Olivia Rodrigo on 'deja vu' & Her Top Songwriting Tips | MTV News

[00:00] - I first realized songwriting was, like,

[00:01] sort of, a viable option for my life

[00:04] when I got to write a

[00:06] for 'High School Musical:

[00:08] Before that, I, sort of,

[00:11] and, like, played them

[00:13] But, that was, sort of,

[00:16] I wrote something that people,

[00:18] that I believed in, and it, kind

[00:21] so it gave me a lot of confidence.

[00:22] “drivers license” coming out has, sort of,

[00:23] immensely affected my songwriting process

[00:26] and my music, you know, making

[00:30] But I thought, actually, when it came out,

[00:31] and when it, you know, started

[00:35] I thought that I was gonna get

[00:36] in my head about my writing and be like,

[00:37] "Oh, I'm never gonna write anything

[00:39] as good as 'driver's license,' ah,"

[00:40] and, like, fret about everything.

[00:42] But, I actually really think

[00:44] in my voice and in what

[00:48] which I feel like is my

[00:51] And so, kind of, learning that

[00:52] that's what people resonated

[00:54] with writing all of my other music.

[00:56] Hey, I'm Olivia Rodrigo

[00:57] and these are my top

[01:03] My first tip, which I think

[01:06] is listen to music like a songwriter.

[01:09] I have grown exponentially

[01:12] I think it is the best way to

[01:15] is to draw on inspiration from

[01:19] I literally will, like, listen

[01:22] watch all of their interviews,

[01:25] "OK, I'm gonna, like, try

[01:26] as if they were writing this song,"

[01:28] and it just, like, completely,

[01:31] and helps make your music

[01:34] I'm obsessed with the way

[01:37] and her imagery is fantastic

[01:39] and her storytelling

[01:42] So, I don't think I'm as good

[01:45] but I always try to, like, put

[01:49] singer-songwriter-y type

[01:53] I think Lorde really teaches me

[01:55] and actual music music.

[01:57] I think she always makes

[01:58] and so I try to do that.

[02:00] And also, she's a brilliant

[02:02] and she's super poetic

[02:03] and you can tell that,

[02:05] started out as poetry,

[02:06] and so some of my songs

[02:08] when I try to emulate her.

[02:10] Also, a big lyrical inspiration

[02:13] She's just, like, so brutally honest

[02:15] and says stuff that you wouldn't

[02:19] and I think that's impactful and beautiful

[02:21] and so, I, sort of,

[02:23] Another songwriting tip that I have is

[02:26] finished is sometimes better than perfect.

[02:28] I can't tell you how many times

[02:31] and, like, been writing

[02:33] "This is terrible. I should just quit.

[02:35] "Like, this is so bad."

[02:38] or at least, like, finish

[02:41] or, like, finish the verse and chorus.

[02:43] And, lots of the time, I

[02:45] "Oh, wait. That was actually great.

[02:47] "I was getting really

[02:48] And so, you're never

[02:50] if you just, like, throw it away

[02:51] the second you think it's not good,

[02:53] and you're never gonna learn how

[02:55] if you just, like, are

[02:57] and a bolt of inspiration to strike you.

[02:59] Number three, I think

[03:01] with number two a little bit.

[03:03] Really, like, showing

[03:06] and not just waiting for,

[03:09] or something to inspire you.

[03:11] I think, sometimes, you

[03:14] and create, even when you don't

[03:16] because I think when you

[03:19] you, like, show the Universe

[03:21] of bringing this idea to life

[03:25] in the way that it's

[03:26] And like, I'm spiritual in that way,

[03:28] where I think that, like, the

[03:31] and then will give you better ideas.

[03:32] So, that was sort of the exercise

[03:36] I, like, forced myself to write a song.

[03:37] Not forced myself. That sounds like -

[03:39] That sounds sad and scary,

[03:40] but I sat down at the piano and was like,

[03:42] "I'm gonna write a song

[03:43] and I feel like that made

[03:46] And, you know, I think some of the ideas

[03:49] I wouldn't have, you

[03:51] if I didn't, you know, make

[03:53] So, I think showing up

[03:55] It's more important than being

[03:58] You can be super talented,

[04:00] what's the point?

[04:01] Alright, fourth tip is to

[04:04] and because you love it

[04:07] The second that you, sort

[04:10] with the intention of it

[04:12] it loses its magic.

[04:14] At least for me, if I ever,

[04:17] and look at people,

[04:19] or, you know, criticizing it or whatever,

[04:21] and then I take that with me in my writing

[04:23] and I'm like,

[04:24] "but, people won't like

[04:25] or, like, "Oh, I have to do

[04:27] It just absolutely, like, ruins it

[04:29] and I think you just

[04:31] when you're, like,

[04:32] and try to stay out of your head,

[04:34] and do it 'cause you love it.

[04:35] Don't do it for, you know, other people.

[04:37] Those are the best types of songs.

[04:39] It's actually super, super cool to see

[04:41] people relate to my songs.

[04:43] For a while, I felt like I

[04:45] 'cause I was like, "Oh, I kinda

[04:48] Like, I've been homeschooled

[04:50] I, like, am on a set all day with, like,

[04:54] Like, is what I say going to

[04:57] And so, putting out “drivers license”

[04:59] and seeing people of, actually, all ages,

[05:02] male, female, everyone,

[05:04] "Whoa, that took me back to a time

[05:06] "where I was feeling like that,"

[05:07] or, "Oh, I'm feeling like that right now.

[05:08] "This helps me so much."

[05:09] Like, that was so cool to me to realize

[05:11] that, you know, honesty

[05:13] and you don't have to, like, try

[05:16] You just have to tell your story

[05:17] because, you know, humans are all so much more alike

[05:20] than we are different,

[05:21] so much of the same things

[05:23] The last songwriting tip

[05:26] as much poetry as you can.

[05:27] I feel like that really

[05:30] I think I have to start a song

[05:32] with a lyrical concept or idea.

[05:34] I'm a very lyric, narrative,

[05:37] and everything else, kind

[05:39] So, in order to write a song that I like,

[05:41] it has to be either a poem that I like,

[05:43] or, like, a concept, or, like, a play

[05:47] The hook of “deja vu” is,

[05:48] "When she's with you, do you get deja vu?"

[05:50] And it's this, sort of, concept

[05:51] that I am really obsessed with

[05:53] and, I think, something

[05:54] were going through, where it's like,

[05:56] sometimes, when you break up with someone

[05:58] and they get with somebody else,

[05:59] it sort of feels like

[06:00] everything that they're doing is recycled,

[06:02] which happens in every

[06:04] And for the music video,

[06:06] we kinda didn't want it to

[06:08] relationship-y,

[06:09] so I thought it would be

[06:11] a, like, female-stalker type music video

[06:15] 'cause I'm obsessed with 'Killing Eve.'

[06:17] That's my favorite show of all time

[06:19] and I was like, "I wanna do a

[06:21] And also, I think it really

[06:23] "Do you get deja vu?" thing

[06:25] because it's, like, these two girls,

[06:27] because they, like, want

[06:29] So, yeah. I had a lot of

[06:33] I think it’s like a really, kind of, convoluted, weird,

[06:36] awesome music video.

[06:38] I think it's, like, perfectly

[06:40] [Laughs]