The 21-year-old Olivia Rodrigo is one of the brightest rising stars in American music right now, and she proved it with her intense performance of her debut single “Drivers License” on Austin City Limits. Rodrigo really put her soul into the performance, and the young crowd responded, singing every single word back to the singer-songwriter.
Before playing the song, Rodrigo told the audience, “This is the first song I ever put out. It’s really special to me. So sing along if you know it.” She then sang her US number one hit while driving the band with her piano playing. “Drivers License” is a lament about a lost teen romance, and you could really feel the emotion of the sad tale as Rodrigo performed. Fans loved it, tuning in 31 million times, which made it the most popular live performance on her YouTube channel.
Aside from Rodrigo’s superb performance, the kids and teens in the audience passionately singing along with her was definitely the highlight of the video. Fans online responded positively to the performance, adding comments such as “Her smile when she hears the audience singing and clapping along says everything you need to know. She truly loves doing this” and “Her voice has so much emotion that it’s impossible not to feel the pain within the song.”
Rodrigo’s appearance on Austin City Limits really hit home with fans. Her version of “Traitor” from the same show was also popular on YouTube, attracting 9.7 million views. “Traitor” is also cut from Rodrigo’s debut album Sour, and became her fourth hit single from the album. The Californian singer picked up the pace at the end of “Traitor” by jumping off the piano and getting up close and personal with the crowd.
The release of “Drivers License” on January 8, 2021, as Rodrigo’s debut single launched her music career in a big way. The power ballad, which she wrote with producer Dan Nigro, was a Billboard Hot 100 number one hit. The last time a female artist scored a number one hit on the Hot 100 with her debut single was Carrie Underwood’s debut “Inside Your Heaven” back in 2005.
“Drivers License” was a worldwide hit, going to number one in too many countries to list here. By the end of 2021, it was the eighth best performing song of the year.
Rodrigo commented on the origin of “Drivers License” to Uproxx, saying, “I was going through a heartbreak that was so confusing to me, so multifaceted. Putting all those feelings into a song made everything seem so much simpler and clearer – and at the end of the day, I think that’s the whole purpose of songwriting.”
If you want to delve into more of Olivia Rodrigo’s intense performances, do not hesitate to check her out on her Facebook page and Instagram profile. Be sure to follow and stay tuned for the release of her next big hit!