drop dead everything
where i do a close reading of Olivia Rodrigo's newest single
the instagram bio is more than just a line of text, it’s a declaration of identity1
it’s your introduction to the (chronically online) world in 150 characters or less.
for example, my own—attempts to distill who i am, who i want to be, and how i think you’ll perceive me into ~3.5 words.
now, imagine you’re not just the average joey, followed by a couple hundred of your closest friends, but a celebrity with millions of fans.
like Olivia Rodrigo—
your bio becomes a public declaration of purpose.
a statement that holds not just weight, but influence.
so, what’s Olivia trying to tell us? what message is she trying to convey?
spicy pisces.
for the astrologically illiterate—that’s a water sign (emotional, artsy, romantic) with some fire, sass, and edge.
in her newest single drop dead, Olivia doubles down and kicks off the chorus with another astrological reference:
Pisces and a Gemini
But I think we might go really nice together
she captures a universal girl-world experience—something we all do when crushing—
check to see whether the stars say we’re compatible
and when we find out we’re not, make excuses for why it’ll work anyways
i do it too
that’s how i know that MY boyfriend and i are actually compatible.
and yea yea yea,
astrology isn’t real
except, i’m a textbook Gemini sun—ask literally anyone—and my Aries moon just makes sooo much sense…
imo, astrology is just another attempt to understand and control this elusive universe
not unlike religion or sports betting
the only difference, is that astrology has been co-opted almost exclusively by young women—and of course, anything young women enjoy is trivialized. belittled. deemed bubblegum
bubblegum refers to music, fashion, or culture that is cheerful, simplistic, and aimed at teenagers or pre-teens.
it often describes pop music with repetitive, catchy melodies or signifies things that are considered light, superficial, or commercial.
in the drop dead music video, Olivia runs through the halls of the Palace of Versailles in a frilly babydoll top and bloomers
strums a bubblegum pink electric guitar
and fantasizes about a boy in similarly-colored wired headphones
she’s havin’ a really good time. skipping and twirling and waving her arms in the air. immune to the monumental high art around her because she’s a girl in love-ish.
it brings me back to my own month abroad in Europe
playing All I Want on repeat. physically, in Milan—living the dream, surrounded by art and culture and possibility. but emotionally, dreaming of life—back in Boston with the boy i liked.
after i returned to the states, Olivia stayed with me
when said boy couldn’t tell me he loved me, looping I Think I Kinda, You Know
and when we broke up, screaming along to good 4 u,
Olivia expertly captured my jumble of angst and pain and romance and yearning. not quite sweet or salty, but SOUR.
and she did it in style—self-aware and with a wicked wit
And I’m not cool and I’m not smart
And I can’t even parallel park- brutal
same, chica
in 2024, i braved the Ticket Master trenches for my very first time in service of Olivia.
i lucked out with 100ish-dollar tix to the tween-stuffed GUTS tour—opened by Chappell Roan, right before she blew up.
Chappell sang about oral sex, as the twelve-year-olds swayed along, oblivious
knee deep in the passenger seat and you’re eating me out, is it casual now?
- Chappell Roan (Casual)
afterwards, Olivia opened with all american bitch—the perfect song for when you feel like you just wanna scream
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
- Olivia Rodrigo (all american bitch)
about the impossible expectations of womanhood™
All the time
I’m grateful all the time
I’m sexy and I’m kind
I’m pretty when I cry
you can almost hear Olivia her biting her tongue in frustration
my best friend and i danced frenetically, screaming at appropriate intervals.
the mom to our right gave us a dirty look, grabbed her daughter by the shoulders, and swapped her to the far side seat.
i laughed, because lady, have you listened to these lyrics?
during traitor, i almost shed a tear
and at the announcement of GUTS (spilled)—the album’s deluxe edition—i jumped up and down with glee.
in the span of 90 minutes, i got express the entire range of emotions—from anger to envy to sadness to joy.
Olivia, like so many women *cough* T-Swizzle *cough* is criticized for oversharing—or spilling her guts—in public. but what’s the difference between oversharing and vulnerability? or between oversharing and providing a mirror for millions of other girls to feel heard and seen—to validate their emotions and experiences through catchy refrains and rock-pop melodies?
in 2025, i attended my first ever Lollapalooza. again, mobilized by Olivia.
when she brought out Weezer, i told my friends—this might be the best day of my life!
i screamed every word of my all time fav—Buddy Holly—while the suburban high schoolers around me sipped on their camelbacks.
at the first twang of the electric guitar solo, i thought i might actually drop dead.
at Glastonbury, she did it again. brought out Robert Smith from The Cure to sing Friday I’m in Love and Just Like Heaven.
which turned out to be an easter egg for the opening of drop dead:
You know all the words to “Just Like Heaven”
And I know why he wrote them
Now that you’re standing right here
clever
and so true
because god am i a sucker for that too
a guy who will sing along to Weezer with me
or The Cure
statistically unimpressive. in the same way one is bound to find some ounce of truth in their horoscope.
i mean, who doesn’t know the words to Just Like Heaven—a song with 700+ million streams on Spotify?
or maybe instead of a guy who loves the same Gen X artists as you—those can be erratic little buggers—it’s a pop star with 40+ million followers
and an insta bio wholly inline with who she is and what she stands for
holding your hand through it all
a serious artist. and a seriously good lyricist and singer.
who also likes astrology, bright pink, and boys.
Olivia Rodrigo reclaims bubblegum—infusing it with grit and realness and rock n’ roll
and proves that girlish whimsy, depth, and damn good music are not mutually exclusive.
xx Audrey
p.s. some more of my fav Olivia lyrics:
the hilarious, self-aware, and brutally real one-liners in bad idea right?
Oh, yes, I know that he’s my ex, but can’t two people reconnect?
I only see him as a friend, I just tripped and fell into his bed
And I told my friends I was asleep
But I never said where or in whose sheets
And I pull up to your place, on the second floor
And you’re standin’, smilin’ at the door
And I’m sure I’ve seen much hotter men
But I really can’t remember when
and so american—
God, I’m so boring, and I’m so rude
Can’t have a conversation if it’s not all about you
The way you dress, and the books you read
^^every crush i’ve had, ever
—
girl i’ve always been—which, along with all-american bitch, goes out to every girl who’s been called crazy. chaotic. inconsistent. mean. cold. a bitch. etc. etc.
who’s been told “you’ve changed” after they turn out to be—shocker—a real person with real feelings!
So don’t say that I’ve been actin’ different
I’m nothin’ if I’m not consistent
You knew everything you’d be gettin’
I told you right from the beginnin’
Now you’re on my case, how could I go?
You never dreamed I’d be so cold
And then, with venom on your tongue
You ask me who I have become
—
and all of the songs that give jealousy—a seriously stigmatized and under-explored emotion—its due
like lacy
jealousy, jealousy
and obsessed—
I’m starin’ at her like I wanna get hurt
And I remember every detail you have ever told me
So be careful, babyIs she friends with your friends? Is she good in bed?
Do you think about her? No, I’m fine, it doesn’t matter, tell me
no, this is not written by AI