How Olivia Rodrigo is Redefining Girlhood in ‘GUTS’
By Lola Carron
After seeing the GUTS world tour all over my For You Page, I couldn’t help but add all of my favourites from the album back to my playlist! It’s been a year, but tracks like ‘pretty isn’t pretty’ and ‘all-american bitch’ hit just as hard, pulling me back into Olivia’s relatable take on the delightful chaos of girlhood. In a WIRED interview, Rodrigo shared her inspiration for the album title, stating, “I just think it’s an interesting word. People use it in so many intriguing contexts, like ‘spill your guts’ or ‘hate your guts.’ It represents bravery but also intuition—like listening to your gut.” The album offers a candid glimpse into her experiences as a woman, inviting us as listeners to find camaraderie in her journey.
I’m sure we can all relate to feeling the pressure of society’s expectations in a multitude of ways. Even though it can often be a lonely feeling, we’re not alone in that struggle. Rodrigo’s lyrics ‘I’m pretty when I cry’ and ‘I chased some dumb ideals my whole fucking life’ accentuate her suppressed anger and emotional turmoil. The song tells the story like a musical tantrum, comparing the sweet and polished aesthetic that society often demands of women, with the chaotic and emotionally charged reality we are expected to hide. The lyrics are a universal cry, resonating with women but really anyone who has felt the weight of society’s obsession with physical appearance and its judgemental tendencies. ‘Pretty’ is a word that echoes throughout these songs, hinting at the narrow definition of beauty and societal standards that encourage women to be passive and small-minded. The frustration and confusion fuel a rebellion against the gendered enclosure that women are all too often trapped within. The lyrics encourage us to challenge these ideals and what it would be like to break free from these constraints, and take back our stories, redefining our worth in the process!
Olivia knows how to sprinkle in a little fun while singing about some serious topics, proving that women can express themselves boldly without fear of making too much noise! Take her lyric, “Coca-Cola bottles that I only use to curl my hair.” It’s not just a catchy line; but a way to use ultra-feminine marketing to comment on how capitalism and gender ideals intersect in our lives. By name-dropping the iconic Coca-Cola brand, she cheekily nods to the all-consuming nature of consumer culture. Olivia's choice to use these bottles to curl her hair instead of drinking from them, flips the usual message about consumption on its head, turning what could be just a product placement into a fun, ironic twist. Curling hair has always been linked to enhancing beauty, rooted in those vintage ideals that had women bending over backward to fit into a certain mould for male approval. And let’s not forget, sugary drinks like Coke have often been given the side-eye in media and society when it comes to women, only being okay if they help maintain that “perfect” figure. With this lyric, Olivia playfully shows the irony in those beauty standards and shines a light on the pressure women face to be just right in a world that often expects them to stay quiet and compliant. Olivia shows that it's perfectly fine to make a little noise while tackling important issues!
Both tracks share her journey of rejecting conventional femininity while authentically opening up about her insecurities and vulnerabilities. It feels like Olivia is having a heart to heart with her best friends, inviting us all to join in on the conversation about the things that matter to our generation. The GUTS tracklist proves that our girly conversations don’t always have to be lighthearted and silly. Olivia sums it up beautifully when she says, ‘In hindsight, I think a lot of this album is about the confusion that comes with becoming a young adult and figuring out your place in this world. I think that that’s probably an experience that everyone has had in their life before, is just that rising from that disillusionment.’ It’s like she’s inviting us to lean on each other, sharing our experiences to feel seen and heard in this crazy journey of growing up. Because let’s face it, navigating those ups and downs together is what gets us through it!
The raw vulnerability that flows through GUTS strikes a chord with her female audience, acting like a mirror that reflects the struggles we all face in navigating the often tricky waters of a patriarchal world. With a dreamy melody paired with unapologetically bold lyrics, Olivia shines a spotlight on the female mask we all wear. In this social media era, where every scroll reveals a picture-perfect world and every like feels like a verdict on our worth, the pressure to look flawless is intense! Perfection has a magnetic pull that’s hard for us to resist. Even though we know those beauty standards are totally unrealistic, we still find ourselves posting on social media and bracing for the judgement of our followers. Olivia captures this feeling when she sings, “I scream inside to deal with it,” giving us an achingly honest peek into the emotions we often hide away. After that powerful scream, she follows up with, “I’m grateful all the time,” creating this beautiful chaos that challenges the age-old idea that women should keep it all together. It reminds us that beneath the cool facade lies a whirlwind of imperfections and societal pressures. This idea seems super important to Olivia, especially with the title of her eleventh track, “pretty isn’t pretty,” which highlights that expressing pain or frustration doesn’t make us any less strong. It flips the script on the outdated belief that showing our feelings is a sign of weakness. Olivia’s music is truly a game-changer, reshaping how we see and talk about these crucial topics and sparking a shift in how society views women and gender!
