Culture

Olivia Rodrigo Wins Billboard's Woman Of The Year Award And Uses Her Speech To Send A Special Message To Young Female Artists

You've probably listened to "Good 4 U" more than times than you can count. You're not the only one. 19-year-old Olivia Rodrigo has rocketed into fame over the last year, all because of her debut album "Sour."

By Gina Florio1 min read
Olivia Rodrigo Billboard Women
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At the 2022 annual Billboard Music Awards, the young singer-songwriter was awarded Woman of the Year. When she took the stage to receive the award from Sheryl Crow, she expressed her deep gratitude for her role models and had a special message for young female songwriters.

Olivia Rodrigo Wants Young Female Songwriters to Be Encouraged

Olivia has reached a monumental level of success this past year that is matched by very few teenage artists. She took the time to acknowledge that this path was carved for her by other women artists who came before her.

"It's not always easy being a young woman in the music industry," she said. "But I've found so much strength from the female songwriters who have come before me and paved the way and opened doors for so many young women like me."

She didn't name who these songwriters were, but she expressed her appreciation for their work and influence. She then sent a special message to young songwriters "who are writing songs every day in their journals, on their bedroom floors."

"I am constantly moved by your vulnerability and your creativity and bravery," she said. "I promise everyone here today is working to make this world and this industry a better place for you."

The crowd erupted with applause. In conclusion, she thanked her team for their dedication and hard work.

You can catch an inside look into the making of Olivia's album when her documentary Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u (a Sour film) is released on Disney+ on March 25, 2022.