The global superstar has hit our shores!
Image: Vasili Papathanasopoulos.
A purple hue shrouded Sydney last night, as global pop star Olivia Rodrigo made her long awaited debut in the harbour side city. Taking to the stage at Qudos Bank Arena for the first of four sold-out performances, the singer greeted her devoted fans with a vibrant energy that continued to beam throughout the hit-laden set.
As the candle visual that spelled “GUTS” began to topple, the arena erupted into roars and Rodrigo appeared on stage in a sparkling number performing bad idea right?. She greeted fans and welcomed them to the GUTS world tour, thanking them for joining her. Backed by a punk-inspired all-girl band, the singer teetered the line between pop princess and rock star, delivering delicate songs including traitor, lacy and favourite crime.
Interestingly, the shows first quarter includes some of the singers biggest hits, including the track that catapulted her to stardom; drivers license. By this point, the young woman seated next to me was in tears as she sang (and sometimes screamed) along. I began to look around and take in the sea of emotions that filled the room, led by Rodrigo’s own impassioned performance. Her knack for conversational and relatable lyricism is an estimate to her artistry, and is only elevated within a live setting where thousands of people are sharing space. Looking around the arena, you could spy new friendships beginning to form and a lifelong bond that transcends one stand alone concert.
Her interactions with the audience were beautiful to observe. There was a point where the camera that would once focus on Rodrigo pivoted towards the crowd and showed footage of fans on the big screen. She questioned the crowd, asking who was there with their best friends, parents and partners. At one point the camera pans to an unsuspecting couple, and the singer asks them if they could kiss on the ‘GUTS cam.’ Immediately the man starts shaking his head and points to the woman beside him shouting, “that’s my sister!” Rodrigo notes (through chuckles) that that’s never happened before, and expressed shock that it hadn’t after ninety two shows.
With two critically acclaimed records under her belt, Rodrigo has mastered the curation process as she performed a bevy of tracks from both records. Of course she played all the hits, good for u, vampire, All I Want and get him back!. But she also expertly walked the line of including fan favourites. In particular songs from SOUR such as enough for you, favourite crime and happier - the latter two featuring in an acoustic set - that Australian fans may have presumed to miss hearing live as the singer unfortunately never made it down under on her SOUR world tour. She treated fans with a song not usually played on the GUTS setlist; All I Want - a song written for the Disney show that helped build her status, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
Whilst Qudos Bank Arena can host tens of thousands of fans, Rodrigo, with the assistance of her talented band, dancers and production crew, were able to shrink the size of the arena into what felt like an intimate setting between friends. Known for her empowering and brazen songs, the singer allowed the audience to express all their emotions and let the rage out - quite literally. During all-american bitch she asks the crowd to think of “something or someone that really fucking pisses you off and when the lights go down you’re gonna scream as loud as you can and let it all out for me, okay?” And scream we did.
Rodrigo tapped into something quite unique last night, in that she not only delivered a show; but put on a show. The production was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It was unique, beautiful, transcendent, and worked well with the themes and concepts embedded within her artistry. There were visuals throughout each song that were pre-created, and then spliced in with live footage of her performing on stage. At times the visuals reminded you of iconic punk rock imagery seen in the 80s; think Velvet Underground. Upon entering the arena, stars are floating above the crowd. Following the shows first act, these stars descend from the heavens and Rodrigo begins to float throughout the arena perched on a crescent moon, mingling amongst the stars as the moon made its journey around the stadium floor. It was truly a magical sight to experience, not only visually but to also see fans who were seated further back within the stadium catch a closer glimpse of their idol.
At times she was joined on stage by a dance troupe, creating beautiful compositions and choreography that captured the states of girlhood as she performed songs that explored anxiety, heartbreak, self-image and more. pretty isn’t pretty enough tackled beauty expectations, love is embarrassing, a personal favourite, saw the singer and her troupe bust out some funkier dance moves, and get him back! offered girl boss vibes. The camera work throughout the show was magnificent. Beyond the set cameras at the stage desk, the cameras placed above the stage and beneath offered new and alternate angles rarely seen within live productions. Particularly during the song obsessed, the camera placed beneath the stages walkway captured Rodrigo’s choreography and performance in a way that presented itself on screen as if a music video was playing.
Reaching new heights with her strengthened vocals, it’s clear that Rodrigo has spent the years since her debut tour perfecting her craft. There’s a bold and unapologetic confidence that beams from the singer to her fans. Her distinct tone and phrasing filled the arena, booming from wall to wall as she punctuated the words to songs like jealousy, ballad of a homeschooled girl and deja vu. Where her debut album, SOUR, homed angsty teenage hits, GUTS offers a slightly more mature and nuanced view on falling in and out of love, whilst still capturing the tropes of falling in love during life’s coming of age period. That relatability is what has helped her fill arenas and create an in-depth connection with her audience.
However it was the shows second half that pushed past angsty teen into punk-rock front woman. The three track run of brutal, obsessed and all-american bitch brought the heat. Donning a red cropped jumpsuit, she captured the power of iconic front women Debbie Harry, Amy Taylor and Joan Jett. She commanded the stage and her audience, who ate up every word and were mesmerised by the rhetorical spectacle unfolding before them. Much like global pop icons Taylor Swift and Beyonce, Rodrigo has tapped into a vein within the world of music that focuses on the unity of people and the power of music.
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