Key Takeaways
- Olivia Rodrigo paused the Hartford opener of her Unraveled Tour to call her mother Jenni “the best mom in the world” and lead the arena in singing “Happy Birthday.”
- The elaborate concert moved through four seasonal acts and songs from all three of Rodrigo’s albums, with the singer alternating between piano and electric guitar.
- The tour follows Rodrigo’s June album release and the launch of Daisy Chain Fields, her nonprofit festival supporting groups including Planned Parenthood and the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health.
Olivia Rodrigo had an arena tour to launch, but she wasn’t about to let her mother’s birthday get lost in the production.
According to Consequence of Sound, the 23-year-old singer kicked off her Unraveled Tour at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut, with an elaborate show spanning all three of her albums. Midway through the night, however, Rodrigo slowed everything down for her mother, Jenni, who was celebrating her birthday in the audience.
Seated behind a glossy black grand piano, Rodrigo pointed her mother out in the crowd, called her “the best mom in the world,” and thanked her for a lifetime of love and support. She then enlisted several thousand backup singers for the occasion, playing “Happy Birthday” as the entire arena serenaded Jenni.
Rodrigo appeared close to tears while delivering the tribute. By the end of the song, she was laughing behind the piano as fans erupted for her mother.
The birthday surprise was tucked inside a much larger production built around the four seasons. Rodrigo opened amid flowers for Spring before the stage shifted through Summer, Autumn and Winter, with changing backdrops, a “Summer Twilight” interlude and a string section helping move the story forward. The concert eventually returned to Spring for its finale.
Rodrigo began the show with “drop dead” and “u + me = <3,” both taken from her third album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love. She quickly brought her earlier eras into the mix with “so american,” “good 4 u” and “deja vu.”
Summer paired new songs “my way” and “serena joy” with GUTS favorites “bad idea right?” and “ballad of a homeschooled girl.” Autumn moved into heavier territory with “stupid song,” “maggots for brains,” “traitor,” “begged” and “cigarette smoke,” while Winter delivered “honeybee,” “favorite crime,” “drivers license,” “less” and “the cure”—the track containing the lyric that inspired the tour’s name.
After cycling through the seasons, Rodrigo closed the night with “deja vu,” “all-american bitch” and “expectations.” She switched between piano and electric guitar throughout the concert and moved to the barricade to get closer to fans.
The festival earned Rodrigo an endorsement from Lilith Fair veteran Paula Cole. “I’m so thrilled. Finally, somebody did it, and it was Olivia Rodrigo. Bless her soul,” Cole said.
Proceeds supported organizations including Planned Parenthood and the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health.
