Olivia Rodrigo is no stranger to young love and the heartbreak it ultimately brings. Her first two albums explored similar themes through the genres of pop, pop-rock and pop-punk. Her third studio album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” leans into the sounds of ’80s alternative music while addressing the changes in her personal life, marking an exciting turn in her career.
I’ve been a fan of Rodrigo since her first album, “SOUR,” which kickstarted her career by playing up teenage angst in a series of pop ballads. Although I enjoyed that album, I prefer her follow-up, “GUTS,” which leaned more into her pop-punk influences. “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” retains the same core ideas of insecurity and bottled-up emotions signature to Rodrigo, while dabbling in sounds previously unheard from her.
The album dropped on June 12 through Geffen Records. Upon release, it immediately made waves, reaching No. 1 on the charts in 20 different countries, including the United States, according to Billboard. The lead single “drop dead” also debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in five countries.
Seemingly inspired by her breakup from actor Louis Partridge in Dec. 2025, Rodrigo stays true to her roots of sad love songs while also venturing into new, exciting territory. Split into two parts, the first half of the record contains songs about intense love and how amazing it feels, as if she is trying to convince both the listener and herself. The second half instead laments the end of the relationship through more adventurous sounds akin to ’80s alternative bands.
From front to back, the album drew me in and kept me hooked. “stupid song” takes the listener on a whirlwind of hopeful romance through bouncy vocals and instrumentals. “maggots for brains” leans into Rodrigo’s indie-rock influences with tongue-in-cheek lyrics and soft guitars that paint a jaunty rhythm. The catchy synth beat and monotone backing vocals on “expectations” remind me of ’80s bands like Devo or Oingo Boingo—artists who clearly influenced Rodrigo and the album as a whole.
My favorite song is “what’s wrong with me,” which features vocals from Robert Smith of the goth-rock band The Cure. The song tells the tale of Rodrigo facing physical symptoms from illness due to relationship troubles. It did not disappoint in the slightest as Rodrigo’s first track in her discography to feature another artist. The influence from ‘80s synth tracks is present throughout the album, and it comes to a head on this song. The light, faux-happy instrumentals coupled with tragic lyrics are staples for ’80s bands like The Smiths and The Cure. Smith’s signature vocals complement Rodrigo’s nicely, and his solo verse sounds beautiful.
While most of the tracks stand on their own, a few get lost among the rest. “less” and “begged” fall back into the traits of some of the more forgettable songs from Rodrigo’s first two albums. Her slow ballads often blend together and fail to draw me in, as opposed to her genre-defying tunes that get stuck in my head for days. They are not bad songs, but those two tracks could have been cut to create a more cohesive record.
With every record, Rodrigo has shown significant growth as an artist. Her music has always felt a bit different from that of her peers, as it leans more into themes of angst and anger while wearing her musical influences on her sleeve. Her newest album stays true to these elements while also reflecting the changes she has undergone, both as a young adult and as a blossoming artist.
I’m excited to see what her next album has in store. I would rate this album an 8/10.
“you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music.
