SOUR: A Melodic Echoe of Young Adult Experiences

By Tamara Giorda and Camila García

As it is commonly heard, music makes the world go round. Songs possess the power to awaken an infinity of emotions, shape personalities, and provide solace during delicate periods. During young adulthood, people begin to define their identities, hobbies, and preferences. One important aspect of this intricate process involves exploring different music genres and finding the ones that resonate with their personal tastes and interests. In this era of social media platforms growth, young adults have the advantage of greater accessibility to rising artists, with whom they can engage and establish meaningful connections. Likewise, these social platforms provide many opportunities for emerging artists to make their products accessible to a wider audience. One singer that has benefited from this transformative power of social media is Olivia Rodrigo.

The young Filipino-American singer's rise to fame was initially achieved through her acting role in the popular Disney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. However, it was not until her debut single “drivers license'', released in early 2021, became viral on TikTok, a video-sharing app, that she gained popularity among a non-Disney audience.[1]

Following the great success of her debut single, at the young age of 18, Rodrigo solidified her position as one of the main pop sensations of this century with her debut album SOUR, which resonated with young audiences with its relatable and honest lyrics. Released on May 21st, this album opened with the equivalent of 295,000 sales in its first week in the US, and almost every song made it into the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[2] Quickly becoming a beloved album, not only does SOUR capture the essence of young adulthood but also allows young adults to hear their own thoughts and experiences reflected in songs. The album, with its relatable themes, creates an authentic sense of connection and understanding between the artist and, her music and young adults, who might find solace and feel validated through Rodrigo’s music.

SOUR is a medley of various genres and styles, from emotional ballads to pop punk. Rodrigo's lyrics are straightforward and remarkably accurate in depicting young adults' experiences. In her album, she portrays a range of emotions and universal themes related to young people's lives.[3] In an interview with The Guardian, Rodrigo states that SOUR feels intrinsically young. As the singer herself states: “Something I’m really proud of is that this record talks about emotions that are hard to talk about or aren’t really socially acceptable, especially for girls: anger, jealousy, spite, sadness, they’re frowned upon as bitchy and moaning and complaining or whatever. But I think they’re such valid emotions” (The Guardian, May 7, 2021[4]).

For instance, this expression of social pressure is executed in a cynical and resentful tone through her verses “And I’m so sick of 17, where my f***ing teenage dream? If someone tells me one more time ‘Enjoy your youth’, I'm gonna cry” (brutal). In this song, Rodrigo reveals society’s obsession with idealising youth and how this obsession overwhelms young adults.

Another typical young adult theme developed in SOUR is insecurities. In the song jealousy, jealousy not only is society criticised but also social media in relationship with its unrealistic beauty standards. “All I see is what I should be. Happier, prettier, jealousy, jealousy” is one of the many verses which express how social media has contributed little to young adult’s mental health.[5] As young adults encounter the eternal interrogation of who they are and where they belong[6], it is essential for them to discover songs such as jealousy, jealousy that serve as a reassuring reminder that they are not alone in their emotions and that even well-known and successful singers can share similar insecurities.

Among other themes such as love and heartbreak, friendship is the chosen one that closes the album. The Filipino-American singer narrates with nostalgic feelings the lives of her two old friends. With verses such as:

“His parents cared more about the Bible/Than being good to their own child. He wore long sleeves 'cause of his dad” (hope ur ok)

“Does she know how proud I am she was created? With the courage to unlearn all of their hatred. We don't talk much but I just gotta say ‘I miss you, and I hope that you're okay’” (hope ur ok)

Rodrigo depicts all the family hardships her old friends faced and sends them a message of support and love. These lyrics could certainly resonate with young adults, as family conflicts and the loss of friendships emerge as common challenges in their lives.[7]

Another allure of SOUR is that Rodrigo writes from a personal perspective due to the age she was when her album was released. The singer describes her music as an extension of her heart, a true reflection of her inner self.[8] The personal touch in her music gives it profound meaning, inspiring a deep and authentic bond between the artist, her music and the audience who feel validated through Rodrigo’s experience.

Her listeners validate this bond through social media. Platforms such as Tik Tok and Youtube have worked as places for young adults to share their love for SOUR and express how it has impacted their lives. In brutal (Lyric Video) on Youtube, the user garlicbread6947 commented: Never thought that a song could describe my teenage years so well.[9] In one of her videos, Tik Tok user sabpar_ shared: I also think that she’s exactly the type of role model that teenage girls today need ... She is validating teenage girls’ emotions just by existing and talking about this kind of stuff in her music. These are a few of the numerous positive comments in relation to Rodrigo’s music that aligns with the previous viewpoints expressed by the mentioned users.

What is evident is the fact that whether the audience is from Disney or Tik Tok, thousands from the younger generations have found themselves in Rodrigo’s album. In just 34 minutes, she manages to capture the unique challenges and realities of young adults’ lives.

[1]

Hale, J. (2021, January 21). TikTok Helps Push 17-Year-Old Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” To No. 1 Billboard Debut - Tubefilter. https://www.tubefilter.com/2021/01/21/tiktok-olivia-rodrigo-drivers-license/

[2]

SOUR’ smash: Olivia Rodrigo’s debut hits #1; sets sales, streaming records – 97.9 WRMF. (2021, May 30). https://www.wrmf.com/sour-smash-olivia-rodrigos-debut-hits-1-sets-sales-streaming-records/

[3]

Sarah Herz & Gallo, Donald (1996) From Hinton to Hamlet: Building Bridges between Young Adult Literature and the Classics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

[4]

Snapes, L. (2021, May 7). Olivia Rodrigo: ‘I’m a teenage girl. I feel heartbreak and longing really intensely.’ The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/may/07/olivia-rodrigo-im-a-teenage-girl-i-feel-heartbreak-and-longing-really-intensely

[5]

Karim, F., Oyewande, A. A., Abdalla, L. F., Chaudhry Ehsanullah, R., & Khan, S. (2020). Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Cureus, 12(6), e8627. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.8627

[6]

Sarah Herz & Gallo, Donald (1996) From Hinton to Hamlet: Building Bridges between Young Adult Literature and the Classics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

[7]

Sarah Herz & Gallo, Donald (1996) From Hinton to Hamlet: Building Bridges between Young Adult Literature and the Classics. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

[8]

Sherman, Maria (2021, May 19) Olivia Rodrigo Talks New Music, Old Gossip, & Breaking The Disney Mold. Nylon. https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/olivia-rodrigo-sour-disney-lyrics

[9]

Olivia Rodrigo - brutal (Lyric Video). (2021, May 20). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM2U8cb8lhI