Latest news with #Rodrigo
Evening Standard
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Mad Cool 2025 review: Further proof that Olivia Rodrigo is unquestionably a rock star
If she was able to endear herself to the Glastonbury faithful by bringing out Robert Smith, she showed here she is able to pack a punch, live, without a guest star. Her openers Obsessed and Ballad of a Homeschool Girl hit hard and set up Rodrigo for the piano epics of Vampire, Driver's Licence, and Traitor that follow. Perhaps the third part of the set, the home of the album tracks, is the weakest and might yet be replaced when Rodrigo has more than two albums under her belt. But the thumping, one-two closer of Good 4 U into Get Him Back was a worthy end to a weekend of excellent music.
Arab Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
Olivia Rodrigo calls out 'horrific' conditions facing Palestinians in Gaza
LOS ANGELES, July 16: Pop star Olivia Rodrigo is raising her voice in support of those affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In a powerful message shared on her Instagram Story over the weekend, Rodrigo condemned the "horrific and completely unacceptable" conditions faced by families in Palestine. For nearly two years, Gaza has been grappling with widespread hunger, homelessness, and a lack of access to basic medical care and humanitarian aid. These dire conditions worsened after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 251 hostages. Israel subsequently launched a military campaign against Hamas, leading to the deaths of over 58,000 people, according to Reuters. Rodrigo expressed deep sorrow over the situation, saying, 'There are no words to describe the heartbreak I feel witnessing the devastation that is being inflicted upon innocent people in Palestine.' She continued, 'Mothers, fathers, and children in Gaza are starving, dehydrated, and being denied access to basic medical care and humanitarian aid.' The Grammy-winning artist emphasized the shared human suffering across the globe, stating, 'There is no child in Israel, Palestine, or anywhere in the world who deserves to suffer through what we're seeing these children have to endure. It is horrific and completely unacceptable. To give up on them is to give up on our shared humanity.' Rodrigo went on to announce that she had made a donation to UNICEF, encouraging her followers to do the same if they were able to contribute. "I've donated to UNICEF to help support the victims of this horrifying situation," she wrote. "I encourage you to do the same if you have the means." Rodrigo joins a growing number of celebrities speaking out about the violence in Gaza. Recently, Lana Del Rey shared that she prays for Palestine 'every day,' while Billie Eilish publicly disavowed Israel's plan to forcibly relocate Palestinians to a 'humanitarian city' built on the ruins of Rafah, calling the proposal 'horrifying.' Known for her outspoken activism, Rodrigo has consistently used her platform to address issues that matter to her. From endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 U.S. presidential election to protesting attacks on reproductive freedom at her shows, the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star is unafraid to speak her mind. Last year, Rodrigo launched her Fund 4 Good, a project aimed at raising money for abortion funds globally. This initiative earned her the Catalyst for Change award from Planned Parenthood at their spring gala in April 2025. During her speech at the event, Rodrigo shared her perspective on the politicization of women's bodies: 'We live in a world that politicizes our bodies and uses harmful ideologies to deny us safety and healthcare. My greatest wish is that through organizations like Planned Parenthood and the action of everyday citizens, no woman will need to sacrifice her dreams, her health, or her humanity because of restrictive laws or lack of resources.'
Buzz Feed
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Olivia Rodrigo Calls Israel-Gaza Violence 'Horrific' And 'Completely Unacceptable'
Olivia Rodrigo showed her support for Palestinian children this weekend, encouraging her followers to donate alongside her amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. 'There are no words to describe the heartbreak I feel witnessing the devastation that is being inflicted upon innocent people in Palestine,' Rodrigo wrote Saturday on her Instagram story. 'Mothers, fathers, and children in Gaza are starving, dehydrated, and being denied access to basic medical care and humanitarian aid. 'There is no child in Israel, Palestine, or anywhere in the world who deserves to suffer through what we're seeing these children have to endure,' she wrote. 'It is horrific and completely unacceptable. To give up on them is to give up on our shared humanity.' She said she donated to UNICEF, a child's humanitarian organization, and encouraged others to do the same. Rodrigo's message comes as Israeli attacks continue in Gaza. On Sunday, Israeli strikes killed at least 30 people, including six children at a water collection site, bringing the total number of Palestinians killed in the war to about 58,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The United Nations and Amnesty International have called Israel's war against Palestinians a genocide. Throughout her career, Rodrigo has been outspoken for many causes, but most notably, women's reproductive rights. After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, Rodrigo performed 'Fuck You' with Lily Allen, dedicating the performance to the Supreme Court justices who voted for the overturn. 'I wanted to dedicate this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who have showed us that at the end of the day, they truly don't give a shit about freedom,' Rodrigo said to the Glastonbury crowd. 'The song goes out to the justices: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh. We hate you.' Jim Dyson / Getty Images In 2023, she founded a nonprofit, Fund 4 Good, which is dedicated to women's issues. 'Its initiative is to raise awareness for certain groups that are championing women's issues in America and all of the other territories I'm going to,' Rodrigo told People in 2023. 'I'm very excited, and I think it's going to be a very fulfilling and hopefully productive experience. Lots of the money is going to abortion funds to help provide some resources to people who are in need of reproductive health care.'
Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Olivia Roderigo offers 'free therapy' to crew after gruelling 17-month tour
Pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo is paving the way for mental health awareness after her guitarist revealed that the singer paid for therapy for the entire crew on tour. The 22-year-old's 'Guts World Tour' ran from February 2024 up until the final show in Manchester at the start of July 2025. In total, she performed 102 shows across several continents: a tall order for both her and her crew. But Rodrigo's guitarist Daisy Spencer has revealed that their mental health was a huge priority to the singer. Speaking to The Stage Left podcast, she revealed that professional therapy was on offer throughout the tour for all band and crew members. She said: 'Olivia and our tour manager, Marty Hom, made accessible and free therapy for all of the touring personnel.' She added: 'I have never had anything like that. And that reignited the importance of therapy to me because I had just kind of fallen off for so long.' The 'Vampire' singer is not the only star advocating for mental health, either. Lewis Capaldi recently teamed up with the online therapy platform BetterHelp to give his fans 734,000 hours of free online therapy – a reference to the 734 days the artist took to focus on his mental health after he experienced difficulties during a 2023 Glastonbury Festival set. Positivity and success coach Casey Paul believes celebrities being vocal about mental health can have a 'massive' impact. She says: 'When leaders speak openly about mental health, it gives everyone else permission to do the same and breaks the stigma that can often be attached to it. Instead of mental health being seen as a private issue, or a weakness it becomes part of normal culture – something human, and worth supporting.' Of course, while touring can be a particularly stressful environment, therapy can be beneficial in a wide range of workplaces. Lauren Baird is a psychotherapist at Inner Glow Therapy who has witnessed many people coming in with burnout. She reveals: 'So many people come to therapy struggling with their mental health, but terrified to say anything at work, scared they'll be seen as weak, unprofessional, or just not good enough. 'That kind of stigma has been around for years, especially when it comes to things like anxiety, depression or burnout. You'd never question someone taking time off for a physical illness, but when it comes to emotional health, there's still this fear it'll be judged as a character flaw." However, she says that she has been seeing a definite shift in attitudes. She says: 'More workplaces are starting to include therapy as part of their wellbeing offering — and culturally, we're beginning to understand that emotional regulation and resilience are just as important as physical health.' Plus, she points out that it's also beneficial for the employer too. She says: 'We also know from research that emotionally supportive workplaces have more productive teams and fewer cases of long-term sickness.' According to the Mental Health Foundation, poor mental wellbeing costs British employers an estimated £42 billion to £45 billion per year, through working while sick, sickness absence and staff turnover. Meanwhile, in 2022 and 2023 were an estimated 875,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
Los Angeles Times
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘The dreamiest boss of all time': Olivia Rodrigo paid for crew's therapy while on tour
It seems the therapists Olivia Rodrigo found for her band really helped. The 22-year-old 'Vampire' singer and her tour manager Marty Hom provided free and accessible therapy for the entire 'Guts' tour crew, rhythm guitarist Daisy Spencer revealed on 'The StageLeft Podcast.' 'I have never had anything like that,' Spencer, 31, told host Chris Simpson. 'And that reignited the importance of therapy to me because I had kind of fallen off for so long.' Rodrigo and Spencer just wrapped the 102-date 'Guts' world tour July 1 and completed a successful headlining set at Glastonbury, where they were joined on stage by the Cure's Robert Smith. While on the podcast, Spencer described Rodrigo as 'the dreamiest boss of all time' and opened up about taking care of her mind and body on the road. 'Suddenly I had this free resource of incredible therapists and I utilized the crap out of that,' she said. 'I was going, you know, once a week, once every other week, whenever I could. And it was even during the off time — we also still had access to this resource.' Rodrigo's dad, Chris Rodrigo, is a family therapist, and the singer has been very open about starting therapy at 16. 'That was a really big, life-changing moment,' she told CBS Sunday Morning in 2021. 'I've learned so much about myself.' And she's not the only musician promoting therapy. Lewis Capaldi, who returned to the stage after a two-year break from performing to focus on his all-around health, announced Monday that he's partnering with BetterHelp to provide 734,000 hours of free online therapy. Ariana Grande has also partnered with the virtual therapy platform several times in the past. Though the 'Guts' tour has concluded, Rodrigo still has several festival engagements lined up for the summer, including a headlining set Aug. 1 at Lollapalooza.
