Occasionally, an artist will release an album, and my knee-jerk reaction will be, “They get me.” This month, it’s Olivia Rodrigo with her smash hit sophomore album, GUTS. Through her collection of mesmerizing ballads and catchy pop-punk anthems, Rodrigo encapsulates what it feels like to be a young woman trying to navigate life.
With tracks like “all-american bitch,” “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” and “love is embarrassing,” Rodrigo matches the energy of artists like Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morisette at their peak, combining the perfect blend of teenage angst and rebellion. Whether it’s loving someone you shouldn’t, feeling angry about the unattainable standards of being a girl, or simply feeling too socially awkward for your own good, Rodrigo has the lyrics for you to scream to in the car as you listen.
Particularly, Rodrigo’s style of speak-singing in “bad idea right?” and “get him back!” make the songs feel so personal, as though she was having a gossip session with the listeners themselves.
However, GUTS isn’t just an album of frivolous fun; its ballads are a gut punch of beauty and pain. In “vampire” and “the grudge,” Rodrigo’s vocals are hauntingly beautiful, paired with piano melodies that showcase the pain of realizing red flags in someone you love and the difficulty that comes with trying to move past them. This heartache continues with “logical” and “making the bed” as Rodrigo mourns a relationship that’s shifted in an undesirable direction. With “pretty isn’t pretty” and “lacy,” Rodrigo delves deep into envy and insecurity. She addresses how the game of comparison can destroy a person to their core. With the rise of social media, this feeling has never been more intense for young girls, and it’s refreshing for Rodrigo to share this sentiment, considering how many girls compare themselves to the singer.
However, what makes GUTS such a hard hitter is the album’s closer, “teenage dream.” It serves as the culmination of all the teenage angst and heartbreak that’s followed throughout the album. Rodrigo sings about how much more pain and growth she’ll have to endure until she finally feels “better,” or if she ever will.
It’s a feeling young women are all too familiar with. The idea that their next year will be better than their last, that life will finally start to make sense. GUTS embraces this feeling with open arms. Rodrigo recognizes that turning 18 doesn’t mean you’re a proper “adult”; you’re just another year older, still figuring things out.
This makes GUTS an instant classic, poignant and powerful, messy and fun, and a fantastic listen. Rodrigo uplifts the idea of the messy young woman, growing and learning, and most importantly, enjoying herself.