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High School Musical Series Sets Premiere Date for Season 2 with New Olivia Rodrigo Solos

Ally Mauch
·3-min read

Roger Erickson/Disney

Season 2 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is almost here!

Disney+ announced Wednesday that the second iteration of the popular teen series will premiere May 14.

The streaming service also released a first look image at the upcoming season with stars Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Sofia Wylie, Matt Cornett, Larry Saperstein, Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Joe Serafini, Mark St. Cyr and Kate Reinders.

The season will follow the students at East High as they prepare to perform Beauty and the Beast as their spring musical. Dancing With the Stars host Derek Hough will be appearing in a recurring role for season 2 as Zack, a drama teacher at East High's rival school, North High. His character also happens to be the ex-boyfriend of Miss Jenn (Reinders).

Image Group LA/Disney Channel via Getty Olivia Rodrigo and Joshua Bassett

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RELATED: Disney+'s High School Musical Season 2 Will Follow a Production of Beauty and the Beast

Season 2 will also feature brand new solos written by Rodrigo and Bassett. The two stars have recently made headlines following Rodrigo's hit single, "Drivers License."

When the chart-topping song was released in January, fans immediately began speculating that the 18-year-old singer and actress was singing about costar Bassett, 20.

Last month, she spoke to Apple Music's Zane Lowe about her songwriting process and receiving celebrity approval from her favorite artist: Taylor Swift.

"I wrote the bulk of the song literally crying in my living room, and I think that it definitely has that feel to it," Rodrigo said. "I was driving around my neighborhood, actually listening to really sad songs and crying in the car, and I got home and I was like, 'Maybe I'll write a song about this, crying in the car.'"

RELATED VIDEO: Sabrina Carpenter Addresses Olivia Rodrigo Drama on New Song 'Skin': 'Don't Drive Yourself Insane'

Sabrina Carpenter Addresses Olivia Rodrigo Drama on New Song 'Skin': 'Don't Drive Yourself Insane'

On the emotional track, Sabrina Carpenter seemingly breaks her silence on Olivia Rodrigo's viral hit "drivers license," which fans think was inspired by her relationship with Joshua Bassett

RELATED: Olivia Rodrigo Calls 'Drivers License' SNL Skit the 'Best Birthday Present Ever': 'I'm Shaking'

"So, I just sat down at my piano and plucked out some chords that I liked and it kind of happened that way," the star added. "But it was really, really natural and organic. [It was] very much me writing in the depth of my emotion...The pain is definitely real in that song."

The hit track was even used for a Saturday Night Live skit over the weekend, which both Bassett and Rodrigo reacted to after it aired.

"DRIVERS LICENSE SNL SKETCH IS THE BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER IM SHAKING," Rodrigo wrote on Twitter.

Later, she shared a clip on her Instagram Story, telling fans that she was "losing her mind" over the "Drivers License" SNL sketch.