"My initial live music experience was with the exceptional Weezer, and they're making a comeback tonight to entertain me again - this time at Lollapalooza, where Olivia Rodrigo will be performing alongside them."
Olivia Rodrigo Revitalizes Guitar Music in the Mainstream
Olivia Rodrigo, the pop sensation known for her alternative rock and punk-inspired sound, is making waves in the music industry by bringing guitar solos back to the forefront of mainstream music.
At the Lollapalooza 2025 festival, Rodrigo welcomed Weezer onto her stage for a memorable performance. The highlight of the show was their collaboration on iconic guitar-driven songs like "Buddy Holly" and "Say It Ain’t So," with Rodrigo playing a custom-made Warmoth Stratocaster and guitarists Rivers Cuomo and Brian Bell of Weezer on their Fender Mustangs. This collaboration marked a full-circle moment, reinforcing Rodrigo's ties to '90s alt-rock.
Arianna Powell, a modern guitar hero, is a key member of Rodrigo's live band. Powell, who has worked with major acts such as Black Eyed Peas, Chris Brown, Nick Jonas, and Halsey, is instrumental in Rodrigo's live rock-guitar sound. Their collaboration at headline festivals like Glastonbury is helping to bring guitar-focused performances back to a broad audience.
Rodrigo's musical influences are diverse, drawing from pop, alternative rock, and punk bands. She has cited The Breeders, Hole, Sleater-Kinney, L7, Babes in Toyland, Taylor Swift, Lorde, Jack White, Rage Against the Machine, The Killers, and Green Day as key inspirations. Her album Guts, produced with indie rock influences, underscores her blending of pop with guitar-centric punk and alt-rock styles.
Rodrigo's performance at Glastonbury 2025 earned her the title of "this generation's Eddie Van Halen" from the Editor-in-Chief of a certain website. During her set, she jammed with The Cure's Robert Smith, further solidifying her place as a trailblazer in the music industry.
As Rodrigo continues to influence a new generation of guitar players and give guitar solos a resurgence in the mainstream, alongside Chappell Roan, she is positioning herself as a unique artist bridging contemporary pop with rich guitar traditions from '90s and punk/alt-rock scenes.
Meanwhile, Weezer are working on a film in which Keanu Reeves plays the villain. Rodrigo's first concert experience saw her watching an incredible band, with Weezer playing a few songs at the referenced concert. Rodrigo has also covered Fontaines DC during a show in Ireland and called Buddy Holly one of her favorite songs of all time.
As Rodrigo's career continues to soar, she is undeniably making a significant impact on the music industry, bringing guitar music back to the mainstream and inspiring a new generation of musicians.
- Olivia Rodrigo played a custom-made Warmoth Stratocaster during her collaboration with Weezer at Lollapalooza 2025.
- Arianna Powell, a guitarist who has worked with major acts, is a key member of Rodrigo's live band, helping to create her live rock-guitar sound.
- Rodrigo's diverse musical influences range from pop and alternative rock bands to punk bands such as The Breeders, Hole, Sleater-Kinney, L7, Babes in Toyland, and Green Day.
- Rodrigo's set at Glastonbury 2025 earned her the title of "this generation's Eddie Van Halen," and she jammed with The Cure's Robert Smith during her performance.
- Rodrigo's performance at various headline festivals is helping to bring guitar-focused performances back to a broad audience, positioning herself as a trailblazer in the music industry.
- Weezer are currently working on a film where Keanu Reeves plays the villain, and Rodrigo, who originally saw an incredible band at her first concert, has covered Fontaines DC and called Buddy Holly one of her favorite songs of all time.
