IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Olivia Rodrigo on how her grandpa predicted she'd be a performer when she was born

The Gen Z singer-songwriter shares the story of the man who knew she'd turn out to be something special when she was just "hours old."
/ Source: TODAY

Olivia Rodrigo’s musical career has been an absolute whirlwind.

Last year, the 18-year-old singer-songwriter signed her first record deal. This year, her debut single, “Drivers License,” broke Spotify records and skyrocketed her straight to her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. And since then, it’s been nothing but more hits and accolades for the Gen Z entertainer who’s known for infusing her songs with personal emotions and experiences.

It’s the kind of rare and rapid success that no one could have seen coming — except maybe Rodrigo’s grandfather.

Olivia Rodrigo named Time magazine's 2021 Entertainer of the Year
Olivia Rodrigo is Time magazine's Entertainer of the Year.Kelia Anne for TIME

Rodrigo was just named Time magazine’s 2021 Entertainer of the Year, and in a video clip from her interview with the publication, she opened up about the man who knew she was destined to do big things and feel big things, too.

“I grew up in a household that was very much accepting of my feelings and wants and needs and things like that, which I’m grateful for,” she explained.

And when it came to her desire to perform, she got that support before she even knew she wanted it.

“My grandpa actually, when I was first born, he held me in his arms, when I was hours old, and he was really good at zodiac things and astrology and reading charts and stuff,” she shared. “And he goes, ‘She’s going to be a performing artist, and she’s going to be really emotional.’”

Prior to her making those prophetic words come true, she noted, “My friends were like, ‘Oh, God! What does that mean?’”

Now they all know, and Rodrigo said her grandfather “couldn’t have been more right.” After all, she told Time, “At the core of it, all my songs are about me and my experiences and my feelings.”

But even the family patriarch couldn’t have predicted just how far she’d take her talents, which she first showcased as a musically inclined actor in the teen shows “Bizaardvark” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”

In 2021, her momentum has taken her from the Disney Channel to the White House and now to the cover of Time.

“It’s such a huge honor to be Time’s Entertainer of the Year. To be recognized in this way is just a real privilege,” Rodrigo said. “I feel very lucky.”