Do you remember the song “drivers license” from mid-quarantine lockdown? The song took the internet by storm and immediately became a hit. It was the first song released by Olivia Rodrigo, a previous Disney Channel child star. Later, the singles “deja vu” and “good 4 u” were released, followed by the album SOUR. Rodrigo blew up almost overnight due to the attention to her freshman album and singles.

On September 8th, 2023, Olivia released her highly anticipated sophomore album, GUTS. The previously released singles “vampire” and “bad idea right?” were immediate fan favorites, showing Olivia’s vocal maturation and her experimentation with different styles.

The following is a tracklist and my personal opinions on each song. Spoiler Alert: Rodrigo managed to make a remarkable album, once again.

1. “all-american bitch”: The first track sets the mood for the rest of the album. In this song, Rodrigo’s soft vocals come out during the verses, similar to in most of the songs on SOUR. However, there is an immediate switch to a very angry rock chorus. The contrast between the styles is what makes this song so amazing. There is rarely this drastic of a difference between the tone and style of the verses and the chorus of any of Rodrigo’s songs. The bridge is entirely Rodrigo screaming, followed by a sweet angelic-sounding final verse. The juxtaposition in the song makes it stand out among its companions. As for the lyricism and meaning, the song is about the unattainable double standards set for women in American culture. Rodrigo seems to feel that she doesn’t fit the standards set by society and that she is far from perfect. I would argue, however, after hearing this song, that she’s pretty close to perfect.
2. “bad idea right?”: The second released single of GUTS is playful and catchy. Rodrigo sings about leaving a party to see an ex of hers. This may seem superficial, but I don’t think that all songs have to contain a deep meaning. The fun tune and lyrics make this song a joy to listen to. However, one could argue that these lyrics are meaningful, with Rodrigo wondering if the past love can be rekindled by taking this chance to meet up again. A sing-talking style is utilized in this song, which is a first for Rodrigo. This track switches to a more playful note following the fiery and passionate first track.
3. “vampire”: As the lead single released from GUTS, this track set the tone for what people expected from Rodrigo’s second album. “vampire” begins with soft piano and crescendos into the loud and passionate chorus and bridge. With lyrics like “Bloodsucker, fame fucker, Bleedin’ me dry, like a goddamn vampire”, “You can’t love anyone, ‘cause that would mean you had a heart”, and “How’s the castle build off people you pretend to care about?”, it is clear that Rodrigo is writing about someone who has wronged her. She talks about being used and having the life sucked out of her (note the title). The song takes the audience through the journey of realizing you’re in a toxic relationship, coming to terms with it, and escaping it.
4. “lacy”: Starting as a poem Rodrigo wrote for a poetry class, this track has a very ethereal and delicate feel. The song itself is sweet and soft, with an angelic sound at times. Envy and obsession are the feelings portrayed in the lyrics, similar to the track “jealousy, jealousy” from SOUR. However, these songs greatly differ, with “lacy” having a soft, yearning tone and “jealousy, jealousy” having an angry, angsty tone. “lacy” is both a dedication to and a story about a character named Lacy. Though Lacy could be a nickname for a real person in Rodrigo’s life, it is just as likely that Lacy is a metaphor for the general beauty of women. Rodrigo seems to be so crippled by her envy that she has an almost romantic interest in the character Lacy. Rodrigo seems to feel inferior and not enough, a motif that recurs in many of her songs.
5. “ballad of a homeschooled girl”: Again, the piano rock style takes over this song. The lyrics focus on how Rodrigo was homeschooled and feels that she never developed proper social skills. The angsty take on social anxiety is in some way relatable to almost anyone who has ever felt introverted or socially stressed. There is irony in the title, as this song is not anything like a ballad, due to its punk rock tune and anxiety-ridden lyrics.
6. “making the bed”: This melancholy, self-reflective track is both painful and beautiful. Rodrigo blames herself for the unhappy situations she’s been put in, saying, “And I’m playing the victim so well in my head/But it’s me who’s been making the bed.” This song is likely a reflection on Rodrigo’s fame and inability to stop the criticism against her or stay out of the spotlight. In an interview, Rodrigo said that it was the hardest song on the album for her to write because of how personal it is. She admits that she wrote it about all of the criticism and hate that came from her last album, and how hard she is on herself.
7. “logical”: Rodrigo wrote this song about being manipulated into thinking that a relationship was positive and healthy. She writes, “But you convinced me, baby it was all in my mind”, “God, why didn’t I stop it all,” and “No, love is never logical”. She talks about how she was convinced that her previous significant other would change, but she was receiving false hope and manipulation instead. She also partly blames herself for not leaving even though she may have seen the signs, though it truly is not her fault. This song is a true regretful reflection on self-blame in toxic relationships and the blame from others for staying with someone who doesn’t treat you right.
8. “get him back!”: The classic getting back with an ex song takes a pop-rock turn with this track. Rodrigo contradicts herself in this catchy song by saying things like, “I wanna break his heart, stitch it right back up”. She seems to want to love him again and get him back but also wants to “get him back” for what he did to her in the past by getting revenge on him.
9. “love is embarrassing”: This track highlights the ups and downs of teen relationships and discovering your likes and dislikes in a partner. Rodrigo captures the stressful and sometimes awkward moments that young people may encounter when falling in love and juggling so many new emotions. The song is upbeat and catchy while being relatable to almost all teenagers who have been in love or who thought they were in love.
10. “the grudge”: This potent slow song stands out as the most sorrowful and emotionally charged song on the album. With lyrics like “Took everything I loved and crushed it in between your fingers” and “How could anybody do the things you did so easily?”, Rodrigo paints the picture of a relationship that caused her frequent turmoil and emotional distress. This track is very melancholy in both the music and the lyrics, complementing the emotion shown in her previous hit, the sorrowful “drivers license”.
11. “pretty isn’t pretty”: With the repetition of the line “pretty isn’t pretty enough”, Rodrigo comments on the constant pressure on women of all ages, especially teenagers, to be visually perfect. The beauty standards are constantly changing and making young women insecure in their natural beauty. No matter how much one does to feel pretty, they’ll never feel perfect or “pretty enough” for societal standards. The lyricism in this song is deeply melancholy in nature, but the song has a generally catchy tune and isn’t as slow as the other sad songs on the album.
12. “teenage dream”: As the final track on the album, this track does an amazing job at concluding the incredible tracklist. Rodrigo writes about the anxiety she has about her fading youth. Though she is twenty years old and technically not still a teenager, being a teenager is an often amazing and tumultuous time in a girl’s life, making it a hard period to leave. Just because she’s twenty doesn’t mean she should stop enjoying her young years, and I would argue that everyone still acts like a teenager until their brains become fully developed at age 25. Even after that, people should still be encouraged to keep their childish and playful spirit somewhere with them. Rodrigo writes lines like, “When am I gonna stop being wise beyond my years and just start being wise?”, “But I feel that they already got the best parts of me”, and “I’m sorry that I couldn’t always be your teenage dream”. The tune and piano line is somber and yearning, building up to the bridge where she sings, “They all say that it gets better, it gets better the more you grow/Yeah, they all say that it gets better, it gets better, but what if I don’t?”. This song reflects on Rodrigo’s place in the spotlight and how she worries that people will become bored of her as she ages.

(My favorite tracks overall are “all american bitch”, “lacy”, “making the bed”, and “teenage dream”.)

Overall, GUTS felt like an expansion to SOUR, but with more mature sound and lyricism. When I hear new albums for the first time, I generally have mixed feelings and only like certain songs, but something about GUTS was different. I was taken aback when I listened through the entire tracklist on the morning of September 8th and I loved every last song immediately. This album absolutely beat the “sophomore slump” stereotype in my opinion. Rodrigo had a lot of expectations put on her and she absolutely outdid herself with this album. She branched into the pop-rock category of music gracefully, and she is taking the world by storm once again.

After the album, Rodrigo released dates for her GUTS World Tour which will take place in 2024. I’m sure that she will only continue to impress us as she grows. She has made her mark on the industry, becoming a staple name in pop, and is here to stay.