Olivia Rodrigo Reveals The Key To Her Happiness – Discover The Journey Beyond Stardom

Imagine a night in London, the city lights dancing as Olivia Rodrigo, draped in a blood-red halterneck dress, hosted a dinner at Chiltern Firehouse.

The unassuming superstar, chatting and laughing, revealed a side untouched by the megawatt fame that accompanies being a global pop sensation.

She indulged in karaoke at Lucky Voice, steering clear of her own hits but embracing the classics like Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

Unbeknownst to many, Rodrigo navigates the world with grace, leaving the glittering trail of her authenticity.

It should come as no surprise that Olivia experiences anxiety from social media. She glances at her selfies until she is certain that her face appears strange, and she double-checks every Instagram photo before publishing it with her 35 million followers. Is she in a relationship?

“I do,” she says, a little shyly. ​“But nothing’s on it. I just use it to stalk my crushes. I’m so good at finding stuff out about people on social media.”

Olivia’s completely animated now, letting out an excited ​“oooh” as she reveals, as though sharing some gossip. ​“It’s one of my favorite pastimes.”

Raised in Temecula, approximately 85 miles southeast of Los Angeles, she was homeschooled as the sole kid and, at the age of 12, made her TV debut due to her passion for acting.

Merely a year afterward, she received her greatest opportunity in Disney's comedic series Bizaardvark, costarring with her lifelong friend Madison Hu.

Olivia was cast as Nini in the lead role of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, a meta-retelling of the beloved 2006 musical film, which debuted in 2019.

In the blink of an eye, Rodrigo soared to fame with "driver license," a ballad that resonated across the globe. The discomfort of laying bare her emotions paid off, propelling her debut album, "Sour," to nearly 11 billion streams and bagging three Grammy Awards.

But Rodrigo didn't rest; she ventured into uncharted territory with "Guts," a follow-up album released in September.

This alt-rock symphony delves into the raw angst of teenagehood, providing a potent soundtrack for healing. Rodrigo, the prophet of her generation's malaise, continues her musical odyssey with newfound clarity and maturity.

“Speaking of shame,” she goes on, ​“I love writing about all these vulnerable things. It’s my favorite thing to do, and I’ve never had a hard time doing it, because no one ever made me feel ashamed for showing my feelings. Being such a young actor, I was always encouraged to be hyper-emotional and expressive.

My parents were always great about that, which meant I was able to write emotionally, without ever being afraid to explore those parts of myself.”

Despite the dazzling lights of fame, Rodrigo remains grounded. From gracing the White House to performing at Glastonbury, her journey transcends the average pop narrative.

Yet, she wears her success with humility, recognizing that her musical prowess is a byproduct of the joy she derives from songwriting. The balancing act continues with the release of "Guts," a testament to Rodrigo's ability to explore varied sonic and thematic territories. The album resonates with universal experiences of shame, love, and the awkward dance of adolescence.

“When we were filming one day, after drivers license came out, one of the grips, who I’d seen around but never really talked to, came up to me and was like: ​‘It brings me back to my first heartbreak, Olivia, and you have no idea how special it is that I get to relive that because of you.’ It was so touching and I got closer to him because of that.”

Beyond the glitz and glamour, Rodrigo embraces life's simplicity. From scraping overnight oats in a Los Angeles coffee shop to confessing her guilty pleasure of stalking crushes on a secret Instagram account, she embodies the essence of a 20-year-old navigating the complexities of fame and love.

A genuine cinephile, Rodrigo delves into her cinematic adventures, expressing fascination with documentaries like Netflix's Beckham series and confessing her love for gossip, a guilty pleasure she relishes in moderation.

“I also watched The Bling Ring for the first time the other day. Sofia Coppola is so awesome,” she shares in her own words, almost levitating off her chair at a mention of Netflix’s Beckham documentary. ​“Oh my god!” she gasps, ​“I am obsessed. I couldn’t care less about football, I’ve never watched it, but I need a 10-part series. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. His ​’90s haircut! So cute.

“And it’s about a real love story, too. I want someone to love me like that. And I want to read Victoria Beckham’s autobiography. God, I’m such a gossip. Gossip brings me joy – in moderation.”

As Rodrigo takes a moment to scrape maple syrup and jam off her breakfast bowl, she reveals another facet - her occasional visits to a psychic.

Skeptical yet curious, Rodrigo daydreams about the future while savoring the joy of the present. In this introspective journey, she contemplates love, mistakes, and the beauty of navigating the tumultuous twenties.

“It’s a normal part of growing up, making all these mistakes and indulging in things that you shouldn’t, getting with people who’re so wrong for you,” she claims.

“I used to have a lot of regret about the period of my life I wrote Guts about. But looking back, it was so necessary. I needed to get it out of my system. I know what makes me happy and content now. I know a lot more about myself than I think.”

February heralds the beginning of a new chapter for Rodrigo as she embarks on a tour across Europe and North America. With 75 dates, 54 cities, and 15 countries, the tour reflects her growth as an artist and a woman.

The musical journey is a culmination of self-fulfillment, introspection, and a celebration of the mistakes that shape one's path. Rodrigo's second album cycle is more than just a musical expedition; it's an exploration of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.

In the ever-evolving symphony of Olivia Rodrigo's life, each note resonates with authenticity, vulnerability, and the exuberance of youth.

From the London nights to the Guts tour, Rodrigo invites us into her world, where happiness is not just a destination but a continuous melody, and every controversy is a stepping stone to self-discovery.