Vidyani Wanigasekera praises Olivia Rodrigo for achieving what few before her have; a near-perfect sophomore album just two years after the success of her debut, SOUR. By reflecting on how the young singer unashamedly spills her GUTS, she encourages us to reflect on how these lyrics encapsulate an ‘unhinged’ collective experience of girlhood and growing up.
The sophomore album curse is a common phenomenon that newly popular artists often struggle with, however, Olivia Rodrigo isn't one of those artists. She spills her GUTS in her sophomore album, a brutally honest confessional about growing up. GUTS picks off where SOUR left off; at some points, it feels like a continuation of SOUR, and at times, it feels like a different sound altogether. Most of the songs on GUTS feel like they belong in an early 2000s rom-com like She's the Man, or straight out of Kat Stratford's playlist.
Rodrigo and her co-writer and producer, Daniel Nigro, succeed in creating a sound that showcases her versatility as an artist.
GUTS contributes to the commercial renaissance pop-punk is experiencing at the moment, occasionally cutting those with the heart-breaking piano ballads present in SOUR. The dynamism of her new album must be appreciated, as with some songs, you never know what to expect. Her opening track, ‘all-american bitch,’ starts off light as a feather only to jolt you awake during its chorus. The song is a self-portrait, displaying her complexities as an artist and a woman.
When listening to GUTS, it felt like a call-back to the opening line of SOUR: ''I want to be like messy'' – which is precisely who Olivia Rodrigo is at her core – messy. Rodrigo makes acting recklessly sound so fun; what's the point of being smart? This is a central theme of ‘bad idea right,’ which follows Rodrigo as she sneaks out to hook up with her loser ex-boyfriend. Rodrigo wrestles with her decision to go and hook up with him – "I should probably, probably not." While also feigning innocence – "I tripped and fell into his bed" – which sounds like something Cassie Howard would say in Euphoria.
She is unhinged in ‘get him back’ alternating between rekindling the relationship and seeking revenge – "I want to kiss his face with an uppercut." Most of the lyrics earned her a few side eyes and many laughs, especially when she sang, "But I am my father's daughter, so maybe I can fix him." This blend of honesty and humour can be perceived as unconventional, but singing these lyrics out loud offers a cathartic release for younger audiences navigating the complexities of breakups at such a young age.
Whereas ‘love is embarrassing’, is painfully relatable, and is for the girlies who live by ''delulu is the solulu''. The fun instrumental and catchy melody make this a perfect song to sing into your hairbrush in your bedroom. When re-examining your past relationships, you sometimes ask yourself why you even dated them in the first place, which is something Rodrigo explores in the song. It goes to show that no matter how successful and beautiful someone is, they will still get their heart stomped on by a "weird second-string loser who’s not worth mentioning."
There is a rawness in Rodrigo's lyrics that captures the experience of being a teenage girl. As an adult, I can still listen to her music and appreciate it because she perfectly encapsulates that feeling of being angry and sad when you're young. When she starts to belt in ‘the grudge,’ listeners can feel Rodrigo's frustration and resentment toward the person who hurt her.
"You built me up to watch me fall
You have everything, and you still want more."
Hearing those lyrics on a regular Tuesday afternoon made me sink to my knees and sob.
On the other hand, ‘making the bed’ always makes me ache because it feels like she is singing pages from my diary. Her ability to make music based on real human experiences never fails to astound me, especially at such a young age.
‘lacy’ is an interesting one, blurring the lines of envy and homoeroticism so well. I was confused as to whether she yearned to be her or be with her. In this track, Rodrigo succumbs to a common habit that many of us struggle with, comparing herself to other women to an extreme that turns into a crippling romanticised obsession. It made me believe that I have never had a single unique experience.
Ending the album with ‘teenage dream’ is a soulful ballad that felt intrusive, almost like I was reading a page from her diary. The song beautifully reflects the anxieties and challenges faced by young artists navigating the pressures of fame and the industry alongside personal growth. ‘teenage dream’ is a powerful and relatable conclusion to the album as it effectively captures the emotional rollercoaster of teenage life. It accurately depicts the complexities of growing up while offering a glimmer of hope that ''it gets better the more you grow'' or that that's what they say.
Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS is her best body of work yet. I can't wait to see the music she creates as she navigates adulthood. Until then, I will enjoy listening to Rodrigo spill her GUTS on repeat.