Olivia Rodrigo has left fans stunned again.
After more than 2 years since the release of her debut album, Olivia Rodrigo has finally released her sophomore album, “GUTS.” When the announcement of the new music went public on June 26th, fans were ecstatic that they would be able to experience the album on September 8th.
Back in 2021, Olivia released her first album, “SOUR,” which instantly became a hit with the public. The album became the longest-running debut album in the Billboard 200 Top 10, according to Billboard.
Fast forward to now, “GUTS” quickly became a favorite amongst those anticipating the album. Consisting of 12 songs that combine to around 39 minutes, this album displays the exploration and emotions that come along with growing up, which Rodrigo conveys beautifully through her music.
Emma Incarnato ‘25 states, “I really liked ‘SOUR’ and was hoping ‘GUTS’ would be a favorite album of mine as well, and it is! It completely succeeded my expectations and is constantly on repeat.”
While the album may not be everyone’s style, one can tell that this album conveys the major creative wave that overtook Rodrigo. To say that the album is not one worth listening to disregards the experiences that had to be undergone in order to create such an affecting combination of songs. Although it differs from the original sound of “SOUR,” “GUTS” is uniquely its own and is simply perfection for the average teenager experiencing the many ups and downs of life.
Earlier in the summer, Rodrigo released 2 singles, “vampire” and “bad idea right?” From these pieces, fans could tell that this album would be different, but in a good way. The new sound of this album was one that would prove the range of styles that Rodrigo was capable of.
“The album is different from ‘SOUR’ because her writing skills and her voice has matured which made the album more likable and unique in my opinion,” comments Nancy Pereyra ‘27.
Beginning with “all american b***h” and ending with “teenage dream,” this album spans from angry to desolate in a matter of minutes, and the music even reaches a wide range of audiences with a multitude of musical preferences.
On the day of the launch, Rodrigo performed on The Today Show, allowing fans to experience the anticipation of the album with a diverting performance of “vampire,” “get him back!” and “drivers license,” one of the most popular songs from “SOUR.”
Following the release of the new album, “GUTS” charted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, proving how much of a hit it has become.
Julia Schmidt ‘26 shares her opinion, “I love the album. It’s fun, sad, and poignant in the best way possible. The songs are so relatable and it feels amazing to have an incredible album that represents teenage years so well.”
Despite a consensus between many fans that “GUTS” is the supreme album of her discography, some may argue that this album is not her best.
“It wasn’t as good as her first album, and a lot of the songs were just her talking,” rebuttals Lorelei Traynor ‘26.
Whether one is a love-struck teenager who got their heart broken and can relate to “logical,” or someone who feels like their life is betraying them and can relate to “making the bed,” there are a multitude of different tracks that exhibit how genuine and well-written these songs are.
Rodrigo definitely delivered with this album, and she displayed how much she has evolved since “SOUR” 2 years ago.
