At 20 years old, Olivia Rodrigo is already a well-known name in the music industry after her debut album, “Sour,” became a smash-hit in 2021 for its catchy and relatable lyrics. With the release of Rodrigo’s newest album “GUTS,” released last month by Geffen Records, she has made it clear that her ability to make the emotions in her songs contagious to her listeners has not faded in the slightest.
“GUTS” gives words to universal young adult experiences by describing the complex emotions that come with the abrupt transition into adulthood. It leaves nothing out, unashamedly describing the dramatic and often unreasonable thoughts and feelings that come with learning how to be your own person with Rodrigo saying, “I know my age and I act like it” in the very first song of the album, “all-american bitch.”
Each track flows from one into another as if the album was one long and continuous song with even the most upbeat melodies easily transitioning into a heart-wrenching ballad. The album progresses in such a way that each song feels even more complete when listening to them all together and in order.
As is expected with an album of this caliber, “GUTS” has basked in an overwhelmingly positive reception. Rodrigo’s newest album follows in her debut’s footsteps, sparking conversation and speculation amongst her fans as they try to figure out who the inspiration was behind some of their favorite songs.
Rodrigo is renowned for writing about her own feelings and relationships with the people around her. Her debut album sparked quite the controversy when fans realized that the popular song “drivers license” was likely written about her former co-star and rumored ex-boyfriend, Joshua Bassett. The drama grew even bigger when fans connected several other songs on the album to the relationship, creating an image of an alleged love triangle between Rodrigo, Bassett and Sabrina Carpenter. This theory was made more credible when both Bassett and Carpenter seemed to respond to the rumors with songs of their own referencing the situation soon after; Bassett with the song “Lie Lie Lie” and Carpenter with her song “Skin.”
The rumors from “Sour” have resurfaced thanks to the new album, with fans saying that the new track “lacy” might have been written about Carpenter. Others have disagreed, matching the song to others such as Madison Beer or Rodrigo’s friend Gracie Abrams.
No matter what the actual background behind Olivia Rodrigo’s new album is, “GUTS” has already proven to be a successful album filled with both technical prowess and emotion. Anyone interested in listening to this masterpiece can find it on Spotify and Apple Music, as well as in Target for $11.89 and several other stores for a similar price.
