Olivia Rodrigo recalls surreal rave night with Charli xcx
Synopsis
Olivia Rodrigo, self-confessedly not a ‘party girl', got pulled into Charli xcx's rave-world for a night — and loved every second. The Live Lounge confession lands as Rodrigo readies a tonally different album, ‘You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love', signalling she's done being defined by heartbreak anthems alone.
Key Takeaways
Olivia Rodrigo , 23, recounted attending what she thinks was a rave with Charli xcx , calling her the ‘ultimate party girl'.
The anecdote was shared on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge this week.
Rodrigo performed a stripped-back cover of CMAT's ‘When A Good Man Cries', arranged with her father.
Her current world tour features Wolf Alice and The Last Dinner Party as support acts.
Upcoming album You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love marks a move away from her break-up song template.
Pop star Olivia Rodrigo has opened up about a 'surreal' night out with Charli xcx, describing the '365' hitmaker as the 'ultimate party girl' and admitting she was 'a little out of her element' at what she believes was a rave. The 23-year-old singer shared the anecdote during her appearance on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge this week, in Los Angeles.
The night out with Charli xcx
Reflecting on the evening with the 33-year-old British artist, Rodrigo laughed as she described being thrown into unfamiliar territory. ‘I actually went to a rave with her, I don't even know if it's a rave. I'm not like a party girl, she's the ultimate party girl, obviously. I was a little out of my element, but I had the best time, and she was very lovely,' she said, according to reports from ‘Female First UK'.
A stripped-back Live Lounge cover
The Good 4 U singer used her Live Lounge slot to perform a pared-down rendition of CMAT's ‘When A Good Man Cries', a cover she put together with her father. ‘I think that song is epic, and me and my dad had so much fun putting it together. It's kind of twangy and country, and the lyrics are super, super awesome and unique,' she said.
Praise for her tour openers
Currently in the middle of her world tour, Rodrigo also used the appearance to spotlight her support acts, Wolf Alice and The Last Dinner Party. ‘I think that they're amazing, and all of them are kind of my friends too. I think they're really incredible girls, and I just love surrounding myself with musicians who inspire me, and all of those artists totally inspire me and push me to want to be better,' she said.
A new creative direction
The candid moments come as Rodrigo prepares to evolve beyond the heartbreak template that defined her early work. She recently admitted she wants to prove she doesn't ‘have to be miserable' to write a good song. Her upcoming album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, is reportedly a departure from the break-up-driven catalogue that powered her rise.
What's next
With her world tour rolling on and a new album signalling a tonal shift, Rodrigo appears intent on broadening her sonic palette — even if it means the occasional detour into Charli xcx's nightlife orbit.
Point of View
And Rodrigo clearly knows it. Pairing the rave story with a country-tinged CMAT cover and an album title that gently mocks the heartbreak-girl industrial complex suggests a deliberate widening of her artistic lane. Whether the audience that bought into the misery follows her into the experiment is the real test.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Olivia Rodrigo say about her night out with Charli xcx?
Olivia Rodrigo said she went to what she thinks was a rave with Charli xcx and was ‘a little out of her element', describing the ‘365' singer as the ‘ultimate party girl'. She shared the story on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge, calling Charli ‘very lovely'.
What song did Olivia Rodrigo cover on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge?
Rodrigo performed a stripped-back version of CMAT's ‘When A Good Man Cries'. She arranged the cover together with her father and described the song as ‘twangy and country' with ‘unique' lyrics.
Who are the support acts on Olivia Rodrigo's current world tour?
Wolf Alice and The Last Dinner Party are opening for Olivia Rodrigo on her ongoing world tour. Rodrigo called them ‘incredible' and said the artists inspire her to be better.
What is Olivia Rodrigo's new album called?
Her new album is titled ‘You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love'. It is reportedly a departure from the break-up songs that defined her earlier work, with Rodrigo saying she wants to prove she doesn't have to be miserable to write a good song.
