Olivia Rodrigo stole the show from Jimmy Kimmel as a hitchhiker who hopped into the car with the Kimmel family on their way to school. Jane Kimmel was taken aback when Rodrigo herself showed up to perform some carpool karaoke; she and Billy, Kimmel’s children, ages nine and six, love listening to Rodrigo’s music on the way to school.
Jane knew the pop artist from an instant glance, and she raised her hands to her face and mumbled “oh my God” as Kimmel and his wife pulled over to collect Rodrigo. After that, the vivacious Rodrigo leaped into the backseat, sandwiched between Billy and Jane. Jane, who was obviously star-struck, could do little more than stammer and raise her hands to her face when the pop artist charmingly tried to strike up a conversation with her. We decided to do some carpool karaoke after Jane was better.
Kimmel informed Rodrigo that her songs are always played on the way to school by her family. After warmly thanking Kimmel, the singer turned to Jane and politely inquired her favorite song. Jane proceeded to call “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” a bonus track from Rodrigo’s Guts album from 2023, by name. Rodrigo remarked, “That’s one of my favorites too – that’s so sweet.”
After that, Kimmel’s wife Molly wanted to know which Rodrigo song the Kimmels like. Billy said “Get Him Back!”—the third single from the album Guts—so clearly the Kimmels are listening to Guts continually. Rodrigo and Jane joined in on the family’s enthusiastic singing of “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl” like long-lost friends. When Rodrigo scorched the stage with “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl” last year, it was clear that Kimmel loved her.
The family then performed “Get Him Back!”, young Billy’s favourite song, during his turn. Jane appeared to be the true musical prodigy in the family, as she flawlessly matched Rodrigo’s vocal melodies on the song, even though Billy delivered the lyrics.
When Rodrigo published her second album, Guts, in September 2023, the family wasn’t the only ones who loved it. With 404,000 copies sold, the album topped the charts in the United States and nearly every other country in North America and Europe.
