Olivia Rodrigo. 23, recently shared that she is partially deaf in her left ear, a condition she has lived with since childhood. During a June 4 appearance on KISS FM UK’s radio show, she joked about the situation, saying, ‘If you tell me a secret, go right ear.’

Health and Humor

Rodrigo first learned about her hearing issue during kindergarten when she was tested. ‘I never knew until kindergarten or so when they’re doing the tests on all the kids, and they were like, ‘Oh, you’re a little hard of hearing,’ she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023. She quipped that she makes music because of her bad hearing, while her friend, photographer Petra Collins, takes photos because of bad vision.

New Music and Collaboration

Along with revealing her hearing condition, Rodrigo announced a new duet with The Cure’s Robert Smith, titled ‘what’s wrong with me,’ from her upcoming third album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love. The song explores the emotional weight of a relationship and features a collaboration with Smith, who appeared with Rodrigo at the Glastonbury and Primavera Sound festivals. ‘I can’t believe this song exists and with the person that it exists with,’ she said.

The duet. Which is the tenth track on the album, marks Rodrigo’s first-ever collaboration for an original song — Spanish outlet los40.com noted that Rodrigo had previously performed covers with other artists but never included a collaborative original track in her first two albums. The collaboration was announced during a surprise performance at the Primavera Sound 2026 festival in Barcelona, where she performed the song with Smith.

Album Themes and Inspiration

Tagesspiegel and VOI.id both highlighted that Rodrigo’s new album is inspired by Manchester Rave, Sex and the City, and Lana Del Rey, and is described as a concept album about love. The collaboration with Smith fits into a broader pattern of Rodrigo’s admiration for The Cure, including referencing their song ‘Just Like Heaven’ in her track ‘drop dead.’

The album. Set to release this week. Includes a range of themes and emotions, reflecting Rodrigo’s personal and artistic growth. Her ability to deal with challenges,both in her career and personal life,has been a consistent theme in her public comments. ‘It can be really tough on your mental health,’ she told Vogue Singapore in 2021. ‘I’m grateful for the people who like me for me. Keep me separated from all the noise.’

With ‘what’s wrong with me’ and her new album, Rodrigo continues to evolve as an artist while staying grounded in her personal experiences and challenges.