Olivia Rodrigo topped off Sour’s success by performing its third hit, “Good 4 U,” at the 2021 VMAs, after having the kind of breakout year most artists dream of. Though the song was one of many to which Rodrigo recently added additional artist composition credit, sparking industry debate from the likes of Adam Levine, the song’s similarities to Paramore’s “Misery Business” are only part of what makes it so popular.
Olivia kept her performance more feminine with a short, cotton candy outfit, but that didn’t stop her from singing the song’s irresistible chorus — and smashing a camera lens for good measure — while going full throttle pop-punk sonically. Olivia took collected the prize for Song of the Year for her original breakout track, “Drivers License,” just after she finished performing. It feels like a well-deserved triumph, since that song ruled the charts and streaming services for the whole first half of 2021.
In true teenage fashion, Olivia dedicated her award to all the other girls “writing songs on their bedroom floor” and seemed overwhelmed that she won the category. This will likely be only the first of many awards that this young pop star picks up tonight, so keep an eye on the full winners’ list here.
