by Hailey Harris (’24) | October 6, 2023
Olivia Rodrigo captured the world’s attention with her viral song “driver’s license,” and she proved that she wasn’t a one-hit-wonder with her record-breaking album SOUR and its following world tour. After a two-year hiatus from releasing new music, Rodrigo has once again boldly stepped into the spotlight with her sophomore album, GUTS, in which she shows a new side of herself through her work.
Known for her beautifully sad songs about heartbreak, Rodrigo breaks out of her shell in her second album by putting the punk in pop. Topped off with high pitched screaming, Rodrigo’s album is 39 minutes where one can escape the pressures and boxes society puts us in. She puts an emphasis on enjoying both the highs and lows of life, as well as appreciating the beauty that comes with life’s ugly messes. One of her lead singles, “bad idea right?,” could be the anthem to every 2000s high school movie. “ballad of a homeschooled girl” is a track everyone can relate to, detailing the encounters that make us want to cringe. While it is about her actual time as a homeschooled girl, the track is not actually a ballad, but more of an angry love letter to the social world. “get him back!” is a classic rock hit, complete with clapping and grunge vocals. Rodrigo is able to turn the average awkward teenage girl’s happenings into a dazzling experience, and, in the process, showcases herself as just a normal girl, rather than a superstar.
Many listeners criticized Rodrigo’s first album for being too focused on a single relationship and having too many sad songs. GUTS could not be more different. In the song “love is embarrassing,” Rodrigo makes jokes and laughs at how dramatic she was while curating her first album, showing an incredible amount of growth and perspective that many fans were hoping to see. While many of Rodrigo’s notable works focus on romance, GUTS is an exploration of many different aspects of life: friendships, social and beauty standards, and societal pressure. Rodrigo even tackles hard hitting questions in “teenage dream” and faces her biggest fears.
Like any album, GUTS does not come without some critiques. It is clear that certain songs on the album bear strong resemblances to past 1980s and 2000s songs, and some critics even go so far as to say the work as a whole is very unoriginal. However, there is no denying that the storytelling Rodrigo is able to do, and alongside her good tunes, future success is imminent. No matter the circumstance or backlash, Rodrigo never fails to connect with her listeners, something not every artist can do. In 2024, Rodrigo will embark on her GUTS World Tour, stopping in San Francisco on August 2 and 3rd.
GUTS truly struck a chord with audiences, debuting with over sixty million streams. With this accomplishment, Rodrigo proved that she is here to stay in the music industry.