Two years after Olivia Rodrigo rose to international acclaim with the release of her debut album, Sour, new music from the 20-year-old singer is finally on the horizon.
Rodrigo’s star was born in 2021 when she dropped “Drivers License,” Sour’s lead single, which became a worldwide hit seemingly overnight. She went on to dominate on the awards circuit, scooping up three MTV Video Music Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, a BRIT Award, and three Grammys.
After leaving fans patiently waiting for two long years, Rodrigo is at last planning to deliver her sophom*ore album. Read ahead for everything we know about the project so far.
Guts will drop on September 8.
Rodrigo revealed the album's title and cover art in late June. The cover features the singer lying down against a dark purple background while wearing a satiny purple bra peeking out from underneath a black tank top. She bites on to her thumb while extending her hand, displaying an array of silver rings spelling out “GUTS.”
“My sophom*ore album GUTS comes out september 8th. i am so proud of this record and I can’t wait to share it with you all,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.
Rodrigo previously teased the album's title in an interview with Billboard last year. “I have a title for my next album and a few songs,” she told the outlet. “It’s really exciting to think about the next world that’s coming up for me. I just love writing songs. I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself. [I want to] just sort of explore and have fun right now.”
The tracklist includes 12 songs.
The Grammy winner released the official tracklist on August 1. She also shared the cover art for the back of the album, featuring her hands framing her open mouth, including a chipped black manicure and bright red lipstick.
- “All American Bitch”
- “Bad Idea Right?”
- “Vampire”
- “Lacy”
- “Ballad of a Homeschool Girl”
- “Making the Bed”
- “Logical”
- “Get Him Back”
- “Love Is Embarrassing”
- The Grudge”
- “Pretty Isn’t Pretty”
- “Teenage Dream”
The first single, “Vampire,” dropped on June 30.
The track was produced and cowritten by Dan Nigro, who previously collaborated with Rodrigo on Sour.
Of the song's inception, she recalled, “I was upset about a certain situation and went to the studio alone and sat down at the grand piano, and the chords and melody and lyrics just poured out of me—almost like an out-of-body experience.”
Rodrigo announced “Vampire” in an Instagram post on June 13. The song’s artwork features a black-and-white portrait of Rodrigo in side profile. She wears dark lipstick, winged eyeliner, and two lavender Band-Aids forming an X on her neck.
“My new song vampire is out june 30th! you can presave now,” she captioned the photo at the time. “So excited for this ahhhhh!!!!!!! 🖤🩸💜🫀❤️”
She also joked about the news in a TikTok, which fittingly opened with the audio of Taylor Lautner’s most iconic line from the Twilight movies: “Bella! Where the hell have you been, loca?!”
She released the second single off of Guts, “Bad Idea Right?,” on August 11.
Rodrigo once again collaborated with producer Nigro for her second Guts single, “Bad Idea Right?”
The pop punk track captures the back-and-forth mentality of someone who finds themself, against their better judgement, lured into the bed of an ex-lover.
“I had such a fun time making this song with @dan_nigro in nyc last year,” Rodrigo said on Instagram. “We wrote the chorus as a joke but we loved it so much we made it into a full fledged song lol! I had a ball making the music video with my friends @petrafcollins @madisonhu @tatemcrae @irisapatow and I’m so happy it’s out in the world. u can listen and watch now!!!!! ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹”
She dropped an Easter egg about the second album in an anniversary tribute to Sour.
While celebrating the second anniversary of her debut album’s release, Rodrigo also had her eyes set on the future.
In a newsletter shared with fans on May 21, 2023, the Grammy winner shared a handwritten note that appeared to offer a clue about forthcoming music. The note read:
I cannot believe its been 2 years since SOUR came out. That album will always be so so special to me & I’m so grateful to you guys for embracing it the way you have. I’m taking today to reflect on all the amazing things that have happened since SOUR and looking fORward 2 all the things to come.
With the unusual capitalization of her initials and the inclusion of the number two, fans quickly put together that the “OR 2” era must be imminent.
In an Instagram post that same day, Rodrigo confirmed that the second album is on the way.
“SOUR turns 2 years old today. no words could ever describe how much this album means to me and how insanely grateful I feel for every blessing it has brought into my life. the new stuff is so so so so so close to being done I pinky promise 💓,” she wrote.
Chelsey Sanchez
Digital Associate Editor
As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.
