There is a fine line that every artist must walk upon lightly as they progress through their discography. Humans grow older, change, forge new friendships and obtain new careers. Unfortunately, musicians are frequently placed into a box that has been constructed by their fans. They are not “allowed” to go through a “progression” if it strays too far from the box that they’ve been placed in.
Recently, according to NME, Olivia Rodrigo claimed to be “growing out of” some of her older records. She didn’t name drop any songs in particular, sensitive to the fact that “people get so sad because it’ll be their favorite.” Olivia’s ability to change and grow with her music is something we should all take note of.
Apparently, other artists in the industry are also taking note of Rodrigo’s success. In an interview with the LA Times, pop singer-songwriter Billie Eilish admitted that her song entitled “Goldwing” was written about Olivia Rodrigo. The reason? Eilish views Rodrigo’s ability to balance youth and fame with praise. Eilish stated that she feels “protectiveness over Olivia.” Eilish is able to identify with Olivia in that both are forced to deal with being young women at the hands of an ever powerful music industry, one that will “claim you like a souvenir, just to sell you in a year.”
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