It’s not out of the ordinary for a Disney Channel star to take on the music industry. We’ve seen this with artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Demi Lovato and Ross Lynch.
18 year old Olivia Rodrigo’s 11 track debut album, SOUR, has taken the industry by storm, hitting no.1 on Billboard’s Top 200. The album’s most popular single, “Driver’s License,” has nearly 803,000,000 million streams on Spotify to date. Each track captures Rodrigo’s brilliance in songwriting by demonstrating that she can rangle her own challenging experiences into songs that remain light hearted and witty.
SOUR covers teenage heartbreak, self doubt, mental health and everything in between. Tracks like “Good 4 U” and “Deja Vu” tackle emotions from teenage heartbreak. Many find comfort and guidance in the relatability of Rodrigo’s lyrics.
My top two favorite songs from the album narrow down to “Brutal” and “Favorite crime.”
The first track on SOUR, “Brutal,” gives a glimpse into Rodrigo’s mind, which many find comfort in, learning they’re not alone in their insecurities. Often, teens’ feelings are invalidated, told to just “be a kid”. She speaks for many teens when sharing the struggles she faces while navigating life.
“Favorite Crime” centers around the sacrifices that many make to be in a relationship. The chorus sings, “all the things I did, just so I could call you mine,” which rings familiar, especially for her front and center audience of teenagers. It can be hard to find balance in relationships, and Rodrigo writes about this in a both relatable and genuine manner.
SOUR proved to pop culture enthusiasts and music lovers alike that Rodrigo is more than just a one hit wonder, former Disney star. She has earned her spot as an artist and it is paying off.
With this being merely her debut album with 301 million streams and climbing, I think I speak for many when I say I am so excited to see what the future holds for Rodrigo.
“I think little Olivia would be so happy to know that all of her heartbreak would turn into something really beautiful,” tweeted Rodrigo following SOUR’s release.
