Though a handful of music fans might not associate the name Olivia Rodrigo with the guitar world, the chart-smashing singer-songwriter is positioned closer to the realms of acoustic guitar and electric guitar than one might expect.
After all, the guitar-toting artist won over legions of fans with the angsty, pop-punk anthem good 4 u – which became the fourth most-listened to song in 2021 on Spotify – and helped bring the rubber bridge guitar hype to new heights with tracks such as Hope Ur Ok.
She also flexed her fretboard prowess with a standout Tiny Desk concert that featured a band full of guitarists.
Now, with the onset of her hotly anticipated 2024 tour, Rodrigo has upped the ante and delved deeper into her guitar roots, doubling down on her affinity for electric instruments by debuting an especially eye-catching model.
Specifically, Rodrigo has taken to the stage wielding a uniquely styled Ernie Ball Music Man St. Vincent Goldie signature guitar, which the multi-talented songwriter donned to perform a ‘secret track’ that was first released as part of the red vinyl version of her 2023 record, Guts.
And, to give greater meaning to the drool-worthy gear cameo, the song – titled Obsessed – was actually written with St. Vincent herself.
Fortunately for those wanting to witness the purple-finished Goldie in action, footage from the first few nights has emerged online, depicting Rodrigo wielding the eye-popping, uniquely contoured guitar to navigate the track's drop D power chord progression.
“Olivia killing it opening night of Guts tour,” St. Vincent wrote on an Instagram story after the show (via MusicRadar). “Playing a custom purple STV Goldie. So proud!”
Of the pair’s collaborative effort, Rodrigo recently told Variety, “That’s a fun one that’s a little rockier. I made it with my friend Annie Clark, St. Vincent, who is just incredible. I adore her just as a person, and she’s one of my musical heroes, so she was on that track. And it’s a very sort of deranged, angry-girl song, which I like.”
All said and done, we have but one question left: will Ernie Ball Music Man make the purple Goldie a permanent, or at least a limited-edition, addition to the wider St. Vincent lineup?
Certainly, there’s an ever-growing list of artists taking the St. Vincent platform and personalizing it to make it their own.
Willow, for example, launched her own punk renaissance a few years ago with the help of another eye-catching customized Goldie model that had been designed by Yvette Young – although that never saw an official release.
Our inner optimist will certainly hold out hope for a wider release of Rodrigo’s model, however, because that purple Goldie looks absolutely sensational.
Visit Ernie Ball Music Man to explore the current, currently non-purple range of Goldie guitars.
