Olivia Rodrigo Gets Candid on Challenges of Writing ‘GUTS’ Album: “Tested My Confidence and Patience”

From her start as a child actress for Disney, Olivia Rodrigo used her time in the spotlight to catapult herself into the music industry. Although the singer only released two albums in 2021 and 2023, Rodrigo made her presence known with her album Sour. Not only was the album a commercial success, but it received three Grammy Awards. And that seems to be just the start as she was named Woman of the Year by Billboard in 2022. Now, with the release of GUTS, the singer discussed the process of making an album and the writing process behind each song. 

Writing For Herself

Somewhat new in the world of music, Rodrigo admitted to not wanting to please every person with what she writes. While it’s a good idea to keep one’s audience in mind, the singer explained how the process tested her. “The experience tested my confidence and patience. It taught me some important lessons about songwriting in terms of focusing on your craft rather than just waiting for inspiration to strike.”

While most singers hope to write the next big song that dominates the charts and goes on to encapsulate a generation, Rodrigo encouraged songwriters to not focus on writing “something that everyone will like”. She found that instead of focusing on the listener, she taught herself to just “write songs that I want to hear.” 

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Digging deeper into the songs she wants to hear, Rodrigo revealed being honest is a key ingredient to success and helps navigate her writing process. “Honest songwriting. It’s what I’ve gravitated towards my whole life, music that helps you process what you’re feeling or comforts you when you’re feeling these big feelings.”

Rodrigo Loves Connecting With Fans Through Music

Although Rodrigo writes for herself, she shared her gratitude for fans and loved the fact that people could relate to her words. “It’s just nice to know that someone else is experiencing them. It makes you feel less alone.”

With the success of her two albums, Rodrigo currently prepares for her GUTS world tour set to kick off in Palm Springs, CA in February. The tour will run until August. 

(Featured Image by JC Olivera/WireImage)