January 15, 2021
PopUps: Meet Olivia Rodrigo & Her Song 'Drivers License,' Which is Breaking Records
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
You may have never heard of Olivia Rodrigo but she's about to have a huge moment thanks to her viral soon-to-be chart-topping song "Drivers License."
Following in the footsteps of celebrities like Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers and many more, Rodrigo, 17, got her start with Disney, starring in Disney Channel's "Bizaardvark" and Disney+'s "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series." But it is her debut single that is propelling her into superstardom.
"Drivers License," a 4-minute pop ballad, was released last week but it broke Spotify's record for most streams in a day for a non-holiday song three days laster, earning over 15 million global streams. The song went on to break its own record, earning another 17 million streams in one day on Jan. 12.
"I truly do think this is just a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that sort of brought together a number of factors in a way that they haven't really been brought together recently," Spotify's Global Hits lead Becky Bass told Billboard. "But I can't say that the pop audience wasn't hungry for a big pop song as well."
"It really feels unprecedented, and likely is unprecedented," Bass said.
In addition to the song being a hit on TikTok, Rodrigo has a massive following on social media, with 4.2 million followers on Instagram. Taylor Swift is also a fan, commenting on Rodrigo's Instagram post: "I say that's my baby and I'm really proud." And speaking of Swift, "Drivers License" also has real life drama tied up in it involving Rodrigo's rumored relationship and breakup with Disney star Joshua Bassett. Fans believe she's singing about her "HS:TM:TS" costar.
"I definitely think it's a perfect storm," Bass added. "I think the drama -- which was familiar to [Rodrigo's] core fanbase, and really started things going -- helped, and now you have this whole new audience that's like, 'Who is Olivia Rodrigo? Who is Joshua Bassett?'"
Check out "Drivers License" below.
This story is part of our special report: "PopUps". Want to read more? Here's the full list.
