Spilling the GUTS on the Most Anticipated Album of the Year
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We’ve all dreamed of what it must be like to have millions of fans. To have our lives filled with fame and fortune. Maybe a talent agent will hear us singing in a random grocery store in the middle of Iowa! We could be the next big thing.
Not to be the bearer of bad news, but the world’s latest “it girl” has arrived. And she’s anything but SOUR.
It’s safe to say that Olivia Rodrigo has done it again. From rising to fame on Disney Channel to her breakout as a popstar with her first album, SOUR, she has taken the music scene by storm. She has us wrapped around her finger; we scream and cry our hearts out to her lyrics (even if we’ve never been on a date). She manages to capture the inner monologue of so many women and teenagers with her lyrical genius. She is unafraid to be vulnerable and honest about herself and her feminine experiences. It feels as if she’s written her music for us—or read our minds.
Not only is Rodrigo at the beginning of a promising career, but she’s bringing a rock sound back into the mainstream. While her first album was a hit, featuring songs such as “driver’s license” and “deja vu,” (which, if you haven’t heard at this point, you clearly aren’t listening to the radio) other songs, such as “brutal” and “good 4 u” foreshadowed where Rodrigo’s sound was heading. They feature heavy guitar and a deep bass sound, accompanied by punchy lyrics filled with angst. This was a contrast in comparison to some of the more melodic ballads featured in the rest of the album. With these tracks, the seed for a rockstar was planted.
Many fans came forward and commented on how “good 4 u” sounded a lot like “Misery Business” by Paramore. If you play the songs side by side, they have a strong resemblance; Rodrigo gave members of Paramore writing credits on the song later. Her rock influence is undeniable; she even sang “You’re So Vain” at Carly Simon’s induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has covered “Just a Girl” by No Doubt. Rodrigo is an undercover pop star. She’s bringing the sounds of various genres to the forefront. The release of her sophomore album, GUTS, is the cherry on top.
Image Courtesy: Billboard
It’s hard to imagine how Rodrigo could top her first album and hit singles, but after listening to GUTS on repeat since its release – it’s possible. After all the pressure she was facing about her love life, looks, and if she’d have the chops to release top-tier records again, it’s evident she’s made diamonds.
GUTS dropped on September 8th and topped the Billboard charts on September 23rd. Not even an entire month post-release! This album is here to stay. It features 12 songs, some of the most popular including “bad idea, right?” where she comedically comments on rekindling a past relationship. She sings, “Yes, I know that he’s my ex, but can’t two people reconnect?” This line, along with so many others, is undoubtedly thoughts we’ve had. I know I sure have! She even has a rap-rock song entitled, “get him back!” (a personal favorite) where she simultaneously wants revenge and reconnection. “I wanna key his car, I wanna make him lunch … I wanna kiss his face with an uppercut...” She perfectly encapsulates the complexity and confusion that comes with romantic relationships and the phases we go through during the aftermath. These examples barely even scratch the surface of what this album has to offer. She absolutely demonstrates range. Miss Rodrigo will have you laughing, crying, yelling, and everything in between in this no-skip album. Even her record title has a double meaning. She stated in an interview with WIRED, “I love that guts can mean bravery, trusting your gut means intuition, spilling your guts is telling everyone your dirty little secrets ...” This album has incredible attention to detail. Nothing is unintentional from Rodrigo and her team. One thing’s for sure – it took guts to make this.
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Something else that stands out to me about Rodrigo is her style, which is heavily influenced by the 90s and grunge aesthetic. Plaid, moody colors, bold lipstick, platform boots, chunky silver jewelry, miniskirts, baby tees...all of this is reminiscent of the 90s and bleeds into the current Y2K trend. It all comes full circle. Her style reflects her current self-expression, which connects to her musical influences, thus leading us to the conclusion that there’s a strong 90s atmosphere associated with her. Even the way she’s marketed online feels like an extension of her aesthetic and personality. She feels like someone we’re friends with; someone we can relate to.
Olivia Rodrigo is a “girls' girl.” She highlights the feminine experience and expresses what it’s like to be a girl transitioning into a woman in today’s society. Her song “pretty isn’t pretty” highlights this exact idea. She sings, “There’s always something in the mirror that I think looks wrong.” She fearlessly shares what so many women feel but don’t know how to convey. Externalizing the complexities of girlhood and womanhood is no easy feat. Continually, she advocates for women to take up space in the world, specifically in the music industry. She stated in an interview for The New York Times, “I’ve always loved rock music, and always wanted to find a way that I could make it feel like me, and make it feel feminine and still telling a story and having something to say that’s vulnerable and intimate.” This absolutely represents her recent album. Intimacy, narrative, and feminine in every aspect of the word. She reminds us how being female isn’t just rainbows and shopping. It’s moodiness, rage, emotion, strength, perseverance, and sometimes picking that perfect shade of lipstick.
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Rodrigo also told The New York Times how the artists she admires for rock music aren’t “trying to recreate a version of rock music guys make.” I agree, Olivia. Been there, done that. She even performed with an all-female band on The Today Show earlier in September 2023. This is girl power at its finest.
Overall, Miss Olivia is elevating the female voice by not sugarcoating our complexities and emotions at the expense of someone else (*cough* a man *cough*). She is a reminder that being a woman is more than meets the eye.
Olivia Rodrigo is a force to be reckoned with. Getting tickets to her tour is going to be a warzone. Godspeed. Now go listen to GUTS! Dance, shout, cry – you won’t be able to help it.
Strike Out,
Writer: Dani Hernandez
Editor: Cristina Angee
Tallahassee