Olivia Rodrigo Speaks Up For Reproductive Rights During Concert

On May 4, Olivia Rodrigo performed at The Anthem in Washington as part of her “Sour” album tour. At only 19 years old, Rodrigo is a Grammy award-winning artist as well as an actress, known for her roles in the shows “Bizaardvark” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”

Sophomore Elena Faz Garza, who attended the concert, shared some of her favorite moments.

“She had a lot of really good interaction with the crowd, and her stage presence is really good,” Faz Garza said.

Though Faz Garza enjoyed the concert’s opener, singer Holly Humberstone, as well as the many song covers and outfit changes, her favorite moment was when Rodrigo sang “All I Want” while wearing a cowboy hat.

“It was really emotional,” she explained. “You’re in a crowd with hundreds of girls all crying to that song, and it was really, really cute.”

Sophomore Salma Abu-Elnaj, who attended the concert, also mentioned that the experience was emotional for many attendees.

She said her favorite moment was screaming to “good 4 u” with her friends: “It is one of the most upbeat of her songs, so it’s fun to just jump and scream with friends,” she explained.

Although the crowd was at the concert to hear songs from “Sour,” Rodrigo also took the opportunity to advocate for abortion rights on stage.

According to an ABC News article, Rodrigo stated how “heartbroken [she is] over the Supreme Court’s potential decision” to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protects women’s freedom to have abortions without excessive government intervention.

“Our bodies should never be in the hands of politicians,” Rodrigo said during the concert as her audience cheered her on.

Although this was Rodrigo’s first time advocating for reproductive rights during one of her shows, she has supported social justice issues in previous concerts — she urged people to get COVID-19 vaccinations during her performance at the White House in July 2021, for example.

During the concert, Rodrigo added onstage, “I hope we can raise our voices to protect our right to have a safe abortion, which is a right that so many people before us have worked so hard to get.”

She hopes to speak on the topic of abortion throughout her tour, inspiring listeners to advocate for reproductive rights.