Olivia Rodrigo is easily becoming one of the most interesting artists in mainstream music. My listening experience with her has been somewhat sour (no pun intended). Initially, I thought she was just another generic, boring artist who is heavily influenced by Taylor Swift. SOUR didn’t convince me much. Sure, she had some hits that are enjoyable but overall, I found her corny. GUTS was a major improvement, but nothing great. The writing got better, yet it felt too childish for me to fully gravitate towards it. For this new one, I’m just calling it Pretty Sad. The title is already a bit corny and lengthy. However, this is my favorite of hers so far. She takes some risks here, dipping into synth and dream pop realms alongside some nice folk progressions and thoughtful sequencing. I mentioned this in my drop dead single review so I’ll quickly recap. The synth and dream pop crowd is already a bit overcrowded for mainstream, so I was worried she’d get derivative critiques and it is a valid concern here. Sadly, drop dead does nothing for me. That said, I do enjoy this more than I was expecting to. She still has some juvenile and childish moments, but there’s a larger sense of maturity and reflection woven throughout. The silly bits work better in this context, and I can tolerate it. With this in mind, I do hope we get to continue this sense of maturity and improved songwriting as her catalog evolves throughout the years. There’s quite some standouts here as well. The cure is my favorite song of hers by far. The buildup with the acoustic guitars is gorgeous and blended with her vocals, makes for a breathtaking experience. What’s wrong with me featuring Robert Smith (lead singer of The Cure) is another favorite, mostly because of Smith. I love how dreamy and dramatic this feels. The closer, cigarette smoke works perfectly too: a hazy, dreamy, reflective peace (sort of). One thing I appreciate more across her catalog lately is how she’s starting to feel more authentic.
Jun 30, 2026