Olivia Rodrigo sparks outrage over ‘disgusting’ on-stage act as fans brand it ‘unsanitary’

Olivia Rodrigo has grossed out her fans after seemingly using her own armpit sweat to style her hair on stage, with many slamming it as unhygienic and a blatant attempt to be 'cool and edgy'.

The singer is currently on The Unraveled Tour, seeing her playing some 86 shows around North America and Europe, having started on 25 September.

Video footage of one of her latest performances has gone viral on social media for all the wrong reasons, though.

It shows Rodrigo standing at the mic singing her hit song 'Serena Joy'. The video includes a date for 4 October, when Rodrigo was scheduled to play at the Capitol Arena in Washington D.C, according to her tour schedule.

As she is singing, Rodrigo is shown wiping her hands under her armpits, before seeming to run her hands covered in sweat through her hair, as though she is putting on shampoo or conditioner.

The small moment on stage has sent fans online into a controversial conversation, with many people criticising Rodrigo over the act.

One person reposted the video, which was originally shared to TikTok but does not appear on the account named on the clip, saying: "i’ve never seen someone use armpit sweat to style their hair-".

Others accused the musician of trying to be 'edgy' with the gesture onstage.

"She is clearly trying to be cool and edgy but this is just nasty and unhygienic," wrote one, "and in front of people too like.. ew girl".

Another posted: "She wants to give edgy pop punk rockstar so bad but this is just genuinely disgusting and unsanitary."

Meanwhile a third wrote simply: "love her but this was disgusting".

But not everyone responded to the moment with criticism, with some even thinking the gesture was cool.

"Everone [sic] hating but this is kinda the coolest thing she's ever done Sorry," one fan wrote, defending Rodigo.

Meanwhile another person pointed out that many musicians are known for their onstage antics, which can often involve things which are less than sanitary.

"Ah yes punk rockstars who are famously know [sic] for being extremely clean and sanitary," they posted.

This unfortunately isn't the first time Rodrigo has faced criticism for her on-stage antics.

She recently responded to controversy over a 'babydoll' style dress that she chose to wear during a performance of her single 'Drop Dead' at the Teatre Grec in Barcelona on 8 May.

This was a short white dress in a floral pattern, with people claiming that the garment appeared 'childlike'.

Rodrigo told the New York Times Popcast that she had been left 'so upset' by the backlash, saying it was the result of sexist double standards.

“What’s really disturbing is I feel like I have worn outfits that are revealing on stage. Like, I’ve been on stage in like a sparkly bra, little shorts, which is my right," she said. "That’s fun. I felt cool and comfortable in that.

"And that wasn’t ‘inappropriate’ – but me fully covered up in a dress that people deem to be childlike was inappropriate."

She added: “I think it shows how we really normalize pedophilia in our culture.

“And also it’s just this rhetoric that we’re fed as girls since we’re so little, which is like, ‘Don’t wear that because then a man is going to sexualize your body and it’s your fault.’

"Like, it’s so weird.”