Read like Olivia Rodrigo: 9 Captivating books the singer swears by
Poetic reads
Since the release of her debut single, Drivers License, in 2021, Olivia Rodrigo has been inescapable. The young starlet became an overnight pop sensation with the song, becoming one of the best-selling songs of the year and earning her three coveted Grammy awards, including Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Performance.
Her follow-up sophomore studio album, Guts, in September 2023 further cemented the singer and actress as the pop-punk princess of the young generation. Like the amazing songwriter she is, fans love Rodrigo for her heartfelt and expressive lyrics, and large part of her inspiration comes from the literature that she reads That’s right—the Vampire singer is a self-proclaimed bookworm and has shared some of her favourite books on her social media numerous times.
In celebration of Rodrigo turning 21 today (happy birthday!), we’ve gleaned nine books the star recommends to add to your reading list.
Helium by Rudy Francisco
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Published in 2017, Rodrigo mentioned this poetry collection in an interview with Teen Vogue, which explores important themes such as race, class, mental health, gun control and toxic masculinity. Written by award-winning spoken word poet, Rudy Francisco, Helium is an enchanting anthology of poems written in various forms that convey powerful messages. As one of her favourite books, it’s no wonder Rodrigo has developed a similar writing style.
Get the book here.
Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
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Think Rodrigo is all about boys and heartbreak? Think again! She’s actually real big on feminism and female empowerment. In a livestream on Stationhead in September 2023, Rodrigo shares that the last book she read was Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall. “I really recommend it. It’s so good,” she shared. Published in 2020, the nonfiction book quickly became one of the representative pieces of literature for intersectional feminism. In her collection of essays, Kendall lends her searing critic of the modern feminist movement that has failed women of colour.
Get the book here.
The Defining Decade by Meg Jay
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As a global superstar just entering her twenties, Rodrigo’s relatable writing about girlhood is part of her massive appeal. Full of angst, pining and heartbreak, navigating your twenties can be difficult for anyone, including the Get Him Back singer. Written by clinical psychologist Dr. Meg Jay, The Defining Decade is a cult-classic self-help book that provides compassionate and savvy advice for confused twenty-somethings and how to confidently take control of this crucial stage in their life.
Get the book here.
Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion
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Wondering how Rodrigo got the memorable title for the first single off her Guts album, All-American Bitch? We have Joan Didion to thank. In an exclusive interview with People, the singer-songwriter shared that Didion’s seminal 1968 collection of essays, Slouching Towards Bethlehem, was a huge inspiration behind the song. The book chronicles Didion’s experience living in California during the 1960s counterculture movement.
“It comes from the essay that she wrote about hippies in San Francisco and running away from home,” Rodrigo said. “One of the runaways was talking about his mom back home and said she was an ‘all-American bitch.’ It’s such a provocative set of words. I sat down the next day at the piano and wrote ‘All-American Bitch’…You never know the trajectory a song is going to take.”
Get the book here.
The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Are you a lover of art and literature? Rodrigo has a book for you! The Deja Vu singer first posed with this read in 2017 to promote a Disney book donation campaign (we love the cheeky Marvels reference!). Penned by Brian Selznick, The Marvels is a hybrid novel that uses both pencil drawings and prose to tell its extraordinary story. Set in a period spanning hundreds of years across the sea, two boys in different timelines uncover the mysteries of their past and go on a breathtaking journey of heartbreak and healing.
Get the book here.
All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks
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Fans of Rodrigo would know that the singer is a romantic through and through. Apart from using her own relationships as inspiration for her writing, what better way to explore the concept of love than with Bell Hooks’ iconic bestselling book, All About Love? Published in 1999, this enduring nonfiction gem probes and analyses love’s place in a modern society filled with divisions, prejudice and suffering. The feminist icon and cultural critic offers radical new ways of thinking about the art of loving and its many forms that will strike any reader’s mind and heart.
Get the book here.
A Natural Woman by Carole King
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In a blink of an eye, Rodrigo turned into a global star in which every part of her life is put under the microscopic lens of public opinion. One person who knows all this too well is the legendary Carole King, who Rodrigo touts as one of her major music influences. It’s no wonder the You’ve Got a Friend singer’s 2012 memoir, A Natural Woman, was found on the bookshelf of Rodrigo’s home. In her Vogue cover story, Rodrigo even earned a nod from King, who called her “a professional in everything she does.”
Get the book here.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
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As an actress, singer and songwriter, Rodrigo is the definition of a multi-hyphenate who lives and breathes creative work. In an interview with British Vogue in 2021, the star recommends Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear to any artist regardless of their craft. “It taught me everything I know about creative living,” Rodrigo shared. Serving as both a guidebook and memoir, this popular nonfiction book offers many tips and practises on how to fully embrace your creativity and let go of mental blocks.
Get the book here.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Rodrigo also loves settling in with a good mystery! In this eccentric and whimsical read, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time follows a boy on the autism spectrum who sets out to solve the mystery behind the suspicious murder of a neighbour’s dog. At just under 280 pages, this book is a short yet entertaining read for all ages.
Get the book here.
For more book recommendations, head here.
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