Olivia Rodrigo Had An 'Identity Crisis' While Working For Disney Channel

While some people may have only started following Oliva Rodrigo's career after her debut single 'Driver's License' went viral, the 18-year-old multi-hyphenate talents has actually been working in the entertainment industry for almost a decade now. In a new interview with Elle, Rodrigo opened up what it's really like to grow up in the spotlight. According to Rodrigo, it's less glamorous than you may have imagined.

Rodrigo's first break out made was at just 12-years-old on the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark. After working on the popular show for two years, Rodrigo revealed she experienced "an identity crisis on steroids." The then-14-year-old actress started asking herself a series of important questions, such as: "Who the f––k am I? Who cares about me? How do I treat people?"

Unlike most 14-year-olds, Rodrigo was being forced to figure out a public person to help advance her career. "Most 14-year-olds aren't in a room with adults being like, ‘So, what's your brand?'" she explained.

After a few more years of experience in the music industry, Rodrigo wants to be herself both in her personal and public lives.  "I just want to be effortless, I guess," she said. "Whether it's in my fashion or my songs or my social media, I want to just be like, ‘Yo, this is me. And I'm sometimes weird as f**k, and I'm sometimes polished and put together.' I think that's the antithesis of a brand."

Rodrigo's authenticity shows in her music, too, which is exactly what she wants. She cited The Clash, Smashing Pumpkins and No Doubt as some of her biggest musical inspirations. "I've always had that in my head: The point of music is to move you," she said. "There's something so powerful in being vulnerable and open, like, ‘This is my life, and I'm f***ing sad.' Or, ‘I'm insecure. That's what makes songwriting so special."

Photo: Getty