ZHUBIZ CHEZMIZ-MUSIC: WASHINGTON- Olivia Rodrigo collaborates with Dr. Fauci for a ‘Mean Tweets’-inspired vaccine PSA
While visiting the nation’s capital, Rodrigo recorded a series of public service announcements outlining the rewards of protecting oneself and others against the coronavirus — as well as the dangers of going unvaccinated as the Delta variant continues to spread.
Shot inside the Oval Office, one video took a traditional approach, with a straightforward joint statement from the president and the chart-topping “Sour” artist on the “importance of getting vaccinated” — directed at “people Olivia’s age … between the ages of 16 and 25.”
“We badly need you to get vaccinated — not only for your own sake and your own health, but for all those people around you,” Biden says in a clip posted Thursday. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Inspired by late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel’s wildly popular “Mean Tweets,” segment, another video — uploaded Friday morning — implemented a more lighthearted strategy, as 18-year-old Rodrigo and 80-year-old Fauci took turns reading “(Vaccine) Fan Tweets.”
“‘Did anyone else spend their Friday afternoon driving to their second vaccine appointment and crying to Olivia Rodrigo or was that just me?'” the singer-songwriter read.
“I love that. I’m so happy that I’m soundtracking your vaccine appointment. That’s great.”
On Wednesday, the “Drivers License” hitmaker looked happy and healthy while touring the West Wing in a presidential pink plaid ensemble before taking the White House lectern to address reporters during a daily press briefing.
“I’m in awe of the work President Biden and Dr. Fauci have done and was happy to help lend my support to this important initiative,” Rodrigo said in a prepared statement.
“It’s important to have conversations with friends and family members encouraging all communities to get vaccinated and actually get to a vaccination site, which you can do more easily than ever before.”
The “Good 4 U” performer arrived at the White House shortly after Biden invited her, via Instagram, to participate in the government’s vaccination efforts as a youth liaison. (Rodrigo’s popularity on TikTok, signature middle part and unapologetic teen angst have made her somewhat of a poster child for the Gen Z demographic and therefore the perfect candidate for such a position.)
Between filming content for the White House’s social media pages, Rodrigo and Biden were photographed in the Oval Office rocking matching pairs of aviator sunglasses for the ‘gram — as the kids say. On her government Instagram account, Vice President Kamala Harris also shared some candid snaps taken with the “Deja Vu” singer.
“Thanks for stopping by, Olivia, and for using your voice to urge young people to get vaccinated,” read the caption on the official @potus Instagram account. “If we all do our part and get the COVID-19 vaccine, we can defeat this virus once and for all. Let’s do this.”
“if you are young and not immunocompromised, getting your covid vaccination is the best thing you can do for your health and your loved ones’ health,” Rodrigo said in a caption on a selfie with the president. “YOU have the power to save lives. … thank you to everyone who has done their part in helping end this pandemic.”
Rodrigo’s White House collab is part of a larger campaign launched by the government in recent months to increase vaccination rates for young Americans, which have lagged far behind those of other groups.
In an effort to persuade America’s youth to hop on the immunization train, the Executive Office has deployed everything from Walgreens gift cards and free concert tickets to TikTok videos and video game livestreams.
Meanwhile, Fauci has been collaborating with Instagram influencers to disseminate information about vaccines to a wider, younger audience. The infectious-disease expert has also teamed up with a slew of prominent figures on TikTok, including actor Jennifer Garner and “Dance Moms” alumni Mackenzie Ziegler and Nia Sioux, for maximum exposure.
This isn’t the first time Team Biden has tapped Rodrigo in hopes of galvanizing America’s youth. Before the 2020 presidential election — back in the Pre-“Drivers License” Era (PDE) — the “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” star joined forces with 20-year-old Maisy Biden, now the first granddaughter, to educate young Americans about voting and civic engagement.
“If you’re not of voting age, like me, there’s still so much that you can do,” said Rodrigo, then 17, while interviewing the president’s granddaughter, “so many conversations that you can have and ways that you can contribute and make your voice heard.”
Times staff writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour Prom MV is a theatrical treat
Olivia Rodrigo has been topping the pop music charts ever since she debuted. First there was her runaway hit single ‘Drivers License’, which inspired a viral TikTok challenge and topped the Billboard Hot 100 list for eight straight weeks. Next, her debut album titled ‘Sour’ was released in May to critical acclaim.
The 18-year-old musician also treated Livies (her fans) with a beautiful and mesmerising concert film, Sour Prom on June 30, 2021. The concert film sees the singer singing a mashup of all her hits in a full prom night sequence with the audience and fans as her dates.
Fans will be able to pick out the list of songs such as ‘Happier’, ‘Déjà vu’, ‘Brutal’, ‘Traitor’ and ‘Jealousy, Jealousy.’ The whimsical medley dramatically concludes with her current global smash, Good 4 U, while she leads a marching band.
For Rodrigo, one of the greatest joys in life comes from deliberately tapping into her deepest heartache. “There’s nothing like sitting at the piano in my bedroom and writing a really sad song,” she said. “It’s truly my favourite thing in the world; it’s so inspiring to see my music affect people and maybe help them to feel less alone too.”
“I’m also fascinated by the idea of a relationship going sour—how a person you loved so much and told all your secrets to can become the person you can’t stand,” Rodrigo explained about the album’s title. “For me, the goal of all music is to take these complicated feelings and externalize them in a way that makes people feel seen.”
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TRIVIA:
Early life
Olivia Isabel Rodrigo was born on February 20, 2003, at Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta, California. Her parents are Jennifer and Chris Rodrigo who lived in Temecula. She has German and Irish ancestry through her mother while her father is of Filipino descent. Rodrigo stated that her paternal great-grandfather moved from the Philippines to the United States as a teenager, and her family follows Filipino traditions and cuisine. Rodrigo began taking acting and singing classes at age six and started acting in theater productions at Lisa J. Mails Elementary School and Dorothy McElhinney Middle School.[7][11] She moved from Murrieta to Los Angeles when she landed her role on Bizaardvark.
