GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album, was released September 8th, 2023, 840 days after her first album, SOUR, was released. On June 13th, Rodrigo announced the album’s lead single, Vampire, which was set to be released on June 30th. Rodrigo continued to tease the single on June 20th. On June 26th, Rodrigo revealed the title, album cover, and release date for the album.
Rodrigo shared that the album is about, “…growing pains and figuring out my identity at this point in my life.” The same people who related to SOUR, an album about the ups and downs of love, can now listen and relate to an album about her life as a young adult and the experiences she has had over the past 2 years.
Personally, my top 5 from GUTS are bad idea right?, lacy, ballad of a homeschooled girl, get him back!, and all-american b****. When it comes to bad idea right? I relate to the lyrics “My brain goes, “Ah” Can’t hear my thoughts” I can’t lie, when it comes to guys, I don’t think clearly and mostly do the first thing that comes to mind, which isn’t good, but it is fun.
lacy is relatable: “Lacy, oh Lacy, I just loathe you lately. And I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you. Yeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you”. I hate it…but I’m so jealous of my best friend…all the guys like her, and I can’t help but wish it was me.
It may seem funny but in ballad of a home schooled girl I relate to the lyrics “Everythin’ I do is tragic (Oh) Every guy I like is gay (Oh) The morning after I panic (Oh) Oh, God, what did I say?” My friends are genuinely convinced every guy I’ve ever liked is gay, which isn’t a bad thing, but a little funny. I also have social anxiety and think everything I do is embarrassing, so I also identify with the lyrics “I broke a glass, tripped and fell. Told secrets I shouldn’t tell. Stumbled over all my words. Made it weird, then made it worse. Each day that I’m alive, it’s social suicide. It’s social suicide, wanna curl up and die”
In get him back! the lyrics “So I miss him some nights when I’m feeling depressed. ‘Til I remember every time he made a pass on my friend. Do I love him? Do I hate him? I guess it’s up and down” reminds me so much of this guy I know – he’s hit on me and all of my friends and I honestly shouldn’t like him, but I just can’t help it.
Lastly, in all-american b****, I truly relate to the whole song. I think it describes how life feels as a teenage girl, especially the lyrics “I feel for your every little issue, I know just what you mean”. I’ve been made out to be so many people, especially by guys – I’ve been the personal therapist and helper, and I know my friends have too, and it’s extremely draining.
Pre-orders for the album started on June 26th. Various formats of the album were sold as, but not limited to: CDs, cassette tapes, online streaming platforms, box sets, and vinyl. Exclusive CDs and limited vinyl with a different album cover were sold at Target for a brief time. Various color variants of the vinyl were sold exclusively on her website and at Walmart, Amazon, and a few other stores. On each of the four colored variants, there is a different bonus song, either obsessed, scared of my guitar, stranger, or girl i‘ve always been.
On September 13th, 2023, Rodrigo announced her world tour. Currently, she has 75 tour dates across North America and Europe. Her supporting acts consist of The Breeders, Chappell Roan, PinkPantheress, and Remi Wolf. The tour starts on February 23, 2024, in Palm Springs, California, and will conclude in Inglewood, California on August 17, 2024. In a statement from Wikipedia, Rodrigo stated she wrote GUTS, “with a tour in mind.”
GUTS has been met with critical acclaim worldwide. Rodrigo’s vocals have improved greatly since the release of her first album. On 12 different ratings, she received a score no lower than 3/5 stars, 8/10, or 90/100. Despite negative criticism for her past album SOUR, Rodrigo continued to pursue her passion for her music career. Although anxious about people’s past criticism of her first album, she continued to promote and release GUTS with a smile on her face and without a care in the world.
GUTS is now out on all streaming platforms! Go stream it! Purchase the merch! Get the colored vinyl so you can listen to the exclusive songs! Go on her tour! Tell your friends all about it!
