Olivia Rodrigo played to her strengths in her newest album “GUTS,” creating a track list that can double as the soundtrack of your favorite coming-of-age film or read as the leaked pages of a college student’s diary. Rodrigo released the 12-track-album saturated with heartbreak and self-expression on Sept. 8, offering a roller coaster of emotions for any listener who wants to go for a ride.
Following her award-winning debut album “SOUR” (2021), the highly-anticipated “GUTS” represents a crucial point in Rodrigo’s career. While many artists fall victim to an underwhelming sophomore album, Rodrigo took this chance to prove that she is here to stay. She has grown up from the 17-year-old girl singing about getting her driver’s license, and so have her fans. This album follows and celebrates that mutual growth.
“GUTS” begins with an upbeat anthem titled “all-american b****,” a perfect sum of teenage angst and 2000s pop nostalgia. Rodrigo makes it clear that the tracks that follow will be nothing but unapologetically herself, chanting “I know my age, and I act like it.” Refreshing in comparison to the epidemic of teenage starlets trying to act like they are in their 30s, teen listeners are empowered straight from the jump. This power courses through each lyric, beat and vein of the listener, building a strong foundation for the 11 other tracks to follow.
The second and third tracks are Rodrigo’s two previously-released singles, “vampire” and “bad idea right?” Production ties these strikingly-different songs together with dramatic musical breaks that offer unexpected tension and excitement. Despite the contrasting sounds of a ballad and a song with rock-undertones, both tracks reflect her new attitude toward love and relationships: While Rodrigo previously let heartbreak define her, she has taken control of these emotions and gained the ability to self-reflect on both her strengths and flaws.
Rodrigo further encapsulates the essence of an angsty teenage girl in “ballad of a homeschooled girl.” Her descriptions of “hangxiety” and the habit of overthinking resonate with her now-college-aged fans who are facing these challenges along with her. It felt as though Rodrigo was reading thoughts straight from my head, as despite being a three-time Grammy-Awards-winning pop star, she still overcomes the same challenges any teenage girl does.
“GUTS” is Rodrigo’s playground, showing just how much she has broken free from the restraints of what a pop song should be. She allows herself to be creative, alleviating the pressure that comes along with following up on such a highly-regarded debut album. This playfulness also opens up room for honesty, which the music reflects.
While songs about growth and change provide a positive spin to the album, there is no doubt that Rodrigo can write a heartfelt breakup ballad. She returns to her roots in “logical.” Her new experiences with love have garnered elevated lyricism, somehow allowing her to make songs even more heartbreaking than her previous ones. The chorus repeats “Two plus two equals five / And I’m the love of your life.” These lyrics are so simple, yet they perfectly resemble the confusing, relentless nature of young love.
Rodrigo pivots between pop-grunge anthems and ballads for the rest of the album, yet the standout song for me is “the grudge,” in which she takes a step back from her punky persona and dives deep into the underlying turmoil of the album that really inspired it all. Despite this new power and self-awareness she has gained through skyrocketing in fame over the past few years, “the grudge” serves as a reminder that Rodrigo is still just a kid, one who endured an emotionally-tumultuous relationship.
The album closes with a track titled “teenage dream,” resonant with the lyric from her first album, “Where’s my f***ing teenage dream?” Rodrigo reminds her fans that the idyllic teenage dream doesn’t actually exist. She sings, “You’re only 19 / But I fear that they already got all the best parts of me.” Brutally open about her fears, it is clear just how much the pressure of fame and success has weighed on her. Again, Rodrigo is refreshing in that she is normal, not immune to the intense struggles of being a young female in a society not built for us.
In the album’s first song, Rodrigo sings, “I know my place, and this is it.” She had a lot to prove in this album, yet by completely letting go of the world’s expectations and creating music truthful to her own experiences, Rodrigo surpassed all expectations. While “GUTS” may be more enjoyable for fans of her first record, she has taken steps away from the bubblegum pop she was originally branded with. Anyone can appreciate her lyricism and creativity, and I definitely have some new go-to songs to listen to when I’m feeling anxious, in love or just in need of a good beat.
