Humble Beginnings Are Going Extinct: The Rapid Rise of Today’s Music Artists 

By: Sophia Massio

450 days. That’s how long it took Olivia Rodrigo to win a Grammy after dropping her debut single. Just a little over a year into her independent music career, and boom, Grammy in hand.

1,800. That’s the capacity of Brooklyn Steel, where Chappell Roan lit up the stage last May. Fast forward a year, and she’s pulling in a jaw-dropping 40,000 fans at her midday set at NYC’s Governors Ball.

Both of these pop princesses have one thing in common: a meteoric rise to fame. But is that courtesy of TikTok? Seriously, it’s insane how fast they’ve blown up. Could this become the new normal for music artists?

For Olivia Rodrigo, it all started with "drivers license." The song dropped, and within hours, because we all know Tik Tok works fast, people began to dissect her love life and create theories on her past relationships. And let's admit, the girls love a good gossip.

The app's algorithm worked its magic, and soon, "drivers license" was everywhere. Olivia wasn’t just an artist anymore; she became a phenomenon. From never performing her own music to a crowd to touring venues like The Greek Theater and Radio City Music Hall, some could say Olivia Rodrigo was just “lucky.”

Despite all the hype and success, are these fast-rising stars really happy with how quickly their careers are taking off? At a show in Raleigh, North Carolina on June 12, 2024, Chappell Roan, speaking through tears, said, “I think my career is just kind of going really fast and it’s really hard to keep up. I’m just being honest … I’m having a hard time today.” This raw moment came just days after her Governors Ball performance.

My friends and I were at her Gov Ball set, and while her performance was nothing short of amazing, we couldn’t shake the feeling that something about her vibe was off. She didn’t seem like herself. We talked about how maybe this fast growth of fame is starting to get to her. And just days later, she admits to the crowd at another show that she’s struggling. Seems we may have been right.

Although Olivia has never outwardly said she’s struggled with her meteoric rise to fame, her song “making the bed” may be saying it for her. From lyrics like “I got the things I wanted, it’s just not what I imagined” and “but it’s me who’s been making the bed,” fans have speculated this song could be about her fast rise to fame and her adjustment to it.

I can’t imagine completely skipping playing a small show at the Mercury Lounge or performing at open mic nights to a crowd of people who have never heard of me. It builds confidence, comfortability, and at the very least, builds character. I can’t imagine skipping the anticipation of winning an award most have worked towards for years, decades even.

I wonder if these two girls feel the same, being victims of TikTok’s viral powers. I’d love to just talk to them, crawl inside their minds, and truly understand how they feel.

Fame is so complex and you’re not supposed to complain. I see it all over social media: Celebrities shouldn’t complain about their jobs when it gifts them a life people can only dream of. But being known by few to being known by the whole world and not being given enough time to adjust and have your humble beginnings…just seems like a lot. 

If you were a pop princess yourself, would you want to skip the whole playing for crowds who don't know your lyrics or bask in and savor the indie artist feeling?