TEMECULA, Calif. — Superstar Olivia Rodrigo's debut album "SOUR" is now out, following the massive success of her single "Drivers License." While the starlet is climbing the Hollywood ranks quickly, she got her start in small music studios in Temecula.
"We teach a lot of music fundamentals, anything from rock and roll to singer songwriter stuff," Hannah Warner, owner and director of the Temecula Music Teacher studio said. The latter, she added, is what a tween Rodrigo was interested in the most.
Warner says Rodrigo was a student, and sought her help in learning to play guitar as she prepared for an audition. Her first performance playing guitar and singing at the same time landed Rodrigo one of her first roles on the Disney show "Bizaardvark."
"In that room at the time, there were hundreds of people there and it was like the air was sucked out of the building," Warner reminisced. "Nobody could breathe, nobody could talk, nobody could move until they heard the very last note of the song."
Across town, vocal coach Gwyn Sanborn says she's also seen the talent up close.
"We were just blown away by the fact she was so young so young and just owned that stage," Sanborn said.
When she was just about seven years old, Rodrigo auditioned for one of Sanborn's live talent show productions, "Temecula Live."
"We put her on the show and she nailed it," Sanborn said. "The first time ever singing with a band, live in front of an audience, and she just did a fantastic job at seven years old."
Rodrigo performed at several hometown shows throughout her childhood, including the Boys and Girls Club Idol.
Now 18, her debut solo album "SOUR" launched Friday morning to early critical acclaim, following the massive success of her single "driver's license."
"I would just tell her I'm so proud of her, she's done amazing," Sanborn said of Rodrigo's success, while Warner beamed with pride as she said she is her "biggest fan."
While her meteoric success is is impactful, both teachers say Rodrigo's indirect effect on other young artists in Temecula--giving them the chance to dream a real dream--is also something to behold.