Billy Corgan praises Olivia Rodrigo’s willingness to embrace imperfection
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Billy Corgan has praised Olivia Rodrigo for writing freely and embracing imperfections, saying she is “not afraid” to draw on different influences. His comments add to support for the singer from established rock musicians and reflect his view that pop performers should be as authentic as rock artists.
Speaking on The New York Times’ Popcast, the Smashing Pumpkins frontman called Rodrigo smart and savvy, and said she was willing to leave a vocal slightly out of tune. He brought her on stage at Lollapalooza in August to perform the band’s “Thirty-Three”; Mick Jagger, Jack White and Robert Smith have also praised her. Rodrigo is promoting her third album and recently joined Chappell Roan on a remix of “Expectations”.
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In short
- Billy Corgan praised Rodrigo’s fearless, imperfect songwriting.
- The pair performed “Thirty-Three” at Lollapalooza in August.
- Other rock figures, including Mick Jagger, have praised her.
How this story developed
- 3 minutes ago Corgan’s praise was reported alongside his August Lollapalooza performance of the Smashing Pumpkins’ “Thirty-Three” with Rodrigo, and mentions of support from Mick Jagger, Jack White and Robert Smith as she promotes her third album and a remix with Chappell Roan.
- 10 minutes ago Billy Corgan praised Olivia Rodrigo’s willingness to draw on varied influences and leave imperfections in her songs, saying pop stars should be as authentic as rock musicians.
Explained simply
Billy Corgan is the singer and guitarist of the Smashing Pumpkins, a rock band formed in Chicago in the late 1980s. Olivia Rodrigo is a singer-songwriter who became widely known with her debut album, SOUR, and is part of a younger generation of pop artists whose work draws on rock as well as pop.
The boundaries between pop and rock have long been debated, including whether pop performers are seen as having the same artistic control and honesty associated with rock musicians. Established artists’ comments about Rodrigo add to discussion of how her songwriting and influences are received across generations and genres.
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Originally published by NME as “Billy Corgan on his respect for Olivia Rodrigo: “She’s not afraid””.