On Sept. 8, 19-year-old star Olivia Rodrigo released her sophomore album "Guts", in one of the most anticipated album drops of the year. Her first album, "Sour", was a smash hit, breaking the record for the biggest opening week for a female artist’s album in Spotify history. The album also spent an entire year in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, the first debut album this century to accomplish the feat. It’s safe to say that with the success of "Sour", Olivia Rodrigo and pop music fans across the globe were beyond enthused when the album came out.
"Guts" is a natural follow-up to "Sour", with the album playing on the themes of love, heartbreak, not feeling good enough, angst and other emotions part of the teenage experience. The album features soft, pop ballads focused on lyricism that fans have come to know Rodrigo for in songs like “logical” and “the grudge.” While growing her style as a musician, she experiments with more pop-punk, rock sounds such as “all-american b***h,” “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” and “get him back!”
"Guts" is a celebration of Rodrigo’s growth as both an artist and a person, with her lyrics growing in maturity.While "Guts" plays on the same themes as "Sour", Rodrigo explores them in a new way, which is only possible through Rodrigo’s growing older. Her new perspective is highlighted in the song “making the bed,” about not feeling good enough, but Rodrigo accepts responsibility saying that “it’s me who’s been makin’ the bed.” This song is a culmination of the new maturity shown in the lyrics of "Guts".
While "Sour" is an extremely difficult album to follow, "Guts" proves that Rodrigo is here to stay in the music industry, amassing over 60 million streams on Spotify in its first day of release. "Sour" packed an immediate punch and left listeners wanting more after the first listen, but the new maturity of "Guts" gives it a unique quality that takes a few listens to fully grasp, making this a great album. Rodrigo was already a star, but the release of yet another successful album is solidifying her as one of the most influential faces of pop music today.