Olivia Rodrigo's life and career in pictures: From Disney star to one of the biggest names in music
In 2021 there was one voice that was heard across radios across the world and dominated online streams.
After getting her start on Disney Channel, Olivia Rodrigo become a seemingly overnight sensation with the release of her chart topping hit Drivers License.
From there, the hits just kept coming with the debut album SOUR which won the artist her first ever Grammy Awards.
Now the singer is set to bring her successful sophmore album GUTS to Australia later in the year.
As fans prepare to fight for tickets this week, take a look back through Rodrigo's rise to fame and how she became one of the most screamed name in a matter of months.
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A young talent
Before anyone knew her name, Olivia Rodrigo was just a Taylor Swift-obsessed kid taking singing lessons in Murrieta.
At just five-years-old she already showed a knack for songwriting, penning her very own Christmas track named The Bels.
Between after-school musical theater and taking part in singing competitions, the young star was already paving the way to music fame before she even reached her teen years.
Film debut in 2015
By the time she reached her tweens, Rodrigo was ready to try her hand at acting.
The star booked her first ever film An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success at just 12 in 2015.
The acting novice starred as Grace Thomas in the film, sporting side bangs and some bright coloured looks while venturing to Paris.
Bizaardvark, 2016
A year after her screen debut, Olivia Rodrigo got her big break with Disney.
The child star booked a lead role as Paige on the Disney Channel show Bizaardvark, also starring her now bestie Madison Hu and the Paul brothers.
On top of launching her into the spotlight, the Disney show marked another big chance for the 12-year-old.
Rodrigo's parents took her out of public school, moved to Los Angeles and officially began homeschooling her to support her growing career.
The show would go on for three seasons, taking Rodrigo into her teens.
For the star, it was also a time where she went through "an identity crisis on steroids."
"Most 14-year-olds aren't in a room with adults being like, 'So, what's your brand?'" she explained to Elle Magazine.
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, 2019
In the same year her time on Bizaardvark came to a close, Olivia Rodrigo had already lined up her next Disney Channel project.
The rising star landed the role of Nini in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – a show paying homage to the original iconic film trilogy.
While on the show, Rodrigo tested out her songwriting talents by writing two songs for the series: All I Want and The Rose Song.
"It sort of felt like a magical experience when I wrote The Rose Song," the singer told USA TODAY.
"I wrote the first version chords in 20 minutes the morning after ("High School Musical" producer Tim Federle) called me and told me about the concept of the song. It felt like it was meant to be."
The show would also introduce her to co-star Joshua Bassett – the muse for many of her biggest hits off her debut album Sour.
All I Want, 2020
During season one on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Rodrigo penned the show's breakout track All I Want.
The star was just 16 when she wrote the emotional ballad and performed sitting at a piano in a pink tulle gown for the music video.
Rodrigo would stay on the show for two seasons before departing in the third season to pursue her music career.
Drivers License, January 2021
Who would've thought that getting your license could make you an international success seemingly overnight?
This was the case for Olivia Rodrigo after she released her breakout hit Drivers License in January 2021.
After signing with Geffen Records, the song was released as the first single off her debut album SOUR and launched Rodrigo to superstardom.
Drivers License, January 2021
The heartwrenching record-breaking track, which came with an artsy and visually stunning music video, quickly climbed the charts to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles.
The track also broke the record for the fastest solo song to reach 500 million streams on Spotify in its first few weeks.
"still in disbelief that people care about what I have to say. ahhhhh so many butterflies!!!!! thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!" the singer thanked her fans after the track's success.
And Drivers License was just the beginning for Rodrigo...
Deja Vu, March 2021
After Drivers license put her voice on radios across the world, Olivia Rodrigo was back for a second serving of success with her next single Deja Vu.
A month after the track came out in March, both Deja Vu and Drivers License were in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Olivia Rodrigo meets Taylor Swift, May 2021
Before her first album had even come out, Olivia Rodrigo was starting to be noticed by some big names in the industry.
Rodrigo had been a well-known fan of Taylor Swift, so fans aptly lost their minds when the singer finally met Swift in person for the first time at the 2021 Brit Awards.
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