Olivia Rodrigo Shares 4 Songs That Have ’Defined and Changed’ Her Life in New Video

The singer-songwriter chatted about the tunes with ‘British Vogue’ for their ‘Music to My Ears’ series.

Olivia Rodrigo | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Olivia Rodrigo is giving fans a peek at what’s on her playlist, and British Vogue has all the details.

Last week, the outlet announced that the Grammy Award winner would be their April 2026 cover star, sharing an in-depth interview and fashion-forward photo spread featuring the 23-year-old pop sensation. As part of the cover story, Rodrigo also shared some of her highly anticipated new music with the outlet, which wrote, “The fan theories were right: these are all love songs, but specifically about the obsession and anxiety of it—or the depression when your lover is gone.”

And this week, British Vogue continued to share more from their time with Rodrigo, posting a video on their official Instagram account featuring the artist discussing songs that have impacted her in a meaningful way via their “Music to My Ears” series. The outlet clarified in the caption, “Here, on set of her cover shoot for the April 2026 issue, Rodrigo shares the four songs that have defined and changed her life ...”

For the video, the singer-songwriter wore a pretty pink dress with cream lace details, channeling an on-trend, spring-ready cottagecore aesthetic. Her long dark hair was left down for the shoot, cascading onto her bare shoulders in natural waves for an effortless look. Her makeup matched the laid back vibes, showcasing dewy skin, bold eyebrows and glossy lips.

After a quick introduction, Rodrigo dove right into her list. To start, she selected “the first song [she] ever downloaded on [her] very first iPhone,” “Buzzcut Season” by Lorde. The singer added that Lorde’s entire Pure Heroin album inspired her songwriting in general, especially when it came to highlighting moments from her daily life in her music.

Next up, she selected “Sullen Girl” by Fiona Apple, revealing it was “one of the first” songs she learned to play on piano and joking that it gave her “a lot of sad girl inspiration, as well.” The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” was her third choice, calling it one of her “favorite love songs ever.” She also referenced her 2025 performance of the tune, which she sang live while headlining the Glastonbury Festival, surprising the audience by bringing The Cure’s Robert Smith on stage with her.

And for her final pick, Rodrigo chose her debut single, “drivers license,” reminiscing about how much that song alone changed the trajectory of her life and career. “I owe a lot to that song,” she concluded. “It’s my little baby.”

You can read Rodrigo’s full British Vogue cover story here.

---