Olivia Rodrigo defended after fans 'grossed out' at singer using armpit sweat for hair gel
Olivia Rodrigo has been defended by fans after a bizarre concert moment appeared to show the singer using her armpit sweat to style her hair.
The pop star, 23, has sparked a heated debate online after footage from her Unraveled Tour began circulating on social media, with some fans branding the apparent move 'disgusting' while others insisted people needed to leave the singer alone.
The viral clip shows Rodrigo performing at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on 4 October, when she appears to rub her hands beneath her armpits before running them through her lengthy brunette locks.
The moment, which took place as she prepared to perform her hit anthem 'Serena Joy', quickly caught the internet's attention, with viewers questioning whether she had really turned her own sweat into an impromptu styling product.
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Just to be clear, the video doesn't actually establish whether Rodrigo was deliberately using sweat to style her hair, and the singer has not publicly confirmed that this was her intention.
Despite this, the footage has prompted considerable criticism from people who described the apparent 'hair hack' as unhygienic, while others defended the singer's unconventional onstage antics.
One fan came to the 'Vampire' singer's defence, writing on Instagram: "Omg it’s almost like there are still normal humans with weird habits hiding under all of these 'perfect' celebrities…."
Another questioned why sweat was being treated as something inherently disgusting.
They added: "So random that people think sweat is unhygienic, it's like gd hygiene to sweat and like so what if it goes in your hair? People r so random."
Others were less interested in debating the science of sweat and more concerned about the amount of attention the singer was receiving over the moment.
"She can do whatever she wants, leave her alone maybe," a third continued.
Another fan pointed out that sweating is a normal bodily function, saying: "Anyone whose grossed out...don't tell them we have sweat glands on the majority of our body.”
The discussion also prompted wider comments about the scrutiny women face over their bodies and behaviour.
"How about we leave women’s bodies alone?" one supporter wrote.
And for another fan, the entire situation was simply not worth the outrage.
"Mkay? Whatever helps her get through her performance. Willing to bed she will shower later. Let's find smth actually worth while to talk about guys."
This is certainly not the first time that Rodrigo has been called out for her on-stage antics.
Back in May, she addressed accusations that the 'babydoll' style dresses she wore were 'childlike' by claiming the comments were spurred by sexist double standards.
“What’s really disturbing is I feel like I have worn outfits that are revealing on stage," she told the New York Post. "Like, I’ve been on stage in like a sparkly bra, little shorts, which is my right. That’s fun. I felt cool and comfortable in that."
Rodrigo continued: "And that wasn’t 'inappropriate' - but me fully covered up in a dress that people deem to be childlike was inappropriate.
"I think it shows how we really normalise 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 sexualise your body and it’s your fault.’
"Like, it’s so weird."
Topics: Celebrity, US News, Music, Entertainment
Rhianna Benson