By: Maggie Kelly | Staff Writer
When Olivia Rodrigo released her first album SOUR in May of 2021, it immediately made headlines. Rodrigo had been an up-and-coming star in the music industry, and her debut album quickly became the soundtrack of the summer. At just eighteen years old, Rodrigo could easily relate to the discoveries and emotions of any teenager today. Feelings ranging from bitterness to heartache were explored through SOUR, which launched her to national fame as the first ever artist to debut her first three singles in the top 10 of the Billboard charts.
However, in the words of the legendary Abby Lee Miller, “You’re only as good as your last performance.” After such success with SOUR, the pressure on Rodrigo was intense when she hinted at her second album GUTS in May of 2023. Her Taylor Swift-coded hints about the album made huge waves on social media, and anticipation for the album was rapidly building.
Just like the critics, I wondered how she could possibly do better than SOUR. The album had been released at the end of my junior year of high school and had so accurately pinpointed what that time can feel like. Rodrigo was able to put my own feelings into words, which is a rare talent. SOUR was so popular that it was practically the only thing that my friends and I were listening to that summer—it was the soundtrack to all the memories we made.
When “Vampire, the lead single of GUTS, was released, my worry was quickly diminished. Rodrigo had once again absolutely crushed it in her songwriting. The most impressive part for me, however, was how her new album felt older. As she had grown, her music had grown with her. It was perfectly suited for her demographic, specifically college-aged girls. Obviously, everyone has different experiences and emotions, but from what I could see, Rodrigo had hit those feelings right on the nose.
Overall, GUTS is darker and more mature than SOUR. Rather than SOUR’s somewhat clear-cut lines, GUTS is messy and emotional. Rodrigo has clearly broken away from the idea that teenage love defines her life with sadness. Instead, she has become wittier and angrier. Powerful lyrics such as “I know my age, and I act like it” show that it’s obvious that Rodrigo is furious at the world that paints young women in a negative way. She acknowledges her own shortcomings in love and life, while also noting that society is often to blame for the unfair expectations that she, as well as many other young women, feel. GUTS discusses hard and complicated topics like toxic relationships, jealously between girls, and eating disorders. Her mistakes are her own, but she is also maturing and able to realize that she is not completely to blame for many terrible things that happened, like the loss of a best friend or a failed relationship.
If SOUR was clearly a pop album, GUTS is beginning to lean towards an angsty rock. Her rage is clear, but so is her feelings of sadness about what she is singing about. Life isn’t simple, and emotions can dictate everything, especially at a younger age. Rodrigo clearly understands that, and can put those feelings into words, which is, once again, an extremely powerful gift for a songwriter.
With GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo beat the idea that she will be defined by her debut album and fall into the sophomore slump. And while she clearly doesn’t have everything figured out quite yet, she’s here to stay. Personally, I look forward to seeing what’s next for Rodrigo, and am excited to keep growing up with her and her music.
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