A couple months ago, Spotify formally congratulated me for being one of the first 1 percent to listen to Olivia Rodrigo’s “driver’s license.” As was no doubt the intended effect, I felt flattered, impressed with my own foresight, and overwhelmingly sentimental when I finally pressed play on Olivia’s debut album, “SOUR”; brand loyalty is real and powerful, everyone.
I’d originally dismissed the album out of hand as yet another kitschy pop princess wannabe campaign (Alexa, play “One Whole Day”). After all, “driver’s license” drove down the well-worn roads of teenage romance and heartbreak with skill but nothing extra to add.
The real-life characters behind the lyrics shot the song to superstardom, not necessarily the song itself. Such instant virality is coincidental and thus difficult to replicate; it seemed to me that Olivia’s 15 minutes of fame were destined to gutter out.
The opening guitar riff of “brutal” said otherwise.
In this album, Olivia takes us on her journey through a stereotypical teen breakup, but the lyrics speak to experiences that are universal: loneliness, envy, regret, bitterness.
Her vulnerability and raw vocal power made someone who’s never had a boyfriend cry over “favorite crime” and scream the words to “good 4 u”.
Olivia’s gone out of her way to craft an album experience that doesn’t pigeonhole her creative range: pop rock ragers mingle with aching heartbreak anthems, and the result is a perfect debut filled with Instagram-caption-worthy lyrics.
Despite the breakup theme, The Boy fades into the background, made next to irrelevant when compared to the sharp wit and wisdom of Olivia’s words.
“SOUR” is the emo-infused glitter bomb of an album we needed this year; just like Olivia, we’re a little lost and a little confused, and just like Olivia we’re trying to piece the fabric of our lives back together.
So, do what you need to do. Put “brutal” on repeat until you’re sick of hearing it, then give it a week and do it again. Write the lyrics to “jealousy, jealousy” over and over. On a napkin. On your calendar. On the shower door. But… not in a weird way. Because in these Unprecedented Times™, “SOUR” really hits the sweet spot.
