Olivia Rodrigo says she 'doesn't have to be miserable' to create good songs
Los Angeles, May 31
Singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has taken it up on herself to prove that good art doesn't always necessarily demand suffering.
The singer wants to prove she doesn't "have to be miserable" to write a good song, reports 'Female First UK'.
The 23-year-old singer has enjoyed huge success with break-up songs over recent years, but Olivia's new album, 'You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love', is different from her previous releases.
The singer who is rumoured to have split from actor Louis Partridge last year, said on the Popcast podcast, "As someone who was very known for writing breakup songs and being angry and sad, I wanted to prove to myself that I didn't have to be miserable to write a song that I liked".
Olivia also explained that You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love reflects real-life events and real-life feelings.
The singer said, "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?'".
Olivia also revealed that her original plans for the album evolved. She said, "I was always kind of curious about trying to mine these more depressing feelings out of these love songs. I think initially, I thought that was what the record was going to be, just all love songs but trying to inject some sadness into them. And then obviously sadness in a real or more whole way crept its way into the end".
As per 'Female First UK', meanwhile, Olivia previously claimed that fame has "stunted" her development. The singer has enjoyed huge success in recent years, but Olivia feels that growing up in the public eye has had a detrimental impact on her.
Olivia told the Guardian newspaper, "Nobody can be perfect, ever. It's so funny because I am so strait-laced. But it's hard. I feel super mature in some ways and super stunted in others because of how I've grown up".
"I have such curiosity to learn and grow and experience things, and how am I ever going to learn if I can't make a mistake in the privacy of my own life?", she added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good for her, but let's be honest - her best songs are still the angsty ones. "Drivers License" was a masterpiece. New album sounds promising though, I'll give it a listen.
I loved her point about processing feelings through songwriting. That's exactly how our classical musicians approach ragas - they're about expressing emotions, not just being sad. So mature for a 23-year-old! 👏
I appreciate her honesty about fame stunting personal growth. Being in the spotlight from such a young age must be tough. But I think she's handling it well, considering how grounded she sounds. Hope she doesn't let Hollywood corrupt her values. 🙏
After listening to her new album, I think she's definitely proving her point. Songs like "Perfectly Fine" show you can be happy and still create depth. But I hope she doesn't completely abandon her emotional side - that's what made her special.
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