After the worldwide success of her debut album, expectations were sky high for the release of Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore collection. To no surprise, music streaming platforms were flooded with excitement as fans and critics alike agreed that her newest album, “Guts,” was well worth the wait.
On Sept. 8, singer Olivia Rodrigo shocked the world with 12 new show stopping hits. With a mix of pop-punk tracks and powerful ballads, Rodrigo is the true epitome of a modern day rock star.
Starting off strong with an alternative track, “All American B*tch,” the theme of the album was introduced. While not only being super catchy, this opening tune discusses the expectations of girls in the modern dating world. From being “light as a feather” to being “grateful all the time,” the singer uses sarcastic undertones in order to show her listeners the qualities girls are “supposed” to have.
Throughout the album, Rodrigo keeps the pop-punk trend going with hits like “bad idea right?” and “get him back!” Both of these with an underlying message: staying away from your ex partner can be very difficult. Even though both hits seem to mention toxicity, Rodrigo expresses how she simply can just not stay away. While being both relatable to her fans and simply having very catchy lyrics, these two singles were destined to succeed.
On the other hand, Rodrigo goes a different route with the more solemn songs on the tracklist. These ballads include “lacy,” “making the bed,” “logical,” “the grudge” and “teenage dream.” While these also all include very relatable lyrics, they all seem to represent different themes. “Making the bed” and “teenage dream” discuss her personal struggles with fame and the overwhelming expectations put on her by the public eye. She expresses that she blames herself for not enjoying the simple things anymore and how fame has destroyed her perception of life itself. The other three seem to focus on issues in relationships, discussing yearning for others, manipulation or resenting someone for the way they treated her.
Whether an upbeat rock track or a powerful ballad, Rodrigo certainly did not disappoint with her second release. From its relatable lyrics to it’s plain catchy tunes, “Guts” was bound to top the charts everywhere.
