Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR Will Have You Reliving Your High School Heartbreak (In the Best Way)
On Friday, May 21st, Olivia Rodrigo sent many listeners into a spiral of emotions with the release of her debut album SOUR. The eleven track album follows the 18-year-old artist through the process of overcoming a break-up, from the heartbreak and sadness, to the anger and aggression, and finishing with self acceptance. SOUR also includes three of her chart topping singles from 2021: driver’s license (which broke multiple records by being one of the most streamed songs on Spotify within its first day and week), deja vu, and good 4 u, which dropped just a week before the full album was released. Within just her first six months in the music industry, Olivia Rodrigo has proven that she possesses the chops to be a successful artist, and with the album already at a billion streams within its first weekend, it’s no doubt that she has already made it big.
Starting the album off with the aggressive emo rock track that is “brutal”, Rodrigo sings about how she struggles with herself and wants to disappear, despite the fact that society tells her that her youth should be her “golden years”. The hook line “God! It’s brutal out here!” exclaims her feeling of exasperation that she doesn't feel good enough for anything she does. The next two tracks, “traitor” and “driver’s license” express the sadness that Olivia feels post-heartbreak. She sings about her feelings of betrayal as her ex-lover continues on with a new person, so soon after their separation.
“1 step forward, 3 steps back” which contains a piano sample from Taylor Swift’s “New Year’s Day”,“enough for you”, and “jealousy, jealousy are three tracks that talk about comparing yourself to others and trying your best to be enough for someone, resulting in losing yourself along the way. Olivia expresses her self doubt as a result from being constantly told she was not enough, which is further ingrained in her when her ex leaves her for someone else. “good 4 u”, “deja vu””express her anger and aggression towards the situation. She feels jealous and angry that her ex has moved on so quickly, and she begins gaining her confidence back through the rage. Lastly, “happier” “favorite crime” and “hope ur ok” finally show Olivia making peace with the breakup and learning to accept herself again.
Fans reacted with an immense amount of positivity towards the album, and are in complete awe over the amount of talent that Olivia possesses at such a young age and at such an early stage in her career. Nonetheless, SOUR is definitely one of those albums that will hit you right in the feels. This project really struck a chord with millennials and Gen Z, who are still currently trying to navigate the world and their own emotions. The topics covered throughout every track touch upon some basic human experiences to which many people can relate. Feelings of sadness, jealousy, and self doubt are all components of getting through a break-up, and speak to the growing pains of being young and figuring yourself out.
We are excited to see more from the young talent that is Olivia Rodrigo, who will undoubtedly grow as she experiences the industry over the years. However, in the meantime, her debut album will definitely keep her fans fed with the perfect heartbreak ballads to cry to mixed with the punk/emo rock songs to scream and dance around their rooms. If you have yet to listen to the emotional rollercoaster that is SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo, we highly recommend you do so on your preferred music streaming platform.
