Batul Almasri

Mrs.Mikuzis

26, April 2024

Driver license

Olivia Rodrigo has recently begun to level up in her music career. She began writing her music

as soon as she turned eighteen. Olivia dropped her first song, Driver License that topped the

charts as soon as it came out. Millions of people around the world claim this song to be the “best

heartbreak” song. This is due to her magnificent wording in her lyrics that connected with many

all around the world.

In this song, Olivia’s driver license resembles the plans that her and her ex made that are

never going to be experienced because the relationship is over. She mentions that the plans and

the future they talked about meant more to her then to him. This is slightly due to the way he

moved on quicker and to a completely opposite person then her, which caused doubt and

insecurity. This reveals to her listeners that she was jealous and eventually became doubtful that

he ever loved her. Olivia mentions the words he always used to tell her like “Cause you said we

were forever” and “guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me.” In these lyrics

Olivia emphasizes the impact his words had on her, and that words can be broken.

During this time, Olivia was going through a hard break up with her ex-boyfriend Joshua

Basset. They started their friendship on a Tv show, and eventually both of them became

musicians. It was revealed that right after the break up, he quickly turned to another girl who has

completely opposite features then Olivia Rodrigo. She dropped “Driver License” a couple weeks

after that. She mentioned how she felt that a lot of young people in relationships feel like they
love too hard and are too hopeful. This song wasn't just for her to talk about her feelings, but she

knew her fans were teenagers who are also struggling with jealousy and grief.

Furthermore, her audience were obviously teeenagers who go through break ups, but it

was also for individuals who constantly blame themselves for a relationship that didn't work. In

her song she mentions, “ She’s everything I’m insecure about,” in this phrase she reveals that the

other girl he’s with is enough for him, reveaing that she feels she was never enough. She wants

her fans to know that even though she herself, a famous musician that people look up to, also has

insecurities. Olivia also states, “Cause how could I ever love someone else.” She reveals that

lyric in a question because she knows that he moved on really fast which causes her to feel

denial. This helps her fan base connect with her on a deeper level because so many young

relationships end in a way where the other is still attached. Her audience emotionally bonded

over this song because her lyrics reveal that it's hard to move on and its okay to grieve.

Overall, the purpose of this song is to reveal the difficulties in trying to move on when

everything reminds you of that ex lover. In the song she says, “Just like we always talked about”

this emphasizes the reminders she gets every time she does something in her daily life. Its not

just the memories that held her back from moving on, but the future planned and the constant

reminders. Another example is, “Can’t drive past the places we used to go to,” this is a strong

lyric that also reveals how difficult it is, to go from having someone suddenly disappear from

your life. This has affected the simplest things that she does in her daily life causing her to

always have flashbacks.

As Olivia Rodrigo sings her song, she begins her song upset then that eventually

escalates to being angry with the way things ended. Besides the constant reminders that it's over,

she also feels like there was always another woman, because he made her feel like she was never
enough. All the reasons that she wrote these songs simply revolve around the feelings that come

with loving someone. Her tone resonates with her lyrics because once you allow yourself to start

to feel that jealousy and feel that anger, you are not just upset but angry as well.

Olivia Rodrigo knows how to relate to her fans in all different ways. Her songs will

always be something that people listen to when they are going through a heartbreak, or even just

need something to sing while yelling. Her songs create emotion and cause people to feel

something that they think they are alone with.