Title: SOUR
Singer-Songwriter: Olivia Rodrigo
Produced and co-written: Dan Nigro
Released May 21, 2021 by Geffen Records
Interest Level: Ages 14+
Genre/Format: Pop, Alt-Pop/Music Album
Awards or Honors: Sour has been listed on the Best of 2021 So Far Lists of Billboard, Rolling Stone, and Exclaim!
Singer-Songwriter Background: Sour is 18-year old Olivia Rodrigo's debut album but she is not new to show business. She began her career on Disney's Bizaardvark in 2016 and is now starring in the second season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series as Nini (Mylrea, 2021). Rodrigo follows in the footsteps of other pop stars who got their start on Disney, like Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and others, but one crucial difference is that she signed with Geffen because it was a label that valued her songwriting abilities (Unterberger, 2021).
Album Description: Sour, Olivia Rodrigo's first album, consists of 11 songs including the hit singles "drivers license," "deja vu," and "good 4 u." All of the songs on the album are about the heartbreak of losing your first love and watching your ex move on to a new relationship. The song "drivers license" shows us her loneliness as enjoys her newfound freedom in the car: "Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street." While in "good 4 u" her anger and resentment start to emerge as she sings, "Well, good for you, I guess you moved on really easily; You found a new girl and it only took a couple weeks." And in "deja vu" she resentfully obsesses over her ex's new love, "So when you gonna tell her that we did that, too? She thinks it's special, but it's all reused." And while Rodrigo's beautiful voice sings these lyrics we understand that the subject of SOUR is indeed sour. However, the final track "hope ur ok" shows us (and her) that she is moving on.
Critical Evaluation: SOUR is a success with both her audience and the critics. Although heartbreak and loss are well-worn themes in music, Rodrigo writes about her own experiences in a manner that many of us can relate to. SNL's skit (see below) with grown men singing along to "drivers license" shows us that the song resonated with people of all ages. That said, her album reminds me of Liz Phair and Alanis Morrisette, which makes me question why we need another album of heartbreak and what makes SOUR unique. I think Stephen Thompson explained it best on a recent episode of Pop Culture Happy Hour: "each generation deserves its own songwriters. Each generation deserves its own perspectives and talents to be expressed on new records." Olivia Rodrigo may retread the ground walked on by others in the past, but she makes it uniquely her own in both her music and lyrics.
Creative Use for a Library Program: I would host a casual get-together where teens can talk about and play their favorite music. I would encourage them to work together to create playlists related to a theme or, even better, to a book.
Potential Challenge Issues: SOUR has an explicit warning label, which might be problematic for some people. My response is that her infrequent use of expletives isn't anything teenagers haven't already heard. Sheltering teenagers from the facts of real life does nothing to help them learn how to navigate their own lives.
Speed-Round Table Talk: Olivia Rodrigo's new album will not leave a SOUR taste in your mouth! Give it a listen because I promise it will be "good 4 u."
Reason For Inclusion: Many teens already know Rodrigo from her roles on Bizaardvark and High School Musical. Plus, her music is wildly popular on Tik Tok, so she is an artist who is already beloved by many. Having her album accessible in a YA collection is important to keeping it relevant and up to date. It's important that teens have access to artists they relate to and who is also a creative role model.
References
Mylrea, H. (2021). Olivia Rodrigo: “It’s important for me to be taken seriously as a songwriter”.
NME.com. https://www.nme.com/big-reads/olivia-rodrigo-cover-interview-2021-
sour-drivers-license-2940697
Rodrigo, O., & SNL. (2021). Drivers License - SNL. Youtube.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPjvCFa8LuE
Thompson, S. (2021). Olivia Rodrigo's SOUR is pretty sweet. NPR.org.
https://www.npr.org/transcripts/999109249
Unterberger, A. (2021). License to Thrive: Olivia Rodrigo Zooms Ahead After 2021’s Biggest
Breakout Hit. Billboard.com.
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