Listen up, Olivia Rodrigo stans: rumor has it that the starlet’s next album might be coming soon, and we couldn’t be more excited. Ever since the Disney star and princess of pop shook up the music industry with her record-breaking album, Sour, fans all over the world have been eager to hear what she’s going to release next. Not only did Sour hit all of the right notes — both musically and emotionally, successfully forcing listeners into the depths of their feels — but the album’s soaring melodies and heartfelt lyrics reminded us of what it’s like to feel teen heartbreak.
Not only has Ms. Rodrigo been associated with her fellow music mastermind and friend Taylor Swift, but she even surpassed some of Blondie’s records last year. In fact, “Driver’s License,” the song that broke our hearts and made Olivia a breakout star, had its first birthday in January 2022, and once again the world was reminded that sad girls are powerful. Rodrigo recently posted a video on Twitter in honor of the song, saying “thank u to everyone who has supported me so tenderly. music is the most magical thing in the world.”
Now, just over a year after the song’s debut, many fans are theorizing that new music is on the way. Some TikTokers are even claiming that the singer has been dropping subtle hints at a second album, just like her bestie Taylor, who is the queen of Easter eggs. While Sour was all about hurt and heartbreak, rumor has it that Rodrigo’s next body of work might be a little “sweeter.” Here’s what we know — or at least, what we think we know — about Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, title, release date, and what to expect for the leading lady’s next musical era.
Does the album have a release date yet?
So far, there (unfortunately) isn’t a confirmed release date for the new album. However, some fans believe we can expect new music this summer — AKA when Rodrigo is supposed to start the Sour tour. Coincidence? I think not. She mentioned in a November interview with Clash that it takes her “a long time to make a record,” and given the success of her last one, we expect she’ll be taking her time again with any future releases.
According to some FBI-level investigations on Reddit and Twitter, Olivia’s use of “1785” in the “perfect crime” music video might be a hint for when the album is coming — but for now, we’ll just have to wait for the big day.
Some fans think she’s calling the album “Sweet.”
While the title of Olivia’s future album hasn’t been confirmed, rumor has it that she might be calling it “Sweet” (yes, as in Sweet and Sour). After all, her iconic collaboration with Sour Patch Kids contained the tagline “sour, then sweet,” with the word “sweet” appearing in red letters. All things considered, this would be a clever easter egg to leave us with, even if a bit obvious! Livies (AKA Olivia’s fandom) have reacted quickly to this rumor, like TikToker @codyjohnathan and Twitter user @emilypacifier2 who says, “if Olivia Rodrigo really pulls a Taylor swift and drops an album called Sweet after releasing Sour…..i won’t cope.”
Although making a counterpart to Sour with a similar name would be pretty sweet, Rodrigo mentioned in the Clash interview that despite the interesting rumor, it was “not her idea to do the ‘sour then sweet’ thing.” She told Clash, “I don’t have any plans to put that out, but I love seeing people’s theories.” Additionally, when she appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live in October, Rodrigo was asked about the album title and responded “It’s my little secret!” So, I guess the Sweet rumors are null for now, and we’ll have to wait to find out the songstress’ real album title.
What will the album be about?
While Sour was all about heartbreak and loss, Rodrigo shared with Clash that her next album, whenever it may arrive, is “probably going to be a lot happier” than her last. She also notes that her “tastes are always changing” and that this will be reflected in her future album. That leaves many people to wonder if we can expect a different sound than before.
While it’s all speculation, fans are convinced she’s still dropping hints.
According to Teen Vogue, one Twitter user predicted that Olivia was supposed to drop the new album on June 21st, 2021 based on a fun “house number” theory. While the Tweet has since been deleted, it reportedly said: “the house number is 1785, if you add that together you get 21. There are 6 girls on the roof, therefore olivia rodrigo’s album SWEET will drop june 21st.” While the album might not be called “Sweet” after all, and the album wasn’t released yet, the number part could be real for 2022. You never know!
In the meantime, Olivia will be touring & starring in ‘High School Musical 3.’
Rodrigo’s first-ever tour, “The Sour Tour,” is slated to begin in April 2022 and will end in July. It’s a 40-date international tour across North America and Europe and will be supported by opening acts from Gracie Abrams, Holly Humberstone, and Baby Queen. ICYMI, the tour sold out pretty much immediately after tickets went on sale, which is unsurprising considering the star’s mega-success. Olivia told the Los Angeles Times in a December 2021 interview that she’s writing again, so maybe she’ll even debut new music in front of the tour’s (very) lucky attendees.
As if she couldn’t be any busier these days, Rodrigo will be returning for season three of the High School Musical series on Disney+, according to Billboard. The Wildcats will be back for a brand-new semester, and according to Cosmopolitan, the drama is bound to continue (along with catchy original tunes, of course).
Although the story is still unfolding re: Olivia Rodrigo’s second album, it’s safe to say we are all pumped for what’s to come. If her new album is anything like the first, we can expect it to break the internet and lead to iconic music videos that masterfully incorporate musical and artistic inspiration from the greats. Until the highly-anticipated album arrives, we’ll be searching for more Easter eggs.