Olivia Rodrigo Ethnicity: The Roots of the American Pop Star

Since Olivia Rodrigo became a household name with her hit single Drivers License, many fans have sought to find her roots. Olivia Rodrigo ethnicity has been a subject of debate with some fans believing she’s Portuguese since her surname, Rodrigo, has a Portuguese ring to it while others think she’s Spanish. However, the true roots of the Pop star would surprise you, so, keep on reading.

Olivia Rodrigo’s Ethnicity is Filipino

The ethnicity of the pop diva is not a secret as she has revealed it in a couple of interviews she’s granted over the course of her career. She’s a proud Filipina American girl who loves Filipino food and its culture.

In a recent interview with V Magazine, hosted by Bowen Yang of SNL, the actress/singer revealed how her Filipino heritage has enriched her career. “It’s incredible to think about”, said the 19-year-old pop diva.

According to her, she gets messages from her Filipino fans thanking her for blazing the trail and breaking the monopoly of white girls over pop. “I sometimes get DMs from little girls being like, ‘I’ve never seen someone like me being in your position’. And I’m literally going to cry”. She then continued, “like just thinking about it. I feel like I grew up never seeing that. Also, it was always like, ‘pop star’, that’s a white girl”.

Olivia Rodrigo then spoke about her roots and the beauty of Filipino traditions. The pop star said, “I think that the Filipino people are the most wonderful, loving people on the planet, and they’ve been so welcoming and kind to me.”

Which of Olivia Rodrigo’s Parents is Filipino?

Olivia Rodrigo’s father is Filipino American as he was born and bred in the United States and just like Olivia, he’s maintaining his Filipino ancestry. However, Olivia’s great grandfather is purely Filipino who migrated to the US for a better job and to start a family. Olivia’s mother, on the other hand, has Irish and German ancestry.

A few years ago, the teenage sensation took part in the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month where she recorded a video uploaded to Disney Channel’s YouTube account where she said, “I am an Asian Pacific Islander…My heritage is a part of who I am. I’m part Filipina on my dad’s side of the family. My Filipino heritage comes from my great-grandfather. He came on a boat from the Philippines when he was just a teenager. Can you imagine moving to a whole new country all by yourself?”

Olivia Rodrigo does not take her heritage for granted and takes the time to celebrate it whenever she has the opportunity. The pop star takes a lot of inspiration from her ancestry and that was why she became emotional when young girls of Filipino heritage reached out and thanked her for representing them even though she’s just a teenager.

What Is Olivia Rodrigo’s Favorite Filipino Food

The Disney star once revealed that her favorite Filipino dish is Lumpia – a common type of spring roll popular on the streets of the Philippines and Indonesia. According to her, her grandmother makes the dish for the family and she loves it although she’s not a big fan of meat.

To help her munch on the Lumpia, her grandmother adds tofu to the delicacy. In the video uploaded onto Disney Channel’s YouTube account, Rodrigo spoke of how her family enjoys Filipino culture by cooking. “Some traditions that have carried over into my generation are we actually make Filipino food. My great-grandpa had a garden and he was also a really good cook.”

She then concluded the video by saying, “I’m a Filipina, I’m a lumpia fan, I’m a daughter and a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter, I’m American, I’m an Asian-Pacific islander.”

Where You Have Seen the Young Star Before

If you’re wondering where you’ve seen the pop star before, well, she was a Disney star before her newfound fame with music. Olivia Rodrigo starred as Nini Salazar Roberts in the “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series aired on the Disney+ Channel.

Olivia Rodrigo penned the show’s soundtrack “All I Want” and wrote, “Just For A Moment” with costar Joshua Bassett. However, that wasn’t her first rodeo with TV.

When she was just 11, Olivia Rodrigo starred in an Old Navy commercial before acting in the movie An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success where she portrayed the lead character, Grace Thomas.

Later she landed the role of Paige Olvera, a girl who played the guitar, in the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark.

In the three seasons that she spent on the show, the teenager sensation received recognition for her astute portrayal of the character.

Olivia Rodrigo’s Musical Breakthrough

Though she was a child star, Olivia Rodrigo was yet to become a mainstream celebrity, but she didn’t have to wait for long as an opportunity came calling in 2020. Interscope Records and Geffen Records reached out to sign the 19-year-old music prodigy and the following year she released her debut single Drivers License.

Olivia Rodrigo Breaks Records On Spotify

The song broke several records including Spotify’s most daily streamed non-holiday song on January 11 with over 15. 7 million global streams. The song surpassed that record the following day when it reached 17 million global streams. As if that was not all, Drivers License broke Spotify’s record for the song in history to hit 80 million streams in a week.

That same week, Drivers License debuted at No.1 on Billboard Hot 100 and went on to top the charts in other countries around the world. Rodrigo felt so overwhelmed by the massive airplay the song received. According to her, “It’s been the absolute craziest week of my life … My entire life just, like, shifted in an instant.”

The Release of De Javu and Her Debut Album

A few months later, Rodrigo released another single Deja vu which became a hit song. The song made its debut at no.8 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first musician to have two hit songs debut in the first 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

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