Olivia Rodrigo
How the artist uses postmodernism
Olivia Rodrigo made headlines last year with her hit debut song “Driver’s License” and debut album “SOUR”. With her skyrocketing fame and recognition in the music industry. The number of fans and streams, chartings of her songs as well as the awards she has received as a rookie, notably 3 Grammy Awards. She has been getting a lot of attention for the songs which she has written. Due to that, many people have noticed small similarities between her songs and songs from other artists.
One of the most noticeable uses of postmodernism in Olivia’s work is the sampling of “New Year's Day” by Taylor Swift for her song “1 step forward, 3 steps back”. Co-writers Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff were given credit in the song when it was first released. Besides that, she has been accused of “copying” on many other occasions, not only in her songs but also in her music videos.
“The main reason I’m so sceptical of the “copycat” argument, however, is that even if Rodrigo has made her influences very clear, there’s not really anything wrong with that. All art is built out of other art, and what makes it original is the way an artist remixes and recombines the things that have inspired them. That’s all Olivia Rodrigo is up to, and while she’s being criticized because she’s a hot star of the moment, it’s a criticism that shouldn’t really hold water, no matter which artist is being accused. There’s a fine line between “plagiarism” and “paying homage,” but most good artists (including Rodrigo) know exactly how to stay on the right side of it.” (St.James, 2021)
Olivia has also referenced many pop culture products and stars in her song “deja vu”:
“Watching reruns of Glee”
“I'll bet that she knows Billy Joel 'Cause you played her "Uptown Girl" “
“Play her piano, but she doesn't know (oh, oh) That I was the one who taught you Billy Joel (oh)”
Why they are influential to you?
Olivia Rodrigo is an artist that I knew before her music debut. A person that I essentially grew up with, watching through the small screen. Being similar in age, a lot of the songs and the stories told through her album are very relatable to me which is why they have such an influence on me. Practically her songs “Jealousy Jealousy” and “Brutal”. I didn’t really think that someone who was in the spotlight from an early age and seems to have a “perfect” life goes through similar experiences to me. This is why I really love her work and listen to her album on repeat.
How their work is differentiated from other similar artists
Olivia isn’t the first artist to write their own songs and most of their songs are about breakups, betrayal, heartbreak, etc. But Olivia’s work is different enough to make her one of the most streamed artists in the world.
What is different from her work is the overall brand image that she and her team has built. With all of the 2000s aesthetic in her theme as well as the relatability to teenage girls in her song lyrics. Rodrigo has been able to attract millions of listeners despite being “new” to the industry.
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