As singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo tours her sophomore album “GUTS,” she has given back to many different communities all over the world, especially her family’s origin country, the Philippines.
Former Disney star turned singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo is on her world tour for her sophomore album “GUTS.” Starting in Coachella Valley, CA in Feb. 2024, she has toured over 80 cities and 5 continents. She ended the infamous tour in Sydney, Australia on Oct. 22, but is set to play festival shows and properly end her tour in Manchester, England on July 1, 2025.
Throughout the end of September and October, Rodrigo has galavanted all over Asia, such as Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and more. On Oct. 5, she played in The Philippines, at the Philippine Arena in Manila, which has been her biggest show to date, playing to over 50,000 screaming fans.
Prior to her show in the Philippines, Rodrigo announced that she would be making tickets for that show 1,500 Philippine pesos, which is around 27 US dollars, including taxes and fees, so that residents of The Philippines could all have access to tickets.
Rodrigo’s connection to the Philippines is a story that many Asian immigrants and second-generation immigrants know very well. Her great-grandfather came to America on a boat as a teenager, but she grew up with Filipino customs, such as eating lumpias and of course, her singing ability comes from her Filipino heritage, since singing is a huge part of Filipino culture.
Her Oct. 5th show was a concert she has “been dreaming of…for a whileeeee. my first time in the Philippines and also my biggest venue ever!!!!!,” according to her Instagram post.
Many members of the AAPI community have a complicated relationship with their origin countries, especially if they were raised in America. Oftentimes, many Asian people whose parents or grandparents immigrated to America or a different country, have never visited their home country. Not only has Rodrigo’s show in the Philippines been an absolute joy for Filipino fans of the singer, but a life-fulfilling goal of hers has also been accomplished.
During her time in the Philippines, she met with Jhpiego, a non-profit organization that helps provide healthcare to women and girls in the Philippines.
“To be able to perform in the Philippines for the first time and give back to the community where my family’s roots are so deeply embedded means everything to me. It’s a privilege to use this platform to support an organization like JHPIEGO whose work is changing the lives of women and girls across the Philippines. It’s incredibly meaningful to give back in this way,” said Rodrigo.
The show itself consisted of Rodrigo showing off her heritage with an audience who accepted her and had the same heritage. “Pinoy Pride,” reads her tank top for her Manila show. Imagine how prideful other Pinoy fans were knowing that her biggest show ever was in their country!
Filipino fans had nothing but outstanding reactions to Rodrigo’s show and her time in the Philippines. Fans took to Twitter to share their adoration for the pop star. User @jatquinn took to Twitter to express their excitement about having the Filipino singer in the homeland.
Within the 2020s we’ve seen a major shift in the demographic of artists, especially in the mainstream pop world. Not only do we have diverse artists, but we also have diverse voices that speak about the different injustices and issues we face in our world today, such as women and abortion rights, POC representation, and LGBTQ+ voices. Because of an increase in diverse artists, we also get intersectionality with the topics and issues that are discussed in society, and more specifically, Asian people of all different countries are being represented and getting a seat at the table.
A few notable Asian artists of the 2010s and 2020s include Charli xcx, Conan Gray, Beebadoobee, Laufey, Zayn Malik, Bruno Mars, and of course, Olivia Rodrigo.
Rodrigo’s going on tour in Asia has been a huge milestone in her career, both socially and professionally, as well as personally. Being able to give back to the Philippines and make an impact on the lives of Filipinos as a Filipina herself is inspiring and humbling. Many AAPI artists as well as other POC artists have not had the opportunity to perform in their origin countries, especially those in Asia, because of different socioeconomic and political factors, such as in more conservative and religious countries. However, there are Asian artists who have been fortunate enough to leave a positive mark on the country and the people, and we will continue to see this trend in the upcoming years with the rise of more and more Asian pop artists.
The future of the music industry, which is what we’re going to see in the next few years, is an exciting and new time. More diverse artists are becoming popular and giving people within the Asian community a sense of belonging and genuine representation. Rodrigo herself embodies what it feels like to be, colloquially putting it–a teenage girl. Her lyrics, outfits, internet personality, and humanitarian aspects of her persona are what make her feel relatable and inspiring.
Rodrigo puts it best, “I pay attention to things that most people ignore” (GUTS, 2023). This is how I would encompass the central feeling and attitude surrounding rising musicians, specifically Asian artists. Giving back to their AAPI communities as well as showing pride for where they come from is inspiring and humbling.
If you couldn’t make it to her iconic shows in person, you have the opportunity to have the best seat in the house, by watching the Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour movie on Netflix, which comes out on Oct. 29.
Rodrigo has come a long way since she got her driver’s license, as she has made it all the way to Asia, connecting with her fans halfway across from her hometown in California, who share the same heritage as her.
Featured Image: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-guts-world-tour-concert-special-netflix-1235121661/
Generasian 
0 comments on “Olivia Rodrigo’s Asia Leg of The GUTS Tour and Giving Back to the Philippines: Impact, Stats and More”