Olivia Rodrigo

Who Is Olivia Rodrigo?

Olivia Rodrigo grew up in California, where she demonstrated an early ability in music that included composing her own songs. A child actress, she landed starring roles on the TV series "Bizaardvark" and "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series." Rodrigo released the heartrending debut single "Drivers License" in January 2021. The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was the first song with more than one billion streams in 2021. She followed that up with the acclaimed album "Sour" (2021).

Early Life and Interest in Music

Olivia Isabel Rodrigo was born on February 20, 2003 in Murrieta, California. Rodrigo grew up in Temecula, California, with her parents: Jennifer, a teacher, and Chris, a family and marriage therapist. When Olivia was a child, her mother introduced her to alternative rock such as No Doubt, the White Stripes and Smashing Pumpkins.

Rodrigo showed an early affinity for music. At the age of 5, she started singing lessons; she was soon competing in local contests and talent shows. She was also writing songs at a young age.

When Rodrigo was 9, she began piano lessons. She initially hated studying the piano, but came to appreciate that the instrument helped with her songwriting.

Rodrigo's youthful songwriting compositions often focused on heartbreak, even before she'd had a boyfriend. "I literally wrote breakup songs before I ever held a boy's hand," she told People.

Acting Auditions and Disney Stardom

By the time she was 6, Rodrigo was taking acting classes. She had roles in school productions, but also started to audition for professional jobs. To do this, her parents would take her on a 90-mile trek to Los Angeles.

Rodrigo wasn't an overnight success. Her parents, who hadn't pushed her to become a child actress, told their daughter she could stop auditioning. However, she was determined to continue. At 10, Rodrigo got the lead role in "An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success" (2015).

A 12-year-old Rodrigo was cast as Paige Olvera on "Bizaardvark" (2016-19). She starred alongside Madison Hu, who remains a close friend. The role required Rodrigo to learn guitar. It also meant getting a place in Los Angeles with her family and leaving public school behind.

When she was 15, Rodrigo landed a starring role as Nini Salazar-Roberts on "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series." In addition to acting, she continued to write her own songs. "I Am More," which she shared on Instagram, led to the show asking her to compose a song for her "HSM:TM:TS" character.

Rodrigo performed the resulting ballad, "All I Want," when she was 16. It became a hit for "HSM:TM:TS" and also charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020.