Which album inspires Olivia Rodrigo to make music? Pop star hails Alanis Morissette's 1995 record as her defining influence

Olivia Rodrigo Sold-Out GUTS World Tour - New York – Madison Square Garden - Source: Getty
Olivia Rodrigo Sold-Out GUTS World Tour - New York – Madison Square Garden - Source: Getty

Olivia Rodrigo revealed the album she turns to when she needs creative grounding.

In a video from the forthcoming episode of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s podcast Music Makes Us, the pop star told host Kathleen Hanna that Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill remains her go-to record for reconnecting with herself as an artist. The vampire songstress admitted:

"Honestly, I listen to [Alanis Morissette's] Jagged Little Pill when I'm feeling, like, I don't know what to say or like, who am I? For some reason that album, just like, every part of what makes a human being a human being, it feels like it's encapsulated in that record."

Olivia Rodrigo went on, discussing how the smash hit 1995 album features a clever juxtaposition of both dark emotions and joy.

"There's so much anger and spite and jealousy but also so much joy and hope, all like intertwined into each other in such a beautiful way. I f***ing love that album as everyone on the planet does but I just think, it reminds me what I'm trying to go after."

The good 4 u hitmaker continued, sharing how the "queen of alt-rock angst" inspires her as an artist and writer.

"It's just like her being herself and just letting it pour out. And as a writer, that's always the most insipiring thing when you just feel like someone just needed to say something. They're not just writing a song to try to make it, go big or try to make people like it. It just felt like her diary in the best way."

Also Read: "A night I'll never forget": Olivia Rodrigo thanks her musical hero Robert Smith after performing two The Cure classics at Glastonbury


Olivia Rodrigo blasts Trump administration for using her song in deportation video

Meanwhile, Olivia Rodrigo's Music Makes Us chat comes a month after she responded to the Trump administration for using her song in a government video promoting deportation efforts.

The clip was posted on the official Department of Homeland Security and White House Instagram pages, which prompts undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. The department then used Olivia Rodrigo's hit all-american bitch as its background music.

This reached the 22-year-old artist's attention, prompting her to leave a scathing remark against the move.

"don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda."

Her comment was later taken down, but multiple screenshots were able to document her reaction to the clip.

Eventually, the video removed Olivia Rodrigo's song while the montage remains as of writing.

This isn't the first time for Olivia Rodrigo to condemn the Trump administration. In 2024, she spoke out against the ICE raids that took place in Los Angeles.

"I've lived in LA my whole life and I'm deeply upset about these violent deportations of my neighbors under the current administration. LA simply wouldn't exist without immigrants. Treating hardworking community members with such little respect, empathy, and due process is awful."

The bad idea right? singer is among the still-increasing number of artists whose music was utilized by the Trump administration in their deportation efforts.

These artists include Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, SZA, the Rolling Stones, Sabrina Carpenter, Semisonic, MGMT, Jess Glynne, and many more.

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Edited by Gladys Altamarino