Lea Michele channeled Rachel Berry during her Kellyoke cover of “Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo
She said that she thought this song would be perfect for her Glee character to cover
The Broadway star is currently touring North America for a series of intimate shows
Rachel Berry, is that you?
Lea Michele appeared on the May 22 session of Kellyoke on The Kelly Clarkson Show to cover Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License.” The Scream Queens alum channeled her Glee character Rachel Berry for the breakup anthem.
“And I know we weren’t perfect but I’ve never felt this way for no one/And I just can’t imagine how you could be so okay now that I’m gone,” Michele, 38, croons. “Guess you didn’t mean what you wrote in that song about me/’Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street.”
Following her emotional rendition of the 2021 song, Kelly Clarkson asked Michele why she picked this song in particular to perform.
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“I’m on tour right now, and I’m singing a lot of songs from Glee and from Broadway,” she explained.
“But I do this section in my show, so it’s: ‘If Glee were on television right now, what would Rachel Berry be singing?’ And the minute I heard ‘Drivers License,’ I was like, ‘That’s such a Rachel Berry song.’ ” Rachel had been in an on-and-off relationship with Finn Hudson, played by the late Cory Monteith.
Michele also mentioned that the Fox jukebox musical dramedy series did a cool 800 songs during its tenure.
Fans were quick to joke about how Rachel would’ve picked a song about heartbreak to sing. “Rachel Berry would definitely sing this after a breakup with Finn,” one wrote.
“this song is so Rachel,” another agreed. “Welcome back, Rachel Berry,” a third said.
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Others were impressed by her stage presence. “She’s always had this really unique quality of singing so clear and proper but also pouring so much emotion into the song always,” one fan said. “It’s what made her so great on glee, so versatile and knows just what to do with her voice to connect.”
“Wish this had been the whole song. I love LOVE her voice. And this song is so Rachel,” another agreed.
Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty
Lea Michele in May 2025
Michele is in the middle of an intimate tour in North America where she sings “a blend of Broadway classics” as well as “songs from her studio albums” and “surprise songs each night,” per a press release. The tour kicked off earlier this month.
Up next for her are shows in Anaheim, Palm Desert, Washington, D.C., Englewood, N.J. and Niagara Falls.
Michele also said on The Kelly Clarkson Show that she has “something exciting coming up” and will reveal what’s in the works soon.
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