Attention Livies! The singer-songwriter, popularly known for her debut single, “Drivers License,” has taken the stage by covering Noah Kahan’s hit folk song ‘Stick Season,’ exclusively for the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge from Hollywood’s Forever Cemetery!
Nearly less than a month after the release of her sophomore album Guts, the 20-year-old pop artist dropped by the Live Lounge on Monday, October 2, to perform three of her own songs, which included “Driver’s License,” “Get Him Back!,” and “Vampire,” as well as a beautiful rendition of Noah Kahan’s breakout hit “Stick Season.” During the three-minute performance, Rodrigo was accompanied by an all-female band, which included two acoustic guitars and one electric mandolin. “I love Vermont, but it’s the season of the sticks and I/ Saw your mom she forgot that I existed,” she sang. “It’s half my fault, but I just like to play the victim.”
As soon as the performance was published on the BBC Radio 1 VEVO official YouTube channel, many fans noted that the “All-American Bitch” singer didn’t adopt Kahan’s distinctive twang. Instead, her version maintained the Americana feel of the original. This retention was quite surprising as, in response to the cover, an astonished Kahan also tweeted, “Is this real?”
Is this real https://t.co/ty5LD9bUgO
— Noah Kahan (@NoahKahan) October 2, 2023
If you have been keeping up with The “Bad Idea Right?” singer, then you’ll know that she is no stranger to performing captivating covers from other renowned artists!
Just last week, the pop star joined Sheryl Crow, 61, singer and songwriter, who is known to incorporate elements of rock, pop, country, folk, and blues in her music joined hands for a sweet duet of the folk-pop icon’s “If It Makes You Happy” on stage at The Bluebird Café in Nashville. Rodrigo also shared a picture and a short clip of the performance to her followers on her Instagram handle, quoting, “pinch me! sang one of my favorite songs of all time with the greatest of all time @sherylcrow !!!! what an honor!!!!”
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At last, Rodrigo released her sophomore album, GUTS, in September and opened up to PEOPLE about some of the inspiration behind it. “I think there are so many expectations placed on women — you’re always supposed to be grateful and calm and gracious and poised,” she shared. “Growing up, I really struggled with the conflict of having all these feelings that I felt like I couldn’t externalize and this expectation that I wanted to be this good girl.” She added, “I think that I truly can’t write a song and pander. Good songs don’t come out of me writing to please other people. All my best songs come from me just wanting to express something for myself and wanting to process a feeling just for me.”
The subject matter of the album deals with Rodrigo’s transition from adolescence to adulthood and its tribulations. It is a sonically diverse pop record that has met with widespread acclaim from music critics, as Guts was praised for Rodrigo’s lyrical wit, complexity, and topicality, as well as the overall music aesthetic and energy. Reviews noted both humorous and emotionally fraught lyrics in the album, detailing Rodrigo’s struggles with identity, romantic and professional disillusionment, unexpected stardom, and societal expectations as a young woman.
So far, commercially, Guts topped the album charts in 14 countries, including the United States, Australia, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In its US debut, it recorded 302,000 first-week album-equivalent units while charting all 12 of its songs in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Three singles were released from the album, including the international number-one hit “Vampire” and the top-10 charting “Bad Idea Right?” and “Get Him Back!” To further support the album, Rodrigo will embark on the Guts World Tour in 2024, as a portion of proceeds from ticket sales will go to Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good initiative.
On Instagram, Rodrigo further provided fresh dates for the world tour, quoting, “my GUTS world tour just added 18 new dates! ticket registration is open till Sunday, 9/17 on oliviarodrigo.com. more dates in many countries yet to come!!!! p.s. fans who already registered can update their show preference to one of the new dates.”
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