Olivia Rodrigo marks a milestone for one of the songs that changed her life, and she’s doing it with the help of one of her musical heroes.
Five years later Driving license took over the charts, the singer is celebrating her birthday by sharing a stunning new David Byrne cover, and her reaction says it all.
On January 8, Rodrigo, now 22, revealed Byrne’s reimagined version of the song and reflected on what the ballad has meant to her since its release.
THE talking heads the frontman offers a completely new vision, changing the production and even reversing parts of the lyrics to fit his perspective as a 73-year-old.
In his version, Byrne sings, “And you’re probably with that blond boy / The one who always made me doubt / He’s so much younger than me / Everything I’m not sure about,” giving familiar heartbreak a surprising new perspective.
Rodrigo shared that Byrne’s cover is just the beginning of a larger project related to the milestone of his debut album.
“SOUR is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year,” she wrote on Instagram, adding that she was planning a series of reimagined covers from artists she deeply admires.
She called Byrne’s contribution a dream collaboration, saying: “David is nothing short of a legend and I cried when I heard his version of this song.”
The cover is now available to stream, and fans can also purchase a 7-inch vinyl featuring Byrne’s rendition as well as a joint performance from Burn down the house of the Governors Ball Music Festival 2025 in New York.
Released in January 2021 as the lead single from Sour, Driving license debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for eight weeks.
The song earned Rodrigo a Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance and several MTV Video Music Awards.
In a separate post, Rodrigo looked back at photos from the song’s release and reflected on everything that’s changed.
“This song totally changed my life in ways I still can’t understand,” she wrote. “I am forever grateful for this magical chapter…happy birthday DL.”
