[engine humming]
[horn honking]
[Interviewer] Hey!
Hey!
[Interviewer] Look who it is, Olivia Rodrigo.
Hey, are ya?
[Interviewer] Rolling up for her 73 questions
in epic fashion.
I'm so excited.
[Interviewer] I love this car.
Thanks.
[Interviewer] Approximately how many total miles
are on this car?
Let's see, 17,000.
[Interviewer] Approximately how many times
have people asked you about your driver's license?
You know, not as much as you would think.
[Interviewer] Huh?
So where are you coming from?
A cafe.
Oh, and I got you a matcha.
I don't know if you like it, but that's favorite.
[Interviewer] That's really generous of you.
Thank you. Sure.
[Interviewer] Now on a scale of one to 10,
how happy are you at this moment?
Oh, I'm pretty happy.
I'd say probably an eight.
Great. Yeah.
[Interviewer] And what are you currently
obsessed with these days?
Oh, I love the New York Times crossword.
I try to do it every day.
[Interviewer] That's a nice habit.
Yeah.
[Interviewer] What's the most interesting thing
that you've learned recently?
Oh, that the banana that's the flavor of Laffy Taffy
is the taste of a banana that's gone extinct
and that's why it doesn't taste like the banana we know.
Crazy. I have no idea.
Yeah.
[Interviewer] And what was your New Year's resolution
and have you stuck to it?
[Olivia] Oh, my New Year's resolution
was to spend more time alone
and I have definitely done that this year.
[Interviewer] Do you prefer Saturday nights
or Sunday mornings?
Sunday morning.
[Interviewer] What's the worst injury
that you've ever had?
I've gone through my life pretty unscathed
but I broke my thumb one time in third grade
'cause I slammed my hand in a car door.
Mmm! Yeah.
Oh, this matcha tea is amazing.
Oh, yay, I'm happy you like it.
[Interviewer] Now you are a Pisces.
Yes.
[Interviewer] What makes you a typical Pisces?
I'm a Pisces to a T.
I'm super emotional, I'm musical and I love a swim.
Mmm. Mmm-hmm.
[Interviewer] Now what's the best fan gift
that you've ever received?
Oh, I was in Paris last year
and a fan gave me this little key chain
and I stuck it on my purse
and I take it with me everywhere I go.
[Interviewer] The Eiffel Tower?
Yeah. That's really cool.
Uh-huh.
[Interviewer] And what item besides your cell phone
is always in that purse?
Mmm.
Aquaphor
Essential. Yeah.
[Interviewer] Now speaking of your cell phone,
can you show me something really cool on your phone?
I have a lot of voice memos and maybe I'll show you one.
Oh, this is the original Good For You recording
on a sh*tty guitar in my living room.
Let's see. Oh my God.
♪ Maybe now you can be a better person for your friends ♪
[Olivia singing]
[Interviewer] Am I the first person
to have listened to that?
You are.
Oh my gosh, I feel special.
Wow!
Now, what's something that you always
carry with you on tour?
I'm a little bit of a germophobe with hotels
so I always like to have my own pillowcase over the pillows.
Good idea. Yeah.
[Interviewer] Now what's the most special memory
you've ever had from being on tour?
Performing at Glastonbury.
[Interviewer] What album have you been playing
nonstop recently?
Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Oh, classic. Yeah.
[Interviewer] Now I saw that video clip
of you meeting Jack White.
That is beautiful.
I love him.
[Interviewer] Who is a celebrity now
who you're dying to meet?
Robert De Niro.
Hit me up.
Hey Bob, you watching this?
Now, Olivia, I loved your documentary too.
Thanks.
[Interviewer] It was so fun to follow you
on that road trip.
What's your favorite road trip destination in general?
Salt Lake City.
[Interviewer] And what's the best present
you've ever received?
Last year for my birthday,
my best friend made a book of 365 things
that she loved about me and was filled with inside jokes
and little memories and it was very special.
I cried like a baby.
[Interviewer] And you're known for being a big reader
with all books behind you on that bookcase.
I try.
[Interviewer] Can you gimme a recommendation?
Oh, yeah.
Come here. Let's do it.
Show me what you got.
Let's see.
Oh, I read this book recently.
It's a bunch of Leonard Cohen poetry.
One of my songwriter friends gave it to me
and it's so incredible and I'm in love with Leonard Cohen.
He's amazing.
He's great. Yeah.
What else do you have in there that's cool?
Oh.
Okay, so I made lots of the record at Electric Lady Studios
in New York and I told the owner of the studio
that I really love Patty Smith,
there's a picture of her in the hallway
and lo and behold, the next day I was playing the piano,
I get a knock at the door and Patty Smith is there
and she's like, Hey, Olivia, nice to meet you.
I wanted to come and say hi.
And I lost my mind and she gave me this book,
this poetry book, and she wrote on the inside.
[Interviewer] Oh, really?
She said, To Olivia, may all your days be inspired.
[Interviewer] Oh, that's such a meaningful gift.
I love her.
She's amazing.
[Interviewer] Now I'd be shocked
if you didn't have a Carol King record
considering I see a Carole King book right there.
Yeah, this thing.
This is one of the first records I actually ever bought.
Me and my mom bought it from the thrift store.
It's a little thrift store tag.
Yeah, I love her.
She's incredible.
[Interviewer] All right, now can you name me
your favorite songs by the following artist, rapid fire?
Yes. Let's do it.
Lord.
Liability.
[Interviewer] Carly Simon.
You're So Vain.
[Interviewer] Alanis.
Not The Doctor.
[Interviewer] Olivia Rodrigo.
I don't know.
Here, wait, I got this for you though.
[Interviewer] What?
Yeah, you can tell me your favorite.
How about that?
What? I'd like that better.
That's incredible.
I just get to walk away with a free Olivia Rodrigo album.
It's shameless self-promotion.
[Interviewer] It works.
What album have you listened
to the most in your entire life?
Probably this one, Elephant by The White Stripes.
[Interviewer] Oh, that's cool.
What's a song that can always make you cry?
Valentine by Fiona Apple.
[Interviewer] What's the best piano ballad ever written?
Someone Like You.
[Interviewer] And when you play piano,
do you prefer playing alone or for people?
I prefer playing alone.
But since you're here I might make an exception.
Come here. No!
Yeah, come here.
[Interviewer] What is going on right now?
Are you...
This is where I hang out all the time.
I do everything here.
[Interviewer] This is incredible.
Olivia, what are you gonna play?
Let's see.
[Olivia playing piano]
See if you can recognize this, this is the new, new.
[Interviewer] New material. [Olivia playing piano]
[Olivia playing piano]
[Olivia laughing]
Oh, bravo!
Oh, you should play something with me.
[Interviewer] How about something totally spontaneous
and not rehearsed?
Totally spontaneous.
[Interviewer] Let's do it, Olivia Rodrigo.
Ready? Yep.
One, two, three, four.
[both playing piano]
[Olivia] Killing it!
[Interviewer] You gotta take me on tour, come on!
[both playing piano]
Oh, that's how you do it.
[Olivia] Oh, I love it.
Oh my gosh, we make a great team!
[Interviewer] I'm really serious about you
taking me on tour if you need a dueter.
Say the word, you're there.
[Interviewer] All right, amazing.
When you think about songs, Olivia,
what did you call the first song that you ever wrote?
I've been writing songs for a long time,
but I think the first song that I wrote on the piano
was called Superman.
[Interviewer] And what was the first song
that you felt really connected to?
I wrote this song called Astronaut when I was 14
and it made me believe
that I could like really pursue songwriting.
[Interviewer] Does being a self-identified perfectionist
make songwriting a lot harder?
I actually don't think I'm a perfectionist.
I think as I get older, I realize that
if I were only to make things that were perfect,
I would literally never make anything at all.
So I think I kind of had to get outta that mindset.
[Interviewer] That's a good philosophy.
Yeah.
[Interviewer] And to anyone out there who wants
to write a song for the first time ever,
what three steps should they consider?
Hmm.
Coming up with a good title
and a good concept is important,
a melody that moves you
and other than that, just believe in yourself
and keep trying because, I don't know,
I've written so many bad songs in my life
and that's how you get to the good ones.
[Interviewer] Who is the most important music teacher
that you've ever had and what did they teach you?
My piano teacher, Kate,
she taught me how to listen to music like a songwriter.
[Interviewer] And it's really, really special
to watch how you and your producer Dan work together.
What is the most important quality in a good producer?
Good taste and honesty.
[Interviewer] Now, Driver's License,
let's talk about Driver's License.
Lets.
[Interviewer] Everyone wants to talk about that.
How has your relationship to that song changed
over the past couple of years?
Honestly, I'm just still in such a state of disbelief.
I just wrote that song in my living room
and it was just a little piece of my heart
and I can't believe all of the doors that's opened for me.
I'm just so eternally grateful.
[Interviewer] And all that has led to this,
a new album coming out.
Yeah.
[Interviewer] Now I heard that you recorded
and wrote some of this new album in New York City.
Why did you wanna write it there?
I think New York is so inspiring
and every day of my life I just try to be
more and more like Carrie Bradshaw.
[Interviewer] Well perfect transition
into the next question.
I know that you are a big fan of Sex in the City.
Love.
[Interviewer] But what else have you been
binge watching these days?
I watched all of The Walking Dead.
Love it.
Watched The Last Of Us and The Sopranos, very good.
[Interviewer] Now your second live performance ever
was on SNL.
What did you say to yourself before taking the stage?
I was so nervous before SNL,
I actually cried in my dressing room.
I was so scared, but thankfully it turned out okay.
[Interviewer] Now you said that your pre-con rituals
are vocal warmups and having tea.
What's the best meal to eat before going on stage?
Almost every night before a show,
I'd have a Turkey sandwich.
Oh, speaking of, I have the best meal
for a 73 questions interview, come here.
[Interviewer] I don't even know this.
There's a best meal?
Pulling out all the stops, come on.
[Interviewer] Oh my gosh.
What have I done to deserve this?
What's an app that you use that's not very popular?
It's very popular, but I love going on Zillow and Redfin.
I use it like Instagram.
It's very entertaining.
[Interviewer] What is a simple pleasure
that you couldn't live without?
I love a bubble bath.
[Interviewer] What is something that you are surprisingly
good at?
Ice skating.
[Interviewer] What's something you do
that you probably shouldn't?
Listen to true crime podcasts alone in my house at night.
That's pretty scary. Yeah.
[Interviewer] And what's something you don't do
that you probably should do?
Read all my emails.
Wait, come here. What?
I baked to a little banana bread.
[Interviewer] No, you did not.
Hopefully you like it.
I kind of ran outta butter, but it should be good.
[Interviewer] Oh my God,
I'm having Olivia Rodrigo's banana bread.
This is the best day I've ever had.
You're sweet.
[Interviewer] Oh, besides banana bread, what is a meal
you can cook really well from scratch?
Mmm, I can make good Cacio e Pepe.
Here. Okay, oh really?
This is amazing. Try it.
[Interviewer] Thank you so much, appreciate it.
Tell me if it's good.
[Interviewer] Okay, here we go.
That is pretty damn good.
Yay!
I'm happy you like it.
[Interviewer] But I don't know if it's as good for you
as McDonald's oatmeal.
Is that still your favorite fast food?
I love a good McDonald's oatmeal.
I also love an In-N-Out Double Double Cheeseburger
with a neapolitan shake.
[Interviewer] We are so happy you did
your first Vogue cover shoot.
Me too.
[Interviewer] What was that like,
shooting your first Vogue cover?
So surreal.
[Interviewer] What was your favorite look from the shoot?
There's this little sparkly mini dress that I really loved
and it reflected the light really pretty.
[Interviewer] Who makes your favorite jeans?
Levi's.
[Interviewer] And what's the best tip for winged eyeliner?
Practice and yeah, that's just it.
I still feel like I'm really bad at it to this day.
[Interviewer] What was your first big fashion purchase
that you made?
My Chanel bag that I was just wearing.
I think it's the only big fashion purchase that I made.
I bought it when I finished my first album
as a celebration gift to myself.
[Interviewer] What era of fashion
are you most inspired by?
The nineties.
[Interviewer] What's your favorite vintage find?
Okay, so this dress used to be Chloe's Sevigny's
and she had a sample sale where she sold a bunch
of her clothes and I've had this dress,
the picture of her wearing this dress
saved on my Pinterest for years
and I was actually able to get my hands on it
and I am so lucky.
It's my most prized possession.
It looks incredible. Thank you.
[Interviewer] Top three tips for vintage shopping, go.
Have patience and go with your friends
and get stuff altered.
[Interviewer] Now I see you have some family photos
on your fridge.
Oh, yeah.
[Interviewer] Tell me some stories.
What do you have?
These are two of my friends, Maddie and Conan
and I took them to where I grew up, Temecula,
and we went to the mall and we took this at the mall.
I love this picture.
[Interviewer] Cool!
And this is my parents.
We went to New York for Christmas
and we had to take a picture by the Rockefeller Center tree.
[Interviewer] Oh, how cute is that?
Classic.
[Interviewer] What's your favorite family tradition?
Not this year, but usually my family
and I go to the beach on Christmas day.
[Interviewer] Are your parents musical?
Not at all, I'm the Black sheep.
[Interviewer] And what's the most trouble you ever got in
with your parents?
I am such a goody two-shoes.
I really don't think I got into too much trouble.
The one thing I remember is when I was in like first grade,
I bought hamburger at school at the cafeteria
with my parents' money and I didn't eat the lunch
that my mom packed me and I cried about it for a week.
I felt so guilty. Aw.
Yeah, anyway, let's go outside.
[Interviewer] Okay.
What's a phrase that you just say way too much?
Slay, it's a little cringe.
Oh, wait.
Here, lemme get your tea.
[Interviewer] All right.
What's a quote that you live by?
What it all comes down to
is everything's gonna be fine, fine, fine.
[Interviewer] Oh, that is a great outlook.
Now I'm amazed at how you started your career so young.
Thank you so much. Yeah.
[Interviewer] Do you remember how old you were
when you did your first ever audition?
Oh, I was probably like six.
I was so young.
[Interviewer] Can you describe
how this first audition went?
Well, it was for Parenthood and I obviously didn't get it
so I guess it didn't go that well.
[Interviewer] Things worked out for you end, I think.
Yeah.
[Interviewer] What posters did you have on your wall
when you were a kid?
Oof, I had Twilight posters on the wall.
Team Edwards since day one.
[Interviewer] I was gonna say the same thing.
Go team Edward.
And since you were spending so much time
acting as a teenager, what was it like
to go to high school on set?
It was very strange,
but I feel lucky to have gotten good tutoring.
[Interviewer] And what's the best thing
about being an only child?
I'm best friends with my parents
and I got so much attention growing up.
[Interviewer] And what's the most stressful thing
about being an only child?
Sometimes I really wish I had an older sister
to give me advice.
[Interviewer] What values do you hope you'll still
hold onto when you're 35 years old?
I hope I still have my gratitude.
[Interviewer] I'm pretty sure you will.
Why was it important for you to make a statement
on Roe v Wade at Glastonbury?
Yeah, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade
the day before I was supposed to perform at Glastonbury
and I just think forcing women to give birth
is really horrifying.
[Interviewer] We got a dog over here, barking.
I know, he feels the same.
[Interviewer] The dog agrees now.
Now, Olivia, I am devastated.
I'll tell you why.
There's only two more questions left at this interview.
It's been 728 days since you released Sour.
Wow.
[Interviewer] And that dog is upset about it.
What is one word to describe Sour?
Angsty.
[Interviewer] And what's one word to describe
your new album?
Gutsy.
[Interviewer] Well, you were gutsy to do this interview,
Olivia Rodrigo.
Thank you so much for having me.
[Interviewer] Amazing job.
We did it! I had so much fun.
