It has officially been confirmed that Olivia Rodrigo will be making new music. Her first album SOUR dropped when I was sixteen turning seventeen. At the time of its release, I appreciated her songs but never truly connected with them. A year later after experiencing my first breakup at eighteen, I never felt more connected to the album, and was able to scream the lyrics with meaning and emotion.
If you haven’t listened to the album (even though I think every girl has), it contains 11 songs all reflecting different ranges of emotions during life as a teenage girl, particularly during a breakup. The album’s first song “brutal” shows the anger and frustration that comes with being a teenage girl, as well as the theme of not knowing who you are, and having high expectations; the same idea is present in her song “jealousy, jealousy”. These are emotions girls naturally have, from simply the experience of existing as a girl. Even though the song “hope ur ok” isn’t directly related to the teenage girl experience, it captures the experience of growing up and losing connection with people you care about but still wanting them to do okay in life.
Outside of the songs I previously mentioned, the album tells a story of going through all the stages of a breakup and trying to move on. If you pay attention to the lyrics of the songs throughout the album, the relationship she dwells on was not a healthy relationship (like many first relationships), but a connection was made and she can’t change the way she feels about him—which I think a lot of teenage girls can understand after having genuine feelings for someone.
The song “drivers license” is what initially grabbed so much attention. If you didn’t already know, the song is about Olivia’s relationship with her former co-star Joshua Bassett, who allegedly moved on to Sarina Carpenter after dating Olivia. In the song, Olivia is reflecting on her relationship on her first drive after getting her license, an event her and Joshua had always talked bout. Deep emotions are evoked as she drives past places they shared memories, and although time has passed, she still has feelings for him.
“Traitor” and “happier” capture the pain that comes with seeing your ex or someone you liked moving onto someone else. You begin comparing yourself to this new girl, rethinking and overanalyzing everything. The song “deja vu” also fits this theme, as the song isn’t solely about him being with another girl, but also seeing him do the same things you did together now with a different girl—the feeling of no longer feeling special in someone else’s life.
“Enough for you”, “1 step forward, 3 steps back” and “favorite crime” are relatable for a lot of teenage girls who allow boys to have such a large impact on us. Whether it’s the way we dress, talk, or the things we do, it’s all for them rather than what we want. I’m guilty of this, but the reality is that a lot of girls feel like they need to seek approval from the boys in their lives.
After going through the mentally draining emotions of being with a teenage boy, mourning your imperfect relationship, and watching them move on, the song “good 4 u” is perfect for when you finally don’t want to let this person affect you anymore—when you’re so tired of feeling like you need to compete for their attention. It’s the perfect song to scream with your friends.
Many female artists like Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey and SZA have released amazing albums that speak so perfectly to the female population. I think Olivia, being a teenage girl herself when this album was released, just hits a different level of relatability, especially with the album’s storytelling. I am not a music analyst, but there is a reason why every girl knows most—if not all— of the lyrics to this album.