Olivia Rodrigo Explains Why She Uses Her Platform to Oppose MAGA and Speak on Palestine and Reproductive Rights

Olivia Rodrigo is no longer just the princess of teenage heartbreak; she has evolved into a formidable political voice in an increasingly fractured America.

In an era where many pop stars prefer the safety of neutral ground, the 22-year-old singer is intentionally leaning into the fire, using her global platform to challenge the political status quo. From reproductive healthcare to the treatment of immigrant communities, Rodrigo is making it clear that she is not interested in staying silent just to keep the peace.

Appearing on the latest episode of the Music Makes Us podcast, produced by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Vampiresinger sat down with host and punk icon Kathleen Hanna to discuss the intersection of art and activism.

For Rodrigo, the two are inseparable. 'I've always felt that speaking my mind is super important,' she explained, noting that the responsibility of an artist goes far beyond selling records. 'It's our job, as artists, to try our very best to reflect the world around us as we see it,' she added.

Olivia Rodrigo Slams Trump Administration For Using Her Music in 'Hateful' Immigration Videos

The singer's commitment to 'reflecting the world' was put to the test recently during a high-profile confrontation with the Trump administration. The row erupted after Rodrigo discovered her hit song, All-American Bitch, was being used as the soundtrack for a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) video.

The clip, which was shared across the official White House Instagram account, featured ICE agents detaining individuals with captions such as 'IF ICE FINDS YOU.' The video was designed to encourage undocumented immigrants to 'self-deport.'

Rodrigo's reaction was swift and uncompromising. Taking to social media to reclaim her work, she issued a blistering rebuke to the government. 'Don't ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda,' she wrote.

The comment, which went viral before being scrubbed from the government's page, prompted Instagram to remove the audio from the post entirely. It was a rare instance of a pop star successfully forcing a government agency to retreat on social media, highlighting the tension between intellectual property and political messaging.

This was not the first time Rodrigo had locked horns with the administration over immigration policy. Earlier this year, she voiced her outrage over ICE raids taking place across Los Angeles.

In a poignant statement, she reminded her followers that 'LA simply wouldn't exist without immigrants,' before adding that 'treating hardworking community members with such little respect, empathy, and due process is awful.'

Why Olivia Rodrigo Believes Artists Have a Duty to Speak Out on Reproductive Rights

Beyond immigration, Rodrigo has remained one of the most vocal advocates for reproductive rights in the music industry. During her conversation with Hanna—the Bikini Kill frontwoman who paved the way for feminist activism in music—Rodrigo expressed her gratitude for the trailblazers who came before her.

'It's so inspiring to see people like you who speak your mind and have no fear of being too much or too loud,' she told Hanna. She went on to argue that 'the testament of a really good artist is being able to reflect what's going on in the world.'

Despite her confidence, Rodrigo admitted that she is still navigating the complexities of being a public figure with a political conscience.

'I think I'm still sort of working on what that means for me, and there are always things I feel I can learn and do better,' she confessed. This humility has only made her more relatable to a generation of fans who are equally concerned about the roll-back of rights across the United States.

Rodrigo is far from alone in this fight. As the current administration continues to use pop culture to bolster its nationalist messaging, a growing list of icons including Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, and Selena Gomez have all condemned the unauthorised use of their music.

Like the Rolling Stones before them, these artists are drawing a hard line in the sand, refusing to allow their creative output to become a tool for policies they find abhorrent. For Olivia Rodrigo, the message is simple: her music belongs to the people, not to the propaganda machine.