ANAHEIM, Calif. — Murrieta native, Grammy winner and top-selling pop star Olivia Rodrigo will kick off her highly anticipated (and mostly already sold out) Guts World Tour at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert on Friday.
The global jaunt, which is in support of her Grammy-nominated sophomore release, “Guts,” will also include support from the Breeders, PinkPantheress and Remi Wolf. The tour comes to an end with four shows at Kia Forum in Inglewood on Aug. 13-14 and 16-17.
Ahead of the tour launching in Palm Desert, we’ve curated a list of five essential facts about the 20-year-old singer-songwriter.
1. Disney Channel roots
Before rising to stardom, Rodrigo, like many more modern day iconic pop figures, secured her initial breakthrough on the Disney Channel. She played the role of Paige Olvera on “Bizaardvark,” which follows a pair of best friends who create video blogs for an online comedy channel. Before that, she booked her first commercial for Old Navy at 12. In 2019, Rodrigo landed the lead role for the Disney+ series “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” portraying the character of Nini Salazar-Roberts. Just two years later, her debut single “Drivers License” was released on Jan. 8, 2021.
2. Always singing
By the age of 5, Rodrigo was already belting out tunes, often singing along to artists her mother introduced her to including groups like No Doubt, the White Stripes and the Smashing Pumpkins. She began taking singing lessons and later ventured into local competitions, making her debut at the 2010 National Association of Music Merchants show in Anaheim with a cover of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin.’ ”
She also showcased her talent at her hometown Boys & Girls Club Idol twice, in 2011 and 2013, delivering covers of “Don’t Rain on My Parade” by Barbra Streisand and Jessie J’s “Mama Knows Best,” securing first place each time. By the age of 9, she picked up playing piano.
3. Growing up in the I.E.
Rodrigo’s roots run deep in the Inland Empire, particularly in Temecula and Murrieta, where she spent many of her formative years. Her upbringing was intertwined with the fabric of the community: her mother’s tenure as an educator at Rail Ranch Elementary School in Murrieta, and her father, a psychologist, contributing his expertise at hospitals like Kaiser Permanente in Riverside. Rodrigo embarked on her educational journey at Lisa J. Mails Elementary School and later Dorothy McElhinney Middle School in Murrieta, where her involvement in after-school musical theater programs ignited her passion for performance.
It was evident from an early age that Rodrigo possessed a natural flair for the dramatic arts. Her auditions for school productions swiftly morphed into pursuits of professional opportunities. Weekends became a pilgrimage for the Rodrigo family, as they journeyed nearly 90 miles to Los Angeles to nurture Rodrigo’s acting career, which is something she talked about during her first of two sold-out shows at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles in 2022. Eventually, the family did move to Los Angeles so it wasn’t so much of a trek.
4. “Drivers License”
Rodrigo’s rise to fame wasn’t triggered by a glamorous event or a lavish celebration. Instead, it was a simple, mundane occurrence that sparked her ascent to becoming one of the most acclaimed pop stars of her generation: receiving her driver’s license from the DMV.
It was during this time that Rodrigo caught the attention of producer Dan Nigro, who reached out to her via Instagram after hearing her performance on the “High School Musical” track “All I Want,” which was released in 2020. Together, they embarked on a creative journey that would yield Rodrigo’s biggest hit to date. The breakup ballad resonated deeply with listeners, accumulating over 1.1 billion streams and dominating the charts as the top-streamed song of 2021.
But “Drivers License” didn’t just conquer the airwaves, it also became a viral sensation on TikTok. The platform was flooded with users re-creating a pivotal scene from Rodrigo’s music video, where she dramatically falls back from the camera during a shift between the verse and chorus. These videos amassed millions of views and likes, showcasing the song’s appeal across generations.
5. Best new artist
With 13 Grammy nominations to her name from 2023 to 2024, the singer-songwriter has cemented her status as a young force to be reckoned with in the music industry at just 20 years old.
At the 64th Grammy Awards in 2022, she took home the best pop solo performance for “Drivers License” before singing the award-winning song live the same night. Later in the evening, her debut album, “Sour,” won best pop vocal album and Rodrigo was crowned best new artist.
Earlier this year, for the 66th Grammy Awards, the pop star garnered an impressive six nominations, including album of the year for her sophomore release “Guts,” best pop solo performance and song of the year for “Vampire,” best pop vocal album, best rock song for “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” and record of the year.
Despite being recognized in almost every major category, Rodrigo left the ceremony without any awards. But her performance of “Vampire” that evening was a hit with fans and even superstars like Taylor Swift and Bebe Rexha danced and sang along.
