The following was written in 2021 and published here for the first time.

Perhaps there is something inherently melodramatic about breakup songs, but Olivia Rodrigo’s debut album Sour is also notably balanced. “déjà vu” and “good 4 u”—both excellent tracks—are angry and sarcastic, but “traitor” opts for a sadder tone of devastation. On “happier,” Rodrigo seems mostly genuine in wishing her ex happiness in his new relationship, the song hinging on the clever line, “I hope you’re happy, but don’t be happier.” The blockbuster single “drivers license” is a slow burn, earning its moments of highest intensity—and its place as one of our era’s standout pop songs. “drivers license” is an ambivalent breakup song; despite her feeling of abandonment, Rodrigo is sorry that her friends will never know her ex like she did. But the song’s greatest strength is its relatability for many—it feels like what it feels like to be a late teenager disappointed in the suburbs.

Sour also achieves a successful musical balance, adeptly drawing on different shades from the palette of pop and rock to match each track’s subtly different mood. The album’s poignant closing song, “hope ur ok,” looks ahead with hope for two friends going through struggles. While in some ways a thematic departure, it is of a piece with the rest of the album in its attempt to come to terms with the difficulties of growing up. And on this final track, Rodrigo wishes her friends the best in charting a path forward. Sour is a strikingly well-conceived and well-executed debut—and you don’t even have to know anything about whatever drama there may be on the set of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.