“Drivers License:” from crying through the suburbs to debuting at No. 1
How 17-year-old Olivia Rodrigo turned her breakup into the world’s most-listened-to song
Taylor DeGuzman / Arts & Culture Editor
Everyone knows the all-too-familiar feeling of what it was like to finally get our driver’s license. The liberation that came with this new chapter of life was unmatched. Many can recall very fond memories of what they did after receiving their license. Some remember driving alone down the Pacific Coast Highway, blasting the song of the year, while others think back to finally driving to school without their parents.
However, for one particular person, getting her driver’s license brings back a not-so-fond memory: driving through the suburbs crying over an ex, and wishing she could drive home to them. Namely, overnight teen sensation Olivia Rodrigo turned this heartbreaking experience into what would be acclaimed the “song of the year,” by Rolling Stones, who predict that Rodrigo and the power ballad will “completely dominate 2021.”
Screenshot by Taylor DeGuzman/The USD Vista
Rodrigo’s debut single, “Drivers License,” currently sits at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for the third week in a row. “Drivers License” holds the spot for biggest single-day streams of any song by a female artist on Spotify in the U.S. (5.688 million) over Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” (4.19 million) at the time of publication.
Rodrigo first appeared in the spotlight starring in Disney Channel’s “Bizaardvark” and Disney+’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” (HSMTMTS). Hailed as the “next Taylor Swift,” this 17-year-old actress, singer, songwriter, and rising star first caught fans’ attention with her original song “All I Want,” which premiered on “HSMTMTS” in 2019. “All I Want” boasts over 200 million streams on Spotify.
Huge fan of “HSMTMTS” and USD junior, Lauren Smith, exclaimed that she was a fan of Rodrigo before the entire world knew about her, and how interesting it was to see “Drivers License” rise to the top.
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Television/flickr
“It’s almost like those who knew her before her debut single blew up, fully understood the background of the song and maybe even who it’s about,” Smith said. “Her ability to be so vulnerable and so open about heartbreak really helps individuals cope with maybe their own heartbreak or what they’re going through too.”
While her Disney background helped grow a large fan base and platform for her debut single’s success, it is the intriguing story “Drivers License’s” lyrics paint that is sparking much conversation.
Much like any gossip that follows a popular heartbreak anthem, synonymous with a Taylor Swift ballad, people always point a finger at who the song is about.
“I just can’t imagine how you could be so okay now that I’m gone,” Rodrigo sings. “I guess you didn’t mean what you wrote in that song about me. ‘Cause you said forever now I drive alone past your street.”
Several rumors point toward Rodrigo’s co-star and love interest in “HSMTMTS,” Joshua Bassett. Bassett is a singer, songwriter, and actor as well, who was closely linked to Rodrigo after many believed that their chemistry on the Disney+ show felt a little too real. In an interview by Vogue, Rodrigo addressed the rumors surrounding her song.
“I completely understand why people are curious about the specifics of the song but, to me, who and what the song is about is not important,” Rodrigo said. “People are resonating with the song because it’s so honest, raw, and emotional.”
Rumors aside, Rodrigo hits it on the nail when she says that people are resonating with her song. “Drivers License” remains the “Gen Z heartbreak anthem,” namely on the most popular social media platform, TikTok, which seems to be driving Rodrigo’s record-breaking number of streams. Amassing over three billion views on TikTok, users under the hashtag “Drivers License” continue to post their raw reactions to the song, their own version of the song, and their own remixes.
Several fans of “Drivers License” note the similarity in lyricism to that of Taylor Swift and Swift’s ability to encapsulate a myriad of authentic, real emotions, and relatable stories into her songs. Several comments under the “Drivers License” music video hail Rodrigo as the “next Taylor Swift,” while many exclaim that the young songwriter is the “next Olivia Rodrigo.” A huge Swiftie, or Taylor Swift stan, Rodrigo herself “nearly died” when Swift commented, “I say that’s my baby and I’m really proud,” underneath Rodrigo’s Instagram post of “Drivers License” previously sitting right under two “Evermore” bonus tracks on the iTunes chart.
Screenshot by Taylor DeGuzman/The USD Vista
In an Apple Music interview with Rodrigo, interviewer Zane Lowe explained to Rodrigo that “Taylor Swift doesn’t extend out her support unless she feels it.”
Rodrigo gushed and said, “It was so sweet of her. I’ve looked up to her for as long as I can remember, so it was really sweet of her to do that.”
Fellow Swiftie and USD senior Kaitlin Solis shared how her love for Swift makes her love and relate to Rodrigo even more.
“I love how, similar to Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo uses metaphors in her songs in order to draw such an impactful story for listeners to relate to,” Solis said. “When Taylor Swift rose to fame and her music started getting recognized, she was so young. I see that similarity in how young Olivia Rodrigo is, and it makes me even more excited for her future.”
Although Rodrigo is a multitalented star and the biggest Taylor Swift fan, what many might not know about Rodrigo is her Filipino heritage. Rodrigo is part Filipina on her dad’s side. With Asian representation slowly continuing to permeate mainstream entertainment, from “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” there still seems to be minimal Asian representation in mainstream music. However, “Drivers License” debuting at No. 1 is a gigantic stride in this direction.
As a fellow Filipino-American, Solis explained what Rodrigo’s success means for Asian representation and what it means to her.
“Growing up I never saw someone on the screen that looked like me, or really knew a singer who represented my culture,” Solis said. “Knowing that kids get to grow up with at least one more face that looks like them and especially a young person who is achieving her dreams, makes me so excited for representation in the future.”
Solis believes that Rodrigo could be “the start of something new” for more Asian representation.
“I truly believe that Olivia Rodrigo’s success is just the beginning of more and more Asian representation within the entertainment industry,” Solis said. “Maybe Asians who see Olivia, or young, aspiring songwriters will feel compelled to put themselves out there too.”
The 17-year-old star with Disney success, a record-breaking first single, attention from Taylor Swift, and a very bright future may inspire many people to follow their own dreams, no matter how big or small.
Perhaps now, when getting one’s driver’s license, they’ll remember the incredibly liberating feeling of driving through the suburbs and blasting the song of the year: “Drivers License.”