Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album GUTS came out last Friday and blew the colossal expectations out of the water. Based on sales and streaming data, GUTS is outselling the rest of the top ten albums on the billboard combined.
With her debut album SOUR receiving such universal acclaim and winning her three Grammy’s, anticipation was high for what the young artist would do next.
GUTS has the perfect mix of upbeat rock songs and moving ballads, showing her duality as a musician and songwriter.
Rodrigo’s niche in her lyrical style is her honesty and storytelling. She isn’t scared to divulge personal details which is why the songs read like a page from her diary.
Her listeners, especially young girls, identify with her representation of adolescent gawkiness, partially explaining the prodigious following she has amassed.
Rodrigo starts the album off with a rock number called “all american b—h,” which depicts the ideal woman in the eyes of America.
The sarcasm that she uses to deliver her lyrics is scathing, saying “I don’t get angry when I’m pissed/I’m the eternal optimist” and “I’ve got sun coming out of my pockets,” all while an electric guitar blasts behind her.
The irony is ingenious and the delivery is impeccable.
Rodrigo confronts her inner conflict in “bad idea right?”
The song features call and response lyricism as she uses her own vocals to mimic her disappointed friends criticizing her choice to continually go back to the same person that caused her so much harm.
This is a brilliant maneuver on her part as it shows she knew that what she was doing was wrong, and decided to do it anyway.
Rodrigo addresses her inner turmoil yet again with “get him back!”
The point of the song is to describe her dual feelings toward her ex-boyfriend. She cannot decide whether she wants to get him back, in the vengeful sense, or to get him back romantically.
It features clever lines like “I wanna kiss his face/With an uppercut/I wanna meet his mom/Just to tell her her son sucks.”
She performed this song at the VMAs on September 12 and was met with uproarious applause from fans and other musicians alike.
While sharp-witted songs are not out of the young artist’s realm, it wouldn’t be an Olivia Rodrigo album without a heart wrenching ballad.
Her first single “vampire” is a perfect example of this, comparing her former boyfriend to a vampire bleeding her dry.
Not only is the lyricism on par with that of the music business’ elites, the vocals are outstanding and her range is exceptional.
Belting out “the way you sold me for parts/as you sunk your teeth into me,” not only showcasing her own talent, but providing a cathartic experience to listeners as they sing along.
A personal favorite, “lacy,” has Rodrigo enthusiasts in deep deliberation as they attempt to decipher the meaning behind the song.
Some call it a love song while others see jealousy behind the lyrics, similar to that of a femme fatale character like Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.”
The good thing about this song is its duality. No matter who you are, there is a way you can relate to it.
Her album closer “teenage dream” is not only a call back to lyrics from her album opener “brutal” from SOUR, but it concludes the album with her worries that her best years are behind her.
At the end of the song she repeats the line “they all say that it gets better the more you grow/but what if I don’t?”
Most people who listened to the album would disagree with her estimation of her talents.
Her accomplishments are made all the more impressive by her age as she soars to the top of the charts. GUTS was a monumental success and the only thing the listener was left wanting was more.
