How Olivia Rodrigo went from High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star to having the No. 1 song in America

The Daily Beast

In just a few weeks, Rodrigo's "Drivers License" has garnered more than 60 million views, fueled by a rumored love triangle with her co-star Joshua Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter, who has released her own song that appears to be a response to Rodrigo. "It’s incredibly rare for a song by a pretty much unknown entity, at least in the mainstream, to debut at No. 1 in such explosive fashion. In some ways, it’s benefitted from a feedback loop of confusion and astonishment that’s only amplified its success," says Kevin Fallon. "One crucial key to its rise is the rampant speculation among fans of Rodrigo and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series that the breakup piano ballad is directly inspired by a long-rumored relationship she had with her Disney co-star Joshua Bassett. The lyrics are spectacularly and specifically teenaged when it comes to its depiction of love and heartbreak, which has only made more thrilling the parlor game among young fans to dissect it for more clues about their apparently dramatic romance. The gossiping brought more attention to the song, which earned more attention from news outlets, which brought more attention to the song, which made it more popular, which again brought more attention to the song. And now this nice girl you’ve never heard of is 2021’s biggest pop star. This is one of those overnight success stories that keeps the romanticized perception of Hollywood and show business afloat in the clouds. It’s nice! How is the song? It’s fine! Like… fine."