On Sept. 8, 2023, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo dropped her highly-anticipated sophomore album “GUTS;” a bold take on ticking adolescence that outsells her debut record.
With anthemic pop ballads and rock ragers scattered throughout the 12-song tracklist, “GUTS” certifies Rodrigo’s signature sound as an authentic ode to her childhood hits; a stunning byproduct of grungy 2000s punk-rock perfectly interlaced with emotive Swiftian-style heartbreak.
Released when she was 18, Rodrigo’s debut album “SOUR” topped the 2021 charts and took the internet by storm. Her first single, “drivers license,” was Spotify’s most-streamed song globally in 2021 with 1.1 billion streams. The album was instantly met with major career-defining accolades including the Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best New Artist.
With her past behind her, “GUTS” dismisses the raw teenage-esque themes of “SOUR” and instead offers a relatable, mature perspective of herself during one of the most complicated and burdening ages for some -19 years old.
“I feel like I grew 10 years between the ages of 18 and 20—it was such an intense period of awkwardness and change. I think that’s all just a natural part of growth, and hopefully the album reflects that,” Rodrigo shared in a press release.
The project serves as Rodrigo’s sophomore record with Geffen Records and second full-length collaboration with music producer Dan Nigro; a luminary in the pop industry credited with work alongside Gen-Z devoted artists including Conan Gray and Carly Rae Jepsen.
After Rodrigo’s hiatus following the release of her debut album “SOUR,” Rodrigo took to social media on June 13, 2023 to announce the release of her first single off of the “GUTS” album, “vampire.”
The song debuted at number one on the United States and global Spotify charts with a whopping 3.9 million American streams and 9.7 million global streams.
The song begins somber, with a slow, ballad-like opening more closely resembling songs like “traitor” from “SOUR.” Rodrigo sings about a past relationship not working out, in ways that clue into toxicity and her broken heart.
Rodrigo hints at regret and remorse as she mourns this relationship, but not the person she shared it with.
“Cuz I’ve made some real big mistakes, but you make the worst one look fine,” Rodrigo sings in her chorus. “I used to think I was smart, but you make me look so naive, the way you sold me for parts…”
Past the chorus, the song begins to pick up speed. Although Rodrigo sings about being used in her relationship while being manipulated by her partner, the music gathers momentum.
In her leading single, Rodrigo proves to have more talent within herself than just one album’s worth, and the release of “vampire” ignited excitement within fans for the release of her sophomore album.
Not to outdo herself, Rodrigo then announced the release of her second single off her album “GUTS” with an Instagram post on Aug. 7, 2023.
On Aug. 11, 2023, “bad idea right?” hit the streaming platforms and again soared to #1 on the US Spotify charts, with a whopping 2.2 million US streams. The song, opposite to “vampire,” falls into the pop-rock category; further establishing Rodrigo as the next pop-rock princess.
The song portrays Rodrigo lying to her friends about meeting up with an ex-boyfriend, much to her friends’ dismay. She spoke in a press release about the makings and inspiration behind the song.
“‘bad idea right?’ started with us making a joke song about me, but then we realized we were actually onto something,” Rodrigo said. “We were throwing the weirdest things at the wall.”
Following the release of her sophomore album, “GUTS,” Rodrigo took to the 2023 Video Music Awards stage for her first live performance following the release. Rodrigo recreated the semantics of the “vampire” music video. She had audience members concerned as the stage fell apart and Rodrigo was rushed off-stage.
However, seconds later, following the brief playing of a couple of Rodrigo’s songs from “SOUR,” she emerged from behind a purple curtain to perform another “GUTS” punk-rock song, “get him back!”
“get him back!” is the eighth track on Rodrigo’s sophomore album. It begins with a punchy beat and continues the progressing pattern of Rodrigo stepping into the pop-punk shoes of many artists in the 2000s, like Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morisette; both of whom Rodrigo performed with on 2022’s “SOUR” tour.
The striking pop-punk track, paired with a story of missing a past relationship while simultaneously wishing for revenge, painted the song as a relatable anthem for many.
Rodrigo’s pop-punk sound didn’t end there, with the opening track, “all-american bitch” fitting right in with the genre. The song begins with a gentle guitar riff and soft vocals.
“I am light as a feather and as stiff as a board, I pay attention to things that most people ignore.”
Though the line references an American slumber party game, it also conveys a message of straining for perfection. This imagery and gentle melody continue through the rest of the verse.
As the first chorus begins, the song quickly jumps back into the catchy pop-punk perfection many Millennials and Gen-Z, like Rodrigo herself, grew up around.
Opening the album with an angsty anthem, advocating against the industry expectations for young female artists, only furthered the rebellious tone many artists in her genre began exemplifying over one decade ago. It is also notable that the opening track has nothing to do with boys; a common criticism for many young female artists alike.
Rodrigo has been no stranger to critics’ claims that she writes only about boys, as she received much backlash for this in her debut album, “SOUR.” In a 2021 interview with the Guardian, Rodrigo addressed this directly.
“I’m a teenage girl, I write about stuff that I feel really intensely – and I feel heartbreak and longing really intensely – and I think that’s authentic and natural. I don’t really understand what people want me to write about; do you want me to write a song about income taxes? How am I going to write an emotional song about that?” Rodrigo said.
Keeping past criticism in mind, Rodrigo’s opening track is a faultless beginning to a newer, edgier musical era for the young artist.
The album’s tone shifts dramatically in track nine, “the grudge,” when Rodrigo presses pause on the happy, carefree rockstar persona she uplifted and instead offers a stripped-back glimpse into a past toxic relationship of hers plagued by manipulation.
In this song, the singer delivers heart-wrenching lyrics over a somber piano melody; a familiar style that echoes her 2021 hit, “drivers license,” and reminisces about her strive to be an unrealistic version of herself for her relationship.
“My undying love, now, I hold it like a grudge, and I hear your voice every time that I think I’m not enough,” Rodrigo says.
With each profound lyric, the listener is further trusted as a confidant of Rodrigo, almost as if she’s reading the words of an unlocked diary brimming with mistakes and personal strife. Her tone throughout the song effectively echoes this anguish, especially when she cuts off her final lyrics too soon out of disbelief.
“It takes strength to forgive, but I’m not quite sure I’m there yet,” Rodrigo murmurs. “It takes strength to forgive, but”
The final track, “teenage dream,” serves as a perfect closer to this coming-of-age record. Sounding almost defeated, Rodrigo’s vulnerability shines as she stumbles through her final verses by tackling her greatest anxieties head-on; including the stress of growing up in the public eye and not living up to expectations.
“And when does wide-eyed affection and all good intentions start to not be enough?” Rodrigo asks. “When will everyone have every reason to call all my bluffs?”
Similar to themes explored in Taylor Swift’s “Nothing New,” Rodrigo dives into the aftermath of her 19th birthday, and the relatable fear of entering your 20s lost and detached from the young person you once were. Despite this album’s meandering subjects of heartbreak and gutsy juvenile rage, “teenage dream” circles back to Rodrigo herself, allowing her to reclaim the work as her own.
“Yeah, they all say that it gets better, It gets better, but what if I don’t?” Rodrigo questions.
Less than a week after the release of “GUTS,” a world tour was announced. The tour will span from February to August in 2024, with stops everywhere from Texas and Illinois, to London and Paris and finishing its six-month run in Los Angeles.
With this eagerly awaited concert series on the way, it is clear that the release of “GUTS” will only be the beginning for pop star sensation turned rock star, Olivia Rodrigo.
