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Olivia Rodrigo's generational influence

Jay Caspian Kang writes an article for The New Yorker titled ‘Why Gen X Dads Can Appreciate Olivia Rodrigo’. He initially introduces the connection he has with his daughter, as they both are able to enjoy the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) movie in a way that is relevant to both of their individual childhoods, despite their childhoods having taken place decades apart, due to what he would describe as ‘era-hopping’. By ‘era-hopping’ he’s referring to when media bounces between time periods, the TMNT franchise has continuously produced media since the release of the original 1987 series, therefore, remaining relevant to the younger generations of the past and present. Olivia Rodrigo achieves this same ‘era-hopping’, however, in a little bit of a different way, which I will outline throughout this text.

Kang makes this same link to Olivia Rodrigo’s music as her Sophomore Album ‘Guts’ has just released this past Friday (8th September 2023). He describes listening to the album as “the feeling of being sprayed with a nostalgia hose”, for those born between 1972 and 1985. Due to the album’s likeness to artists such as Wheezer, Bikini Kill, No Doubt, Green Day, and Blondie. Kang also addresses that fact that while other modern artists also draw inspiration from the past of music, Rodrigo does it in a way that makes you wonder if it was her intention or not. He also suggests, many artists are compared to a single other musician or band such a Greta Van Fleet who are constantly compared to Led Zeppelin. Whereas Rodrigo seems to draw inspiration from a plethora of artists, both across the entire album and within individual songs.

While Rodrigo has a talent for creating music that draws upon artists and music of the past, this is a double-edged sword for her career and credibility. Following the release of Rodrigo’s debut album Sour she later added additional writing credits onto the songs ‘Déjà vu’, ‘1 step forward, 3 steps back’, and ‘Good 4 u’. Taylor Swift and her co-writers (Jack Antonoff and St. Vincent) claimed that ‘Déjà vu’ shared similarities to Swift’s ‘Cruel Summer’ and the same for ‘1 step forward, 3 steps back’ and Swift’s ‘New Year’s Day’, which they were awarded writing credit for. Hayley William’s Paramore did the same for the song ‘Good 4 u’ claiming its similarity to ‘Misery Business’, which she too was awarded credits for (and Paramore ex-guitarist Josh Farro).

Contrastingly, upon accusations that Rodrigo included a guitar riff in her song ‘Brutal’ from Elvis Costello’s ‘Pump It Up’, Costello chose not to pursue claims. He stated on Twitter “This is fine by me” and “It’s how rock & roll works. You take the broken pieces of another thrill and make a brand-new toy”. Which is an opinion that many agreed with, particularly as people found the accusations made about Rodrigo’s music to be unfairly preying on the success of a young and upcoming artist. While credit should be given where it is due, I think there is a lot to debate about where the line should be drawn.

While Rodrigo’s music does not remind me of the music that was popularly on the radio throughout my childhood, it does remind me of the music my parents played as I was growing up. So, while I was not alive during the time periods that Rodrigo’s music references (nor was she), I am able to recognise the nostalgia that Kang references in his article. The article itself also pulls on my heart strings a little, as Kang discusses his experience listening as a father to a young girl, something that is bittersweet for me as I lost my father at a young age. Kang has allowed me to imagine that my dad and I would have been able to listen to the album Guts together, through the commonality we could find in her music’s sound and lyricism.

#guts album #olivia rodrigo #sour #sour album

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Olivia Rodrigo - A Rising Star in Music

Olivia Rodrigo is an emerging talent who has made a huge impact on the music industry in an impressively short amount of time. From her breakthrough single 'Driver’s License' to her chart-topping debut album 'SOUR', Rodrigo has firmly established herself in today's contemporary music scene. Particularly as her ability to craft emotionally charged and relatable lyrics has resonated deeply with audiences worldwide.

Her Rise into Stardom:

Just a few years ago, Olivia Rodrigo was relatively unknown and mainly recognised for her 2016 role in the Disney show ‘Bizaardvark’. In 2019 she began her role in Disney's 'High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' as the female lead, a role she continued to play until 2022. This series brought attention to her musical talents and allowed her to gain her own fan base. Then fast forward to today and she's a chart-topping artist. Her journey from a Disney actress to a pop sensation represents her undeniable talent and the power she currently possesses to continue to build upon her successes.

A Quote from an Industry Expert:

Pop music critic for the Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood states that, “Hot on the heels of ‘Driver’s License,’ Rodrigo’s gloriously melodramatic power ballad that came out of nowhere to spend eight weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100, ‘Sour’ might be the most self-aware pop record in recent memory,” (2021).

A Trailblazer for Her Generation:

Olivia Rodrigo's has an impact that reaches beyond her music. She has secured her spot as an inspiring figure of her generation, through her raw and powerful song writing that encourages listeners to embrace their emotions, no matter how complex they may be. Causing her to become a symbol of empowerment and self-expression for a vast number of people.

Embracing authenticity:

So, why should you care about Olivia Rodrigo? She has the ability to represent a generation of individuals who are able to harness their vulnerability, and in her case create art out of it. She's redefining the music industry by proving that genuine storytelling still holds immense value. Whether you're a dedicated fan or a casual observer, exploring Rodrigo's music promises an inspiring and thought-provoking experience. As she continues to progress through her musical career it will become even more clear as to why this young artist is worth your attention, so join me as I explore her music, creative processes, and the impact she is making on the music industry and her audiences.

#guts album #olivia rodrigo #sour #sour album

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Soundtrack to my adolescence:

I became a fan of Olivia Rodrigo from the release of her very first single ‘Driver’s License’. There are a couple reasons to unpack as to why this song resonated so personally with me. Firstly, considering I am the exact same age as Olivia (ironically, we share a birthday), it was pretty easy to apply this song to my life not only through the dramatic teenage, emotional appeal, but through the fact that I was quite literally getting my driver license that year. It came at the perfect time where my friends and I could drive around on our P plates and scream it at the top of our lungs.

The same way in which this single struck personally in my life, so did her debut album SOUR. Releasing halfway through my final year of high school, I was in a period of my life where the grungy and melodramatic album perfectly reflected my experiences of life during that time. Through her songs that covered the adolescent experiences of love, heartbreak, jealously, and healing. While I do find art that I cannot relate to fascinating, I am most passionate about the art I can see myself in, which Olivia is the epitome of, for me.

While sharing the same age/birthday with Olivia may embarrassingly strengthen my parasocial relationship with her, it also allows me to continually find relatability in the life phases she is in. Olivia states in a press release to the Rolling Stone that her upcoming album GUTS is “about growing pains and trying to figure out who I am at this point in my life,” and “I feel like I grew 10 years between the ages of 18 and 20—it was such an intense period of awkwardness and change.”, which heavily appeals to me as I have experienced the most change within the last year of my life.

As Olivia continues to grow as a person (and an artist) I will continually be able to do so alongside her, allowing her music to be a point of consistency and familiarity for me. Finally, I consider her to be a very inspiring person as the accomplishments she has made at such a young age remind me of the potential I have to achieve significant things in my life.

#sour #olivia rodrigo #sour album #guts album