Olivia Rodrigo: I originally teamed up with Sony last year when we collaborated on the release of LinkBuds S x Olivia Rodrigo. These custom earbuds are super cool, and I worked with the team to design and tune the product.
We joined forces again this year to release my versions of two more Sony products—LinkBuds Open and LinkBuds Fit—in my favorite color violet. And for the launch of LinkBuds Fit, we shot an awesome campaign ad at the MTA Transit Museum in New York.
Working with Sony has been great because they put my creative vision at the forefront. I love New York City, and it was my idea to shoot the campaign here. It was also exciting to have my LinkBuds Fit campaign photo on one of the last-ever physical MetroCards—such an iconic staple of the city!
What was the inspiration behind the design?
It’s no secret that violet is my favorite color. It just feels very me, so when it came to choosing the colorway I knew we had to go with something in the purple family. My LinkBuds S featured a unique violet marble pattern and Fit & Open are in a darker violet colorway. There are a few different options to choose from.
On the design front, I wanted to make sure that my LinkBuds were created sustainably from reclaimed and recycled plastic materials. I also wanted my fans to be able to hear Guts and Sour in the best possible audio quality with the LinkBuds, so Dan [Nigro] and I sat down to custom-tune all the songs on my two albums.
Why was sustainability a key focus for you?
Sustainability and helping the planet are important to me. LinkBuds S x Olivia Rodrigo has an eco-conscious design using factory-recovered plastic, reclaimed water bottles, and recycled plastic materials from automobile parts. Fit and Open were created from recycled plastic as well.
How did you work with your producer Daniel Nigro on these headphones?
Dan and I thought about how to make the fan listening experience with my LinkBuds as special as possible. We worked directly with Sony and played with the different audio levels, tuning them to make each song sound the absolute best—the treble, bass, etc. I’m happy that my fans can hear my music in this innovative new way.
You traveled to Sony’s Tokyo headquarters. What was that experience like?
It was incredible! Tokyo is one of the coolest places I’ve been able to visit. The team at Sony was so kind and showed me all the different earbud designs and color options. I got to try out all the products and make my creative decisions from there. I worked in collaboration with Sony throughout this entire two-year process to develop my custom versions of the LinkBuds. I’m grateful they trusted my vision and kept it at the forefront.
This partnership has lasted two years. How has it evolved and what excites you most about its future?
