Record reviews gone sour

Olivia Rodrigo took the world by storm with her debut single "driver's license" gaining over 80 million streams in its first week alone. Rodrigo released her highly anticipated debut album "SOUR" shortly after. The album followed her messy breakup with High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star Joshua Bassett, detailing her heartbreak for her audience. 

Brutal

The opening track immediately catches listeners' attention as it's initially a ballad and transforms into a more angsty feel. Lyrics such as “And I’m so tired that I might / Quit my job, start a new life / And they’d all be so disappointed / ‘Cause who am I if not exploited?” hint at how an artist may constantly feel pressured to be the best in their industry. That despite being in their “golden years” they still feel overwhelmed with the need to succeed.

Traitor

This one quickly became a fan favorite as it was relatable to her teenage audience. The track contains lyrics like “Remember I brought her up / And you told me I was paranoid” and “It took you two weeks to go off and date her / Guess you didn’t cheat, but you’re still a traitor” Rodrigo reflects on her past relationship and all of the times she questioned her partner’s intentions after he was spotted with another girl shortly after their breakup.

Driver’s license

This next one is one I’m sure you’ve heard before, “driver’s license” perfectly captures the feeling of teenage heartbreak while still being catchy enough to be a radio hit. While some may describe it as melodramatic, audiences connected with the lyrics as well as the story Rodrigo was able to paint.

1 step forward, 3 steps back

This is one of the more personal songs on the album, allowing Rodrigo to reflect on how her ex treated her and made her constantly question herself. “I hate that I give you power over that kinda stuff” even though she’s aware that it isn’t logical to stay in a relationship like this, she still finds herself wanting things to work out.

Deja Vu 

Rodrigo continued breaking records with her track “deja vu” which detailed how Rodrigo’s ex had found a new girl, only to take her on the same dates and dedicate the same songs to his new girl as he did to her. “So when you gonna tell her that we did that, too? / She thinks it’s special, but it’s all reused”

Good 4 you

Yet another top hit we got from this album, which is easy to understand once you hear the catchy lyrics and upbeat sound. Rodrigo addresses her ex moving on so quickly with sarcasm stating “And good for you, it's like you never even met me / Remember when you swore to God I was the only person who ever got you? Well, screw that, and screw you” Despite being about the aftermath of a breakup, it’s the kind of song that gets you up and dancing.

Enough for you

This is one of the slower songs on the album, narrating how Rodrigo put in extra effort to be enough for her partner only to be left for someone else in the else. Lyrics like “And I knew how you took your coffee / And your favorite songs by heart” and “And don’t you think I loved you too much / To be used and discarded?” give listeners an insight to how the 18 year old was truly feeling after her breakup,

Happier

Rodrigo wishes the best to her ex while simultaneously hoping he isn’t able to achieve the level of happiness he did when he was with her. “Say you love her, baby, just not like you loved me / And think of me fondly when your hands are on her / I hope you’re happy but don’t be happier” This song was another fan favorite as it was relatable to Rodrigo’s primarily teenage audience.

Jealousy, Jealousy

The following track is another one of the more personal ones on the album, detailing how the unrealistic beauty standards on social media can ruin you. Lyrics such as “All I see is what I should be / Happier, Prettier / Jealousy Jealousy” prove that even celebrities are prone to feeling insecure just like the majority of us.

Favorite crime

The next song is one in which Rodrigo takes parcel responsibility for her heartbreak in the opening verse stating “Know that I loved you so bad / I let you treat me like that” in which she’s aware of the mistreatment but loves him too badly to leave.

Hope ur ok

This last track is the most underrated on the album being dismissed as boring with no overly upbeat lyrics or crazy instrumentals. I think that’s why it’s my favorite, it's just a girl and her guitar. With lyrics like “He wore long sleeves ‘cause of his dad / And somehow we fell out of touch / Hope he took his bad deal and made a royal flush” or “My middle school friend grew up alone / She raised her brothers on her own” it is obvious that the song was written in dedication to Rodrigo’s old friends who she wishes the best for. You can tell she released it because she wanted to, not because she was expecting it to be a huge hit.