Olivia Rodrigo has spoken about the “life-changing” impact therapy has had on her in a new interview.

The chart-topping teen pop star was asked about her experiences with therapy during an interview with CBS Sunday Morning.

“I hadn’t really started going until I was 16 and that was a really big, life-changing moment and I’ve learned so much about myself,” she said.

Asked if it was something she decided that she needed to do for herself, she replied: “Yeah, it was. I think there’s sometimes a stigma around it too. Sometimes people are like, ‘Aw, you don’t need that, you have so much. Your life is great, what are your problems?’ I think that’s definitely a thing that older people can do to younger people too – trivialise what they’re going through cos ‘they’re fine, they’re just kids, they’ll get through it’.

“But it feels real when you’re in it and it’s so valid. Just because it’s not an adult problem or you don’t have to pay taxes yet or whatever doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Rodrigo also dismissed the perception of her as someone who is “a really sad, depressed person”. “That couldn’t be further from the truth,” she explained. “Definitely not at all. [I’m not] crying on my bedroom floor all the time.

“But it’s fun to write about stuff like that. If I was just writing about how I was happy and going to get my iced latte every morning no one would listen to it, it wouldn’t be interesting.”

Recently, Rodrigo responded to critics over the songwriting credits that have been added to her debut album ‘Sour’ since it was released. The likes of Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, St Vincent and Paramore have been added to the credits over the last five months.

“All music is inspired by each other,” she said. “Every single artist is inspired by artists who have come before them. It’s sort of a fun, beautiful sharing process. Nothing in music is ever new. There’s four chords in every song. That’s the fun part — trying to make that your own.”

For help and advice on mental health:

• Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians (CALL MUSIC MINDS MATTER ON: 0808 802 8008)
• CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably
• Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues (CALL: 0800 030 6789)
• YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing
• Time To Change – Let’s end mental health discrimination
• The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day