Olivia Rodrigo has discussed her decision to be outspoken on political issues, saying her “goal [isn’t] to be liked by all”.
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The singer-songwriter spoke to BBC News about her third studio album, ‘You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love’, which was released today (Friday June 12).
At one point in the chat, Rodrigo was asked about sharing her views on topics such as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reproductive rights in the US, and the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
“I definitely try to be careful with my words,” explained the pop star, who has over 40million followers on Instagram. “But simultaneously, the women I looked up to when I was young were really outspoken, and that was one of the reasons I adored them.”
She continued, saying she wasn’t too worried about alienating any of her fanbase by expressing her views.
“I don’t think my goal is to be liked by all,” Rodrigo said. “And when you de-centre that as the primary motivation, I think everything becomes a lot more joyful.”
The singer spoke out on Gaza last summer, saying that “no child – not in Israel, not in Palestine – should have to go through these atrocities”. On Palestine, she argued: “To give up on them is to give up on our shared humanity.” She also called on fans to help raise funds for the children of Gaza.
In early 2024, Rodrigo launched a reproductive rights initiative “to support all women, girls and people seeking reproductive health freedom”, and confirmed that “a portion of all of the proceeds from ticket sales of the ‘Guts’ world tour” would go to the fund.
She made headlines for handing out contraceptive kits with condoms, Plan Bs, and information for abortion access at her shows in Missouri, which banned almost all abortions in 2022. However, the move angered several Republican figures, including a “horrified” Missouri State Senator Bill Eigel, who said Rodrigo “should be ashamed” for “championing abortion”. Local abortion organisers later said they were no longer allowed to hand out contraceptive kits at the concerts.
During her performance at Glastonbury 2022, the singer brought out Lily Allen to dedicate ‘Fuck You’ to the US Supreme Court Justices, who overturned a 50-year-old law that guaranteed women in the US the right to terminate a pregnancy.