At the beginning of the year, Olivia Rodrigo was known for her role in the heavily colon-ed Disney+ show High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. But now, the singer is one of only ten musicians to have a song debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and stay there for five consecutive weeks. Because of her impressive success, the singer was named alongside musicians like Dua Lipa and Phoebe Bridgers as part of the Time 100 Next list, which highlights emerging artists.
For Time‘s blurb about Rodrigo’s music, the publication tapped legendary pop singer Gwen Stefani to pen a few words. Stefani was complimentary about Rodrigo’s music, and the young singer was overjoyed at the co-sign. “i’ve been a fan of Gwen for as long as I can remember,” Rodrigo wrote on social media. “it’s so surreal to have her write about me. rlly honored to be included in this incredible group of people.”
i’ve been a fan of Gwen for as long as I can remember. it’s so surreal to have her write about me. rlly honored to be included in this incredible group of people. https://t.co/aPaqwfnN78
— Olivia Rodrigo (@Olivia_Rodrigo) February 17, 2021
Writing about Rodrigo’s music, Stefani praised her “confessional and intimate” sound:
“At just 17, Olivia Rodrigo is a master at turning her heartbreak into something glorious. The world is obsessed with her breakthrough single, ‘Drivers License’–which smashed streaming records when it debuted, and made her one of the youngest artists to get a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100–because while Olivia’s storytelling is confessional and intimate, it’s also larger than life. By pouring her heart out with so much courage and total command of her talent, Olivia made magic.
Every line in “Drivers License” feels like it was ripped out of Olivia’s diary, each one containing a beauty and level of detail that makes you feel like you’re with her, driving through the suburbs of Southern California at night, lost in thought. Rare is the artist who can transport that way, especially at such a young age. And for anyone going through their first heartbreak, Olivia’s voice is a light in the dark, a promise that your pain can someday become a deep source of power.”
Check out the full Time list here.
Dua Lipa is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.