Detroit’s Jack White knows a thing or two about the music industry, and he’s become one of many mentors to Gen Z superstar Olivia Rodrigo.
Rodrigo is on the precipice of releasing her highly anticipated sophomore album “Guts,” and she said in a candid interview with The New York Times that she’s recently gotten some sage advice from White.
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Rodrigo said in the interview that she asked White for advice on how to tackle the music industry, and she even cried when she first met him. I don’t have too much that I can relate to with Rodrigo, but crying when meeting White for the first time is something I would absolutely do.
“He wrote me this letter the first time I met him that said, ‘Your only job is to write music that you would want to hear on the radio.,’” she said during the interview. She added that, “I mean, writing songs that you would like to hear on the radio is in fact very hard.”
Not only did White challenge the pop star to just go for it while crafting her new album, but I also love that he’s still writing letters!
Rodrigo also mentioned that indie rocker St. Vincent has become another mentor of hers. With St. Vincent and White by her side, two artists that absolutely shred on the guitar, it could be a sign that Rodrigo’s second album can live up to the hype.
So far, she has released two singles from the upcoming record, and they are both just fantastic. “Vampire” is a slow burn of a song with clever songwriting, and the newly released “Bad Idea Right?” is an absolute banger. If these two songs are any indication to what we’re going to get with “Guts,” then I am so excited.
To read the full interview with The New York Times, click here. “Sour” is out of Sept. 8.
