Jack White leaves message for Olivia Rodrigo in 'SNL' dressing room
Published in Entertainment News
DETROIT — "Kill it kid."
That's the message Jack White left for Olivia Rodrigo in her "Saturday Night Live" dressing room ahead of her doing double duty as host and musical guest on this weekend's show.
Rodrigo told the story of the note and how she found it during an appearance on "The Tonight Show" on Thursday.
"I love Jack White. He's like my hero," Rodrigo, 23, said of the Detroit-born musician. "He's the coolest guy ever. Wonderful person. Always stands up for what's right."
Rodrigo said the two were chatting by phone this week and he told her he left her a message in her dressing room when he was on the show last month, playing musical guest alongside host Jack Black.
"He sent me a text and he's like, 'look up.' Like, 'keep your head up. You're gonna find something,'" Rodrigo said.
Video footage then showed Rodrigo searching her "SNL" dressing room for White's secret message, which she finally found taped to the ceiling of her closet.
The message, which came with several flowers attached, read simply, "Kill it kid," and was signed "Jack White."
"Isn't that sweet? Isn't that sweet?" Rodrigo said. "That's, like, my little good luck charm."
White and Rodrigo's mutual appreciation dates back to 2022 when the pair met up at White's Third Man Records in Nashville, Tennessee.
"I had the chance to meet a talented singer and musician today named @OliviaRodrigo, she's very cool, very real and very much a lover of music," White wrote in an Instagram post at the time. "She's also introducing another set of youth to the love of vinyl records as well. Respect."
Rodrigo echoed the sentiment at the time in a since-deleted Instagram post, writing, "Got to meet my hero of all heroes today. Still crying." (Rodrigo's Instagram history was recently wiped as part of the promotional cycle for her new album, "You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love," which is due out June 12.)
Rodrigo then paid homage to White by playing during his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2025. At the ceremony, she performed the White Stripes' hit "We’re Going to Be Friends" alongside Feist.
Saturday's "SNL" will mark Rodrigo's third appearance on the show, and her first time as host.
She previously appeared as a musical guest in May 2021 with host Keegan-Michael Key, and again in 2023 with host Adam Driver.
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