As a teenage female pop star who got her start via Disney, it’s no wonder that Olivia Rodrigo has taken quite an interest in another artist who had a similar career path: Britney Spears.
As Britney attempts to end her 13-year conservatorship, which she’s called “abusive,” Olivia tells GQ magazine, “The Britney stuff was just horrific, and I’ve been following it very closely. I think it’s just so awful.”
“I think, as an industry, people are getting better at not taking advantage of and manipulating and bullying young women. But it’s still so apparent, and I witness that too,” she continues, then adds, “Not near at the level that Britney has, obviously.”
The “Drivers License” star adds that she’s “definitely seen corporate dollars be prioritized over people’s mental health,” but she feels lucky that she’s “surrounded by people who are conscious of that and conscious of my mental health being the most important thing.”
“You can’t make art and have a good career if you’re not there,” she notes.
And if Olivia ever forgets that, she can just look at a tweet she received from Cardi B that she has framed on her wall, according to GQ. It says, “You doing sooo good for your age. Don’t let no toxic s**t get to you and don’t let nobody restrict you from your voice.”
“I honestly bawled. I literally saw it and cried,” Olivia says of the tweet. “I was like, ‘Thanks, Cardi. I’m not going to listen to bulls**t.’”
Olivia’s interview is in the September issue of GQ, on newsstands August 17.
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