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Once a Disney star, always a Disney star: Olivia Rodrigo documentary coming to Disney+

Olivia Rodrigo posing in a checkered sweater against a yellow background
Singer and actor Olivia Rodrigo is releasing a documentary about her debut album on Disney+.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Teen pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo is returning to her Disney+ roots for a new documentary about the making of her acclaimed debut album, “Sour.”

The streaming giant released a teaser clip Thursday for “Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U,” a behind-the-scenes look at the 18-year-old hitmaker’s meteoric rise from “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” star to chart-topping, Grammy-nominated musician.

“I just wanted to tell people what was going on in the back of my head in a way that was proud and not ashamed,” the songwriting phenom says in the preview.

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“Coming from this place of hurt, and you manage to turn it into something that you’re proud of? There’s like nothing better than that.”

A year ago, Olivia Rodrigo was a Disney actor with a knack for songwriting. Today, the 18-year-old has 2021’s top debut album and is nominated for 7 Grammys.

Premiering March 25, “Olivia Rodrigo: Driving Home 2 U,” will arrive just in time for the 2022 Grammys, where the “Drivers License” singer is nominated for seven awards. She is the only artist competing this year in all four major categories: album of the year, record of the year, song of the year and best new artist.

Around the time the Grammy Awards take place April 3 at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, Rodrigo will embark on a sold-out tour of North America and Europe. And last month, she began filming the third season of Disney+’s “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” which stars Rodrigo as empathetic drama club standout Nini Salazar-Roberts.

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According to Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, Rodrigo’s forthcoming documentary is “not a concert film, per se” — though it will include reimagined performances of all 11 “Sour” tracks, shot at the Mojave Airplane Boneyard, Red Rock Canyon State Park and other locations. Disney has also teased guest appearances and performances from Jacob Collier, Blu DeTiger and Towa Bird.

Ultimately, the film will provide fans with “an opportunity to experience first-hand how Olivia Rodrigo became one of the biggest music stars of the day,” Davis said in a statement, “and a chance to see her perform the songs from SOUR like never before.”

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