Olivia Rodrigo Says She’s Smelled Fans Wearing Diapers to Hold Their Spot at Concerts
Olivia Rodrigo has revealed one of the more unusual realities of modern concert culture, saying she has personally noticed fans wearing diapers in order to avoid losing their place at the front of the crowd during shows and festivals.
The singer shared the story during a recent appearance on Kiss FM, where hosts Tyler West and Chloe Burrows asked her about the worst place she had ever been forced to use the bathroom. Rather than focusing on her own experiences, Rodrigo turned the conversation toward a growing phenomenon among some of the most dedicated concertgoers.
According to the singer, she has encountered fans who choose to wear diapers so they can remain at the barricade throughout an event without having to leave their spot. The practice has occasionally made headlines in recent years, particularly at large festivals and high-demand concerts where attendees often spend hours waiting in line for access to the front row.
“I’ve been to certain concerts and festivals where people wear diapers so they can stay in the front row,” Rodrigo recalled during the interview.
The Grammy-winning artist then admitted that the effects of the practice can sometimes be noticeable from the stage. Depending on the venue setup and the proximity between performers and the audience, she said, it is possible to detect odors coming from the crowd.
“That’s been an experience as an artist,” Rodrigo said. “I’ve smelled it before.”
Her comments prompted surprised reactions from the radio hosts and highlighted the lengths some fans are willing to go to secure the best possible view of their favorite artists. Remaining at the barricade can require standing in the same location for an entire day, particularly at music festivals where crowds begin gathering long before performers take the stage.
Rodrigo also pointed to another major public event where similar behavior has reportedly become common: New Year's Eve celebrations in New York City's Times Square. Every year, thousands of people spend hours waiting in tightly packed viewing areas to watch the iconic ball drop at midnight, often without easy access to restrooms.
“Everybody wears diapers,” Rodrigo said of the event. “They sit there all day. I think about that a lot.”
While the conversation was lighthearted, it touched on a broader trend that has become increasingly visible as fan culture has intensified around major artists. In recent years, stories of fans camping overnight, skipping meals, avoiding restroom breaks, and enduring extreme weather conditions to secure front-row positions have become commonplace across the music industry.
Rodrigo's remarks come as she continues promoting her newly released third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, which arrived last week and has already received strong reviews from both critics and fans. The project further cements the singer's reputation as one of pop music's most accomplished songwriters, building on the success of her previous albums and expanding her musical range.
The album is also expected to serve as the foundation for Rodrigo's upcoming The Unraveled Tour, a major international run that currently includes more than 80 dates across North America and Europe. Demand for tickets has been significant, reflecting Rodrigo's continued rise as one of the most commercially successful artists of her generation.
Given the enthusiasm surrounding the new album and tour, it's likely that many fans will once again be lining up early in hopes of securing a spot close to the stage. If Rodrigo's latest comments are any indication, however, she would probably encourage them to take a bathroom break rather than resort to more extreme measures.
After all, as she made clear during the interview, artists can sometimes tell more about what's happening in the front row than fans might realize.
