Olivia Rodrigo just kicked 2021's door down. She's here to stay and you're just going to have to deal with it. With her first record-breaking single "drivers license," Rodrigo quickly made a name for herself and now she's inescapable. The power of TikTok drove her straight to the top and she seems comfortable up there. So don't be surprised when you see her name mentioned in the Song of the Year category at next year's GRAMMY awards (Best New Artist, too).
Her debut album, SOUR, is packed with teen angst, generational trauma, "woe is me!" tracks that are actually pretty fucking good. And it resonates particularly well with Millennials, especially those over 30. Why is this? I want to say it's because Rodrigo encapsulated a nostalgia that we can immediately relate to. Imagine that. Someone born in the early 2000s making music in 2021 that sounds like it was from the year she was born. Incredible. Whether it's a song about teen heartbreak, disappointment, or just being a sarcastic little punk, we've all experienced what she's going through in some shape or form and we're reliving it through her music. It feels special in a weird (but good) way.
It's an impressive feat that a 17-year-old penned every track (and produced most) on her debut album given the lyrical content. She has a way with words that we wish we had at that age, and that's part of her charm. One second we're pissed off at the world and the next second we want to shed a tear? Props to you, Olivia. She may be sour, but she's made sweet, sweet music for our ears. ★★★★
Key Tracks: "brutal" | "drivers license" | "traitor"
★★★★★ Classic | ★★★★ Excellent | ★★★ Good | ★★ Fair | ★ Poor
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