On Monday night (Oct. 9), Olivia Rodrigo decided to spill her guts all over The Theater at Ace Hotel. For the spontaneous and intimate concert (held for American Express cardholders), the 1,600 capacity venue in downtown Los Angeles was transformed into Rodrigo’s own world complete with decadent floral arrangements, photo opps at every turn, mini lipsticks disguised as pill capsules (think Spy Kids) her favorite Midori matcha on hand — plus a custom taco truck on standby for a post-show bite.
As fans eagerly took their seats, at promptly 8:15 p.m. an announcer reiterated that all funds from the night’s ticket sales would be donated to Rodrigo’s newly launched nonprofit, Fun 4 Good, which supports women and girls globally. The voice then introduced Dan Nigro – Rodrigo’s co-writer and producer – and the star herself.
“We made this entire album together over the course of a year,” said Rodrigo, taking in the crowd. “We haven’t played these songs for anyone, really.”
“And we get to tell stories that will make Olivia very uncomfortable…” added Nigro with a laugh.
During the hour-long set, the pair did both – not only performing songs off Rodrigo’s acclaimed second album Guts (plus one track from her debut album Sour) and recalling how each one came together, but also answering previously submitted fan questions read from purple notecards.
Rodrigo’s biggest reveals included that she’s most excited to play “All-American Bitch” on tour and that “Love Is Embarrassing” was a last-minute addition to the album, forcing Nigro to complete it in just five days. As for him, he confessed to being “on an island” when it came to choosing a lead single, rooting for “Bad Idea Right?” since it shows Rodrigo’s more sarcastic side.
Given the high-pressure situation of following up a breakout debut like Sour, it makes sense that one word kept popping up in their dialogue: “toil.” Which, considering Rodrigo’s self-noted proclivity for choosing four-letter album titles, could very well be in the running for her third.
Below are the stories behind each song she and Nigro performed.
