Top 10 Things We Learned in Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U
#10: Almost Shelving “Deja Vu”
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Olivia’s second single from “Sour” was almost never released. In “Driving Home 2 U,” Rodrigo voices her frustration about “Deja Vu.” The song, which would rise to number three on the Billboard Hot 100, talks about recycled relationships. Rodrigo was nervous about the drama surrounding “Drivers License” and following up her first hit with a different kind of song. Fans were convinced “Drivers License'' was about her ex, Joshua Bassett, and his rumored new relationship with Sabrina Carpenter. Rodrigo did not want the new single to feed into stereotypes. The singer called her producer just days before the release to “pull the plug” — but wound up keeping the song.
#9: “Drivers License” Lyric Change
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One word makes a big difference. Of course, all writers tinker with their work throughout the creative process, but some edits are more interesting than others. In an early version of “Drivers License” seen in the documentary, the lyrics have a small but significant change. The final lyrics, on the other hand, reference a blonde girl, which is what led the world to speculate that it was about actress Sabrina Carpenter. Rodrigo does not address the change in the documentary, instead moving on to talk about her own emotional development. It’s a fleeting moment, but one that could make fans add more nuance to the long-accepted narrative surrounding “Sour.”
#8: The “Sour” Songwriting Process
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You can tell from her lead single that driving is significant to Olivia Rodrigo. Turns out, it played a key role in the creation of her debut album. For a period of time, Rodrigo lived in Los Angeles but was filming “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” in Utah. For the film, Rodrigo recreates the familiar trip with performances of each of her songs from “Sour.” She chooses different locations for each track, using stops between the two cities for new renditions. In that way, fans are given an insight not only to her songwriting process but also her emotional state in making the album.
#7: Break Up Insight
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“Sour” is a break up album. In “Driving Home 2 U,” Rodrigo reflects on how a failed relationship spurred her to create her art, talking about the intensity of the pain it caused her. It was particularly devastating because Rodrigo had to keep seeing her ex while he moved on and dated someone else. Of course, fan speculation pointed to her co-star, Joshua Bassett. The two had to continue working together for “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” after their real-life breakup. Rodrigo never mentions Bassett by name but speaks to how acute the heartbreak was and how songwriting became a coping method for her.
#6: “Drivers License” Diary Entry
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The first line of a diary entry became the first line of a number one hit. Rodrigo reads what she wrote from that day, referencing her desire to get her license because of the freedom it would afford her in the eyes of a boy she was interested in. Even in her diary, viewers can pick up on how Rodrigo is still processing her breakup. She writes about how she feels less attached to him, but still cannot picture being with anyone else. The entry reflects the raw feeling at the heart of Rodrigo’s first single, which she brings from the page to the stage.
#5: An All-Woman Band
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These girls rock. Several performances in “Driving Home 2 U” feature Olivia Rodrigo’s all-female band, made up of some serious musicians. It is not the first time Rodrigo has played with women only. In October 2021, she became the first musician to record a full-length set at Austin City Limits with an all-female band. She spoke with Rolling Stone about her excitement to have an all-girl band, pointing to the lack of media representation for women in rock. Fans can rejoice — she said most of the band will join her on her first tour.
#4: Unreleased Songs
The film can’t end without something new. Rodrigo has shared unreleased tracks and projects on her social media, so it only makes sense that she would do the same in her documentary. Fans get a snippet of a new Rodrigo song which plays as the credits role. The in-progress track reportedly doesn’t have a name. There’s also footage of another song, which producer Dan Nigro (NIGH-grow) plays for Rodrigo in the studio. He calls it “the very first song we wrote together.” The sad tones of both songs would slot well into the “Sour” tracklist, but Rodrigo’s prolific songwriting means everything she pens cannot make it onto the album.
#3: Impact of Child Stardom
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Olivia Rodrigo started her career as a child actor. She began taking acting classes at age six and moved to Los Angeles in 2016 after being cast in the Disney Channel show “Bizaardvark.” Growing up in that circle impacted how she approached creating new art as an adult. When she was young, she would receive glowing praise for any task she did. Disillusioned, she began to act as her own worst critic — sometimes to the detriment of her work. In an introspective moment in the documentary, she says she began to rely more on her father and her producer, Dan Nigro (NIGH-grow), because they would always be honest with her.
#2: “Brutal” Writing Timeline
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The opening song on “Sour” was written just five days before the tracklist was delivered. “Brutal,” Rodrigo’s pop-punk-power opener, was the result of some riffing with producer Dan Nigro (NIGH-grow). The footage captures Rodrigo as she expresses a desire to include something a little different to round out the album. They write a new song that day, in the studio, after Nigro strums some chords on an acoustic guitar. Rodrigo comes up with the hook. The scene is the clearest look in “Driving Home 2 U” at how Rodrigo and Nigro create together, since the cameras are rolling as they work out “Brutal” in just a few days.
#1: Connecting with Dan Nigro
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Before “Drivers License,” producer Dan Nigro heard a different song which tipped him off to rising star Rodrigo. The singer had posted “Happier” to her Instagram in 2020. Although she felt it was not her best work, she left it up. When Nigro heard the song, he connected with her, going on to produce all of “Sour.” Rodrigo and Nigro’s working relationship is front and center in “Driving Home 2 U,” showing them in lighter moments of riffing in the studio and in more serious discussions of Rodrigo’s frustration with the album. The film and their relationship began with “Happier.” As a heartwarming bookend, the documentary ends with Rodrigo celebrating the completion of “Sour” with Nigro, and looking forward to their future work.
