The long-awaited new era from Olivia Rodrigo officially dropped when the third studio album You Look Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love hit streaming services on June 12. The album brings a fresh sound while still keeping her signature angsty ballads and raw vocals. This 13-track album has sounds of the 90s and Y2K indie rock, taking the listener on a journey from deep love and immense infatuation to the depths of gutted heartbreak. Rodrigo pours her heart out as she paints a vivid portrait of infatuation, charting her journey of falling in love to building herself back up.
You Look Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love kicks off with the lead single “Drop Dead,” setting the tone of the story. The high-energy track features light harmonies, a theme of the album. It chronicles the mounting fixation that blossoms to a crush. “Stupid Song” follows, slowing things down with piano, emulating the soft butterfly feeling that is born when you have a new crush or spend time with someone that you just started dating. The poetic lyricism and catchy melodies attract the listener to play the song on repeat. “Honeybee” continues the same pretty lovey-dovey feeling with piano, harmonies and introduces violin, creating a cinematic romantic ambience ending with a choir. The grand elements and Rodrigo’s raw vocals showcase her true emotions.
The album picks back up with “Maggots for Brains,” a rock-influenced upbeat song featuring electric guitar and drums. The track encapsulates the growing attachment she has for this person. The descriptive lyricism signifies the emptiness Rodrigo feels when her partner is not with her. “U + Me = <3” continues to build that attachment. It’s a feel-good song with 90s rock and The Cure influences. “My Way,” an angsty track, shows the attachment forming into an obsession. “Purple” slows things down again. With melodies reminiscent of Halsey, Rodrigo sings about how the relationship has grown and how their lives morph together.
“I used to visit your town like a tourist / Now I got / A local grocery store and a favorite florist”
This sense of shared identity eventually leads to a painful epiphany. In the track “The Cure,” Rodrigo comes to the realization that she used the relationship as a tool to cover a deeper sadness and to mend the bigger issues. Rodrigo sings, “I thought I found the antidote with you.” Later in the song, she sings “I thought I found the antidote this time,” insinuating that this could be a pattern she finds herself in — using relationships as a way to heal or bring happiness into her life. Another standout lyric is, “My head is full of poison / And my heart is full of doubt / I got toxins in my bloodstream you tried hard to suck them out.” This could be a reference to the track “Vampire” off her sophomore album GUTS.
She lost herself in the relationship but began the journey of self-discovery with “Begged” and “What’s Wrong With Me,” featuring Robert Smith. She noticed that she stayed in the connection by clinging to the hope that the other person would change. She felt unfulfilled but came to the conclusion that the real problem was staying. She explores the gut-wrenching feelings of grieving and the road to coping with a heartache. The heartache continues with “Less,” a slow and melancholy song about the end of the relationship.
The mood shifts with the track “Expectations.” This is a catchy and upbeat track about a newfound confidence as Rodrigo enters the road to healing. She chooses to add value to her life and find love with intention. The song speaks about putting her energy into the right connection by using past mistakes as a way to grow and moving forward with a new point of view. The ending track, “Cigarette Smoke,” closes out the album, showing life after loss. It ties the story in a bow and leaves the listener stunned, feeling the adrenaline rush when you get off a roller coaster, and know the ride is over.
“Gave my heart with zero stipulations / Now I take careful consideration / I’m not kissing any boy that’s passive / Their indecision is painfully unattractive / Past mistakes are just new information / These days I’ve got expectations”
Rodrigo’s You Look Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love is a strong album with high-quality vocals, poetic lyrics, and beautiful instrumentation. It takes you inside Rodrigo’s mind through the highs and lows of immense love and gut-wrenching loss as she rises to the road of self-discovery. This album is a perfect collection of songs to signify what it means to find love in your twenties. She delivered songs that resonate with listeners and invoke emotions — the powerful effect that music has. Rodrigo is a talented songwriter and vocalist who continues to deliver exquisite production.
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