This May, I was bestowed with the opportunity to attend the GUTS World Tour and see an artist whom I absolutely adore, her name is Olivia; and in the following words I intend to explain to you why she is exactly the type of role model that my fellow teenage girls require, especially in today’s virulent society.
As teenage girls, we are constantly told that all our passions & interests are frivolous and superficial which leads to a toxic accumulation of internalised misogyny; this often evolves to most girls developing a “not like other girls” or “pick me girl” mindset.
On the contrary, Olivia is the antithesis of these harmful constructs: she is the author of cheesy - yet simultaneously wholesome - middle school One Direction fanfiction, she is a huge Swiftie, she is bubbly , she is overexcited, she has copyrighted purple as her signature colour, she has an ebullient nature, she is brazenly the physical embodiment of the stereotypically vivacious teenage girl.
Furthermore, her upbringing as a Swiftie and as a child actress has made her hyper-aware of the prevalence of sexism within the entertainment industry and in her Billboard 2022 Woman of the Year speech, Olivia addressed “young girls out there” stating she is actively “working to make this world and this industry a better place” [for them] .
Multiple examples of these efforts are illustrated within Olivia’s songs; for instance, the opening track of her vastly successful, iHeart Radio Pop Album of the Year sophomore album, GUTS - which if you haven’t yet listened to, you should most definitely check out.
Shortly after the 2-minute mark in “all-american bitch” Rodrigo lets out a high-pitched scream, akin to that of someone imprisoned between being a little girl and being on the cusp of adulthood - a position in which many teenage girls often find themselves in.
In fact, a strong parallel can be drawn between Rodrigo’s pop-punk ballad and Britney Spears, iconic hit “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman”, with the former echoing the latter as a Gen Z update to the early 2000s anthem.
Rodrigo is acclaimed for drawing inspiration from 90s punk girl groups, telling Rolling Stone she “loves riot grrrl bands...Hole, Sleater-Kinney" and this very action ( the scream) encompasses that very ethos and rejects the impossible standards to which society holds women.
The femininity which engulfs this sound is rare as in most genres, a scream is typically performed by a male or a female emulating a masculine demeanour, however, Rodrigo's interpretation not only displays the power of femininity but also dismantles the perception that anger is a feeling reserved for men.
Simultaneously, she claims she is “just like a Kennedy”, most likely alluding to the late former first lady Jackie who due to her abundant poise and elegance was widely regarded as the epitome of a dignified woman and is still considered an icon in modern day.
However, in Rodrigo’s composition, this reference likely represented resentment towards the unattainable standard set for women, as well as the misalignment between meeting the degree deemed suitable by the public and acting as per one’s own wishes.
Moreover, Rodrigo proceeds to assert that she “knows her place” and “doesn’t get angry", mocking the societal pressures for women to behave rightly - an impression further reinforced by the lines "I’m grateful all the time” and “I’m pretty when I cry”.
In addition, the song also features lines such as “Coca-Cola bottles that I only use to curl my hair", which not only references a popular beauty-enhancing technique in the 70/80s but also the strong - yet still widely undiscussed - presence of anorexia and other eating disorders amongst the younger female generation today.
The theme of feminism is a recurring motif throughout the song: in the very first verse, Olivia says she is “built like a mother and a total machine", disputing the widespread notion that mothers and women are the property of someone else, existing with the purpose to serve someone else.
In other instances, Olivia has leaned into the “crazy ex-girlfriend” trope (such as in her latest single “obsessed”) letting people know that what she and countless other girls go through is not acceptable.
As a matter of fact, the roles are often reversed, like Margaret Attwood stated “Men are afraid that women will laugh at them.
Women are afraid that men will kill them.”; a recent demonstration of this appalling truth was the tragic passing of 15-year-old Holly Newton in January 2023 after being stabbed 36 times by her “angry” and “jealous” ex-boyfriend.
Similarly, she has combatted stigma surrounding the sexualisation of teenage girls by unabashedly sporting a mixture of fishnet tights, platform boots, bralettes, embellished micro shorts and mesh slips.
Additionally, her team has often handed out free contraceptives at her concerts and in October 2023, Rodrigo launched the charity fund, “Fund 4 Good” with the “initiative to raise awareness for certain groups that are championing women's issues in America and all of the other territories I'm going to” (Olivia via People Magazine).
Such actions aim to destigmatise the shame surrounding topics that undoubtedly a vast portion of teenage girls experience.
These are just a few examples of Olivia validating the emotions & experiences of teenage girls - and she's doing all of it without bringing down other women - she truly is the perfect role model for teenage girls today (and perhaps we all could learn a few lessons from her too). Like the tank top Olivia wore in Inglewood, California during her GUTS World Tour show, let's all “Liv Laugh Love”.
