Olivia Rodrigo entered a new era on April 17 when she dropped her lead single “drop dead” for her third album “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.” The music video was filmed at the Palace of Versailles — a nod to the song’s lyric, “You lookin’ like an angel on the walls of Versailles.” The video is filled with dreamy visuals reminiscent of Sofia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette,” which was also filmed at Versailles. The singer dances through the hallways of the palace and plays the guitar in a frilly, pink and blue pre-fall 2026 Chloé top.
Her latest release shows a retreat from the previous themes in her music videos and projects. Videos like “brutal” and her 2023 Saturday Night Live performance of “all-american bitch” were laced with rage and teen angst. She has swapped the angsty tone for a more lighthearted, lovestruck one, in tune with the single’s lyrics.
One thing about Rodrigo’s music videos stays the same: her collaboration with photographer and director Petra Collins. Rodrigo and Collins have collaborated on five music videos together across all three albums, beginning with the “good 4 u” music video from her debut album “SOUR,” and most recently “drop dead.”
Despite the change in Rodrigo’s music videos, Collins’ artistic direction has grown with her. In my opinion, they are one of the best current artist-director collaborations since their visions seamlessly blend together.
Collins first garnered attention in the early 2010s, cementing herself in the industry through directing projects for artists including Selena Gomez and Cardi B as well as shooting campaigns for brands like Gucci. Her work is often featured in discussions of the “female gaze,” and it is defined by her use of color, hazy hues, film cameras and, more recently, elaborate and ethereal set design.
Recently, her name has popped up in online discourse after revealing she worked on Season One of “Euphoria,” directing and creating visuals for the show before being let go from the project. Fans quickly noticed similarities between the show’s visuals and Collins’ photography. Currently, she is still working on fashion campaigns, publishing her own photography books and, notably, directing music videos for Rodrigo.
In the current media landscape, music videos can get lost in the noise of TikToks and social media promotion. Some people argue that music videos have lost their relevance in the grand scheme of the album rollout process. However, Collins cuts through the noise with her career-defining motifs and daring artistic choices, like filming at Versailles. For over a decade, Collins has had her finger on the pulse, and her work with Rodrigo proves she still does.