MOSCOW – Olivia Rodrigo is dominating the charts with her new album “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” that came out early this summer.
Listen to the author read this review:
She decided to not keep up her signature four-letter album title tradition (her last albums were called “GUTS” and “SOUR”).
As Rodrigo joked, she “learned more words.” In reality, the phrase “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” was coined by her producer Dan Nigro.
The album split into two halves: “girl so in love” – narrator’s songs and monologues with awe-inspiring feelings and “you seem pretty sad” – toxic ballads about problems in relationships.
Rodrigo often talks about her love for the musical band “The Cure” that filled her new album. First, the song of the same name, “the cure.”
This song challenges the cliché that “love cures all.” In the music video, Rodrigo is a nurse. She tries to make the healing elixir, but she becomes trapped and the red strings – a reference to an Asian myth ‘The Red String’ that people that have meant for each other are connected by an invisible red string – catch her.
The most noticeable mention of Robert Smith, vocalist for The Cure is himself because he’s the co-author of the song “what’s wrong with me.”
Rodrigo, who clearly feels a strong connection with Smith, called him “perhaps, the best songwriter from England” and her “personal hero.”
The ‘80s music era’s influence touched the penultimate song in the album “expectations.” A lot of listeners noticed the influence of the Queen of Pop, Madonna, especially because of the robot voice at the end of the song: “She’s got big expectations” is reminiscent of “Material Girl.”
The song “maggots for brains” is my absolute favorite. It is inspired by the television show “Sex and the City,” specifically the scene where Miranda is crying and saying to Steve that she wants to tell him anything that’s funny.
Rodrigo paraphrased this situation with the line “And everything that’s funny, I wish I could tell to him.” This song sounds to me a bit gothic and very autumn.
This album is a masterpiece. The tracks seamlessly transition from the refreshing “my way” to the tearful “begged.”
So, if you were looking for a pink ballad about love that blows up red threads, then this album is for you.
Yana Daschinskaya is a Junior Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
