "I wrote lots of the album in London, lots (of it) was inspired by my time there. Maybe it's because it rains so much that all you want to do is be inside with the guitar and write".
As per 'Female First UK', Olivia has also shared feeling inspired by Manchester, the home of bands such as Oasis, The Smiths, Joy Division, and The Stone Roses.
The singer, who was born and raised in California, said, "I spent some time in Manchester a few years ago and it was so rainy I was like, 'No wonder so many great bands come out of Manchester'".
Olivia initially planned to release her new album earlier in the year. But the chart-topping star explained that she needed "a little time and space and perspective" before releasing the record.
She said, "Making albums takes a really long time. I initially thought I was going to put the single out in February and the album in June, but I just wanted to get everything really shored up before I put (the single) out. Sometimes you just need a little time and space and perspective".
Olivia recently revealed that 'You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love' reflects real-life events and real-life feelings.
The singer said on the Popcast podcast, "For the most part, it is chronological and in the order in which it happened in my life and it's the first time that's happened".
"I write songs to process my feelings, so every day when I come and I sit at the piano or I go to the studio, it's like, 'What is burning in me to say right now?'", she added.
Olivia also revealed that her original plans for the album evolved.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting take. But honestly, I think any city can inspire if you have the right mindset. We have plenty of rainy places in India too—Kerala, Meghalaya, even Mumbai during monsoon. But our music industry doesn't always get that global recognition. Maybe we need more artists like AR Rahman who can capture that energy internationally.
I'm not really a fan of her music, but I admire her honesty about needing time and space for the album. That's something many Indian artists also struggle with—balancing commercial pressures with creative integrity. Hope the new album does well! 🎸
It's funny how she credits the rain for her creativity! We Indians often curse the monsoon for traffic jams and flooded streets, but maybe we should see it differently. Manchester gave us Oasis and The Smiths; maybe our rainy cities can produce the next big global sound too. 🇮🇳🎶
Her music is very relatable for young people dealing with heartbreak. I've seen many Indian teens obsessed with her songs. It's good that she's being vulnerable and honest about her art. But I do hope she explores more diverse sounds in the new album—her previous work felt a bit repetitive.
Respect for her craft, but I feel like this is just standard celebrity PR talk. "I feel my best in this city" is a common trope. Still, her dedication to songwriting is commendable. Wish more Indian pop stars had that level of introspection in their lyrics.
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