Billy Corgan Explains Why Olivia Rodrigo Is Your Favorite Rock Star’s Favorite Pop Star: ‘She’s Not Afraid’

Olivia Rodrigo is a favorite of many rock stars, and in a new interview, Billy Corgan broke down why he — much like Sheryl Crow, Robert Smith, Jack White, Mick Jagger, Alanis Morissette, Stevie Nicks and more icons — is in her corner.

The topic of the Gen Z star first came up on the Thursday (Oct. 22) episode of The New York Times’ Popcast when hosts Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli asked Corgan why he’s recently been championing younger artists such as YUNGBLUD and sombr. Rodrigo is an especially interesting case, they argued, because her songs — namely “The Cure” and “Pretty Isn’t Pretty,” which share a resemblance to “Disarm” and “1979,” respectively — have drawn comparisons to The Smashing Pumpkins’ catalog.

But the Chicago band’s frontman implied that he finds the similarities flattering rather than objectionable. “She’s so smart,” Corgan raved of Rodrigo, whom he joined on stage for a duet of “33” at Lollapalooza this summer. “She’s super savvy.”

“I don’t know her much, but she’s figured out that the way to break free is to be free,” he continued. “She’s like, ‘Bring me all these influences.’ She’s not afraid. She’s not afraid to make an imperfect song. She’s not afraid to have one vocal slightly out of tune … Pop stars should be as authentic in their game as rock stars are authentic in their game.”

Corgan also agreed that it’s been freeing connecting with younger artists, because they weren’t around when The Smashing Pumpkins received poor reviews on albums that are now heralded as classics, meaning their opinions of him are shaped purely by music.

He’s hardly the first rock star to sing Rodrigo’s praises. Crow has lauded her multiple times, calling her the “real deal” on The Tonight Show in 2023, and Jagger told Billboard in the Rolling Stones’ cover story earlier this year, “She’s really good at [rock music] … the ability to change styles from what you think [her] original girly pop stuff is — it’s kind of interesting.”

Morrissette and Nicks joined Rodrigo at her inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival, and White has kept in contact with the former Disney star since they met — and he called her “very cool, very real” — in 2022. Smith partnered up with Rodrigo for a rare collaboration on “What’s Wrong With Me,” which is featured on her Billboard 200-topping third studio album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.

“Olivia’s desire to be recognized as a songwriter is very refreshing,” The Cure frontman told The Hollywood Reporter earlier in October. “It’s unmodern in a way … She was in London with me a while back. She played me something she wrote that morning, things that could take 14 years for many writers to get out, and she does it in a morning.”

Watch Corgan’s full Popcast interview below.