When it came out January 8, 2021 Driver licensefirst single from Olivia Rodrigonot many would argue with that this song, written and sung by a seventeen year old, would stun everyonebecoming one of the best-selling singles of the year and paving the way for the success of the American singer-songwriter’s first album.
Yes, but what was really special about this single? In addition to being a YA story, the story of teenage sentimental “breakup” associated with winning your first automobile license there was a little rock thrill that was different from the usual. Light, to put it bluntly, but present. And above all, the passion that allowed Olivia Rodrigo to become a star in just a few months. A role that he must confirm with his new album. Guts, which hit the platforms just a few days ago. “I’ve always loved rock music,” he said The newspaper “New York Times a few days ago “uh I’ve always wanted to find a way to make others feel the same way I do and make it feminine.and at the same time telling a story and being able to say something vulnerable and intimate.”
This explains exactly what kind of rock Rodrigo represents today: smooth and powerful music that has a lot of references to the mainstream, but at the same time very far from the “urban” sound that seems to dominate the scene, a little pop and a little punk (in the American and nineties of this genre), in a direct line, so to speak, with Blink 182 and Green Day, but from a woman’s point of view, definitely more melodic and more open. In short, non-genre, so to speak, as dictated by today’s music, which every day makes fun of the rules of genres in different ways. Of course, it is clear that the very young Rodrigo is moving in the direction discovered many years ago by such artists as Gwen Stefani or Avril Lavignebut it is interesting to know that among his reference groups there are Bikini Killor who recently went in company Saint Vincent watch the concert Tori AmosI just want to say that this universe is not just mainstream, even if his music, his idea of rock – from many points of view.
Olivia Rodrigo: “Writing bares the heart. I was able to do this thanks to many incredible women.”
Ernesto Assante
And it is quite obvious that the reference model, taking into account the necessary differences, is absolutely Taylor Swift. So, to put it bluntly, the mainstream world is trying to conquer it, trying to find a place for a kind of electric, powerful language that harkens back to rock, in a completely feminine manner (In short, you’re not pretending to be Mick Jagger.) and is completely consistent with what music has become since the 2000s. Yes, okay, everything is clear, but how can this be? Guts? An extremely enjoyable album that is truly a pleasure to listen to, combining great sounds and small feelings.rock up to a certain point (if you want to find something decidedly more modern and feminine, then it is better to listen to Courtney Barnett or already legendary wet foot), rock, as most of the American musical universe understands it, is fundamentally acceptable rock, pulsating and pure, without corners or edges, free from problems and tensions, positive even when it seems something alternative.
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And in many ways compared to the dominant sound of our era, Guts it is an alternative, but not necessarily rebellious or revolutionary, not necessarily problematic or stupid. Because Olivia Rodrigo doesn’t want to be a cult artist.: early twenties American of Filipino descent, former Disney child star where she was born as an actress, she wants to talk to as many people as possible, she wants to achieve a big goal and, in fact, he wants to do it his way, without any ties to social media fame, without turning into Kim Kardashian., without confusing himself with a celebrity, but maintaining the image of a free and independent teenager. Or at least try in a very difficult scenario where a young musical star is asked to be a “role model” to “project acceptable emotions” as Caryn Ganz points out on The newspaper “New York Times“,look a certain way and compete with each other. All options that Rodrigo practically refused.“
The thing is that now he has to deal with himself: his huge success with just one album, Sour released in the midst of a pandemic, it was a real bomb, it earned her three Grammys, selling several million copies, reaching the top of the charts in twenty countries and allowing her to connect with teenagers everywhere. And with the new work, it seems, nothing is destined to change: the first single was released on June 30. A vampireGoing straight to the top of the charts, the second single from the album was released on August 11 last year, entitled Bad idea, right?and this one also went straight into the American top ten, making him Rodrigo first artist to have all of her singles debut in the top 10 positions on the chart. intestines was released a few days ago, let’s see if it sets records and if so, how many.