Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album, ‘GUTS,’ was released in early September and has quickly risen to prominence. Rodrigo’s music has acted to fill gaps in music where pop music used to reign. It seems that in the 2000s and 2010s, a plethora of pop music was being released. R&B and rap have taken over this mainstream position. Her new release has diversified the pool of popular music in the last few years.
Rodrigo’s new album ‘GUTS’ combines teenage-coming-of-age angst with inspiration from rock. Plainly said, her music is relatable, enjoyable, and catchy to listen to. Her sound combines soft pop with 90s rock, reaching the teenage and twenty-somethings demographic by discussing heartbreak, self-doubt, body image, and self-awareness. Her music doesn’t necessarily follow the pop music formula; there’s a complexity to her lyrics and sound that reflects how complicated life is. The reception to this album shows how modern audiences crave more organic music.
Olivia’s music comes at a time when 90s and 2000s style has seen a resurgence in mainstream media. However, the portrayal of being a teenager isn’t as glamorous as it was then. TV shows and movies released during that time would have teens driving around in their parents’ nice car, doing whatever they wanted, having boys constantly falling for them when this simply isn’t what life is like 90% of the time. Olivia’s usage of 90s trends in sound and style is ironic; the teenage and early 20-something experience can be stressful and is nothing like the movies from that era. Rodrigo’s second album further solidifies the prevalence of her discography. She doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon– her upcoming tour is hard to get tickets to.