21 year old artist, Olivia Rodrigo recently added five songs to her sophomore album GUTS creating a unique blend of new sounds and emotions.
Starting on February 23, 2024, Olivia Rodrigo has been taking the stage each night for her second headline tour, singing songs from her newest album GUTS. One of her biggest hits at her shows has been her previously unreleased song “obsessed.” The song is a bonus track on the GUTS vinyl record, however, it’s only been recently that the song became accessible on streaming platforms.
During her performance of “get him back!” at her Chicago show on Tuesday, March 19th, Olivia Rodrigo surprised fans by announcing GUTS (spilled). Typically, Rodrigo and her backup dancers crumple up pieces of purple paper during the song’s lyric, “so I write him all these letters and I throw them in the trash.” However, this time, Rodrigo held the paper up to the crowd with the words “GUTS DELUXE OUT FRIDAY” written across it. Five of her dancers revealed the song titles on the papers, with the fan-favorite “obsessed” being one of them. She announced the news to the rest of her fans on her Instagram with photos from that day’s show.
Her new tracks add a finishing touch to the already flawless album, and as they progress, introduce a new side to relationships and love. “obsessed,” the first song, perfectly represents Rodrigo’s blend of grunge and rock, featuring fast-paced drumming, twangy instrumentals, and ideas of jealousy. The song draws parallels with “get him back!” through a comparable style and theme centered around revenge and past relationships. Along with the release of “obsessed” is a music video featuring an annual ball of “all of his exes and Olivia Rodrigo.” Rodrigo, walking around in a black dress with short, choppy bangs stands out in contrast to the other seemingly perfect young women dressed in elegant white attire and gloves. The overall feeling of jealousy and insecurity make an appearance in both the visuals of the music video and the lyricism of the song.
The next song “girl i’ve always been,” slightly strays away from the rest of the album, as it introduces an acoustic country style. It’s a short and light-hearted song that explores her individuality. The lyrics go back and forth between accusations of her changing and Rodrigo insisting she is the same. She counters the opening line in verse one, “you have changed” by replying “don’t say that I’ve been acting different,” in verse two. She stays true to herself and appears more confident in the lyrics of this song, all while successfully experimenting with a new style.
“scared of my guitar,” the third song, takes a slower and calmer pace, reminiscent of her song “logical.” Lyrics such as “I pretend that it’s love,” or “how could I ever trade somethin’ that’s good for what’s right,” dive into the complexities of being in a relationship, with the guitar being a metaphor for the truth she’s hesitant to acknowledge. She maintains this acoustic style through the fourth song “stranger,” whilst displaying a shift in her feelings about her relationships. Through the phrase “you’re just a stranger I know everything about” she shows herself moving forward into a new phase of her life.
“so american” ends the album, with the title connecting back to her very first track on GUTS, “all-american bitch.” All of the feelings of envy and doubt suddenly disappear, as Rodrigo takes listeners through a journey of being in love. The persistent beat, pushing the song forward coupled with the phrase “I just might be in love” fill the song with excitement and new beginnings, making it the perfect way to close out the album.
Rodrigo never fails to make music that resonates with all audiences. Whether it’s young women entering adulthood, people struggling with their emotions, or someone simply wanting something to connect to, GUTS (spilled), is the album to listen to.
I am a Dallas-based photographer who has an appreciation for both the arts and music! Besides photographing concerts, I also enjoy doing creative portraits and working in Photoshop. I spend my free time either playing the cello, guitar, or piano or collecting CDs and vinyls. I would say my top three favorite artists are Peter McPoland, The Beatles, and Harry Styles! I’m currently a senior in high school, but I plan to major in graphic design and one day turn concert photography into a career.
