Olivia Rodrigo Recalls Feeling “Out of My Element” During Wild Rave with Charli XCX. Pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo may sell out arenas worldwide, but she admits she is still easily intimidated by the music industry’s biggest party animals.
During an appearance on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge, the 23-year-old Guts singer looked back on a surreal, high-energy night out with “365” hitmaker Charli XCX—an experience that left her feeling completely out of her depth.
“She’s the Ultimate Party Girl”
While laughing about the memory, Rodrigo confessed that electronic dance music culture isn’t exactly her usual scene.
“I actually went to a rave with her,” Rodrigo shared during the interview. “I don’t even know if it’s a rave. I’m not like a party girl—she’s the ultimate party girl, obviously. I was a little out of my element, but I had the best time, and she was very lovely.”
The unexpected pairing brings together two of pop music’s biggest forces, contrasting Rodrigo’s signature alt-rock-infused angst with Charli XCX’s iconic electronic club culture.
A Special Live Lounge Performance
Rodrigo’s radio appearance wasn’t just about party stories. The singer-songwriter took the stage to perform a stripped-back, country-tinged cover of CMAT’s track “When A Good Man Cries”—a musical arrangement she uniquely collaborated on with her own father.
“I think that song is epic, and me and my dad had so much fun putting it together,” she explained. “It’s kind of twangy and country, and the lyrics are super, super awesome and unique.”
Currently in the middle of her massive global tour, Rodrigo also used her airtime to praise her female support acts, Wolf Alice and The Last Dinner Party.
“I think that they’re amazing, and all of them are kind of my friends too,” Rodrigo said. “I just love surrounding myself with musicians who inspire me, and all of those artists totally inspire me and push me to want to be better.”
Writing Beyond the Breakup
The singer also opened up about her evolving creative process for her latest album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. Following highly publicized breakup anthems like “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U,” Rodrigo is intentionally shifting her perspective.
Speaking on the Popcast podcast, she addressed her new musical direction following her rumored split from actor Louis Partridge.
“As someone who was very known for writing breakup songs and being angry and sad, I wanted to prove to myself that I didn’t have to be miserable to write a song that I liked,” she revealed.