[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 shitty 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.