Olivia Rodrigo: I’m the best version of myself in London
Olivia Rodrigo has explained why she loves spending time in London.
Olivia Rodrigo feels like she's the "best version" of herself in London.
The 23-year-old pop star wrote a huge chunk of her new album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, in London, and Olivia has admitted to feeling inspired by the city.
The brunette beauty - who previously dated London-born actor Louis Partridge - told Dazed: "I’m the best version of myself when I’m there. I wrote lots of the album in London; lots [of it] was inspired by my time there. Maybe it’s because it rains so much that all you want to do is be inside with the guitar and write."
Olivia has also admitted to feeling inspired by Manchester, the home of bands such as Oasis, The Smiths, Joy Division, and The Stone Roses.
The singer - who was born and raised in California - said: "I spent some time in Manchester a few years ago and it was so rainy I was like, ‘No wonder so many great bands come out of Manchester!’"
Olivia initially planned to release her new album earlier in the year. But the chart-topping star explained that she needed "a little time and space and perspective" before releasing the record.
She said: "Making albums takes a really long time.
"I initially thought I was going to put the single out in February and the album in June, but I just wanted to get everything really shored up before I put [the single] out. Sometimes you just need a little time and space and perspective."
Olivia recently revealed that You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love reflects real-life events and real-life feelings.
The singer said on the Popcast podcast: "For the most part, it is chronological and in the order in which it happened in my life and it’s the first time that’s happened.
"I write songs to process my feelings, so every day when I come and I sit at the piano or I go to the studio, it’s like, ‘What is burning in me to say right now?’"
Olivia also revealed that her original plans for the album evolved.
She said: "I was always kind of curious about trying to mine these more depressing feelings out of these love songs.
"I think initially, I thought that was what the record was going to be, just all love songs but trying to inject some sadness into them. And then obviously sadness in a real or more whole way crept its way into the end."
