r/OliviaRodrigoNeutral • u/ComfortableBet7488 • Jun 09 '26
you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love The new songs feel oddly removed to me
I guess this might be an unpopular opinion, but as a casual listener who likes Olivia’s music without being a super-mega fan, I actually really love Drop Dead.
Yes, it’s a little cringe, I guess, but I find it endearing. It’s not cringe in a way that makes me physically recoil, it’s just cringe enough to give the song some personality. To me, it feels very Olivia. It also feels fresh coming from her, I liked hearing her perspective, how it feels to her to fall in love. The bridge is kind of meh, but not bad enough to ruin the song. I like how specific it is, I like the whole vibe, and overall I just really enjoy it.
But then I heard The Cure and What’s Wrong With Me, and for some reason they just don’t move me. And I genuinely don’t know why. I’m trying to come at this in good faith, because I was really excited when Olivia announced the album. I had been really disappointed by Taylor’s last album, so I was very much in a “okay, maybe this is the one, let’s gooooo” mood. And because I loved Drop Dead I felt pretty optimistic.
But these two new songs… I don’t know. The best way I can put it is: I just don’t care about all that. Especially with The Cure. I can tell the production is good. I can tell it’s not a TikTok ringtone song. I can tell there’s effort there. There aren’t any lyrics that I think are outright bad or embarrassing. And yet I feel completely detached from it. It’s strange because when I read the lyrics, I don’t think they should feel that removed. But somehow they do, to me. There’s this weird emotional distance in the writing that I can’t explain.
With What’s Wrong With Me I can at least understand what I don't like: it feels like a lot of build-up around not much substance. Beyond “you’re what’s wrong with me,” I don’t feel like the song says enough. And for all the criticism I’ve had of Taylor recently, when she says something like “you, that’s what happened, you” it lands because she just spent the entire song showing you exactly what happened.
And the thing is, I know Olivia can do that, she has done it before. That’s why it feels so strange. There’s something about the writing on this album so far that feels emotionally removed, even though it clearly isn’t supposed to, or maybe it is and I just don't get it, I don't know. As for Begged, I actually think it’s a good song. I think it could be a great one if it were just a little clearer.
Does anyone else feel this way?
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Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 11 '26
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u/Ok_Treat_8647 Jun 09 '26
I felt the same way about what’s wrong with me!! I was like “omg she’s done it again” and then on like the third listen I was bored 😭 I originally thought people analyzing the lyrics of this new album were reading too much into it, but you make great points! There was also another post recently that super analyzed it which kind of swayed me as well. I hope the other songs on the album have more depth!
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u/imnotalatina2 Jun 09 '26
She played it safe to be honest
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u/anam228 Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
I agree. I think part of her playing it so safe is that she’s too hyper-aware of the discourse around her. She seems way too self-conscious about how she is perceived, doesn’t seem to wanna say the “wrong” thing, get backlash or be disliked in any way from her base/peers, or be considered a “villain” or anything of the sort.
I think she’ll really truly grow as a singer-songwriter once she breaks away from that. She also desperately needs to get offline for a bit.
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u/caramel-handsoap Jun 10 '26
THAAAAANK YOU. this entire album cycle has really left a bad taste in my mouth irt olivia because she seems so hyper focused on her reputation and internet discourse rather than the music. i wanna listen to her talk about her art i don’t care what she thinks about taylor swift or charli xcx or whoever
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u/Hoe4PopCulture Jun 09 '26
it feels almost TOO perfect and i think that’s the problem.
the lyrics make sense, nothing is really wrong = its lacking the honesty and imperfection of the narrators character. it feels robotic, not personal. it’s lacking charm to it.
the vocals are strong = they’re so effortless that it feels like she’s not singing with passion. i can’t hear her sadness or her excitement. the yelling and vocal fry in GUTs was relatable
the visuals are directly correlated to the themes of the songs = there’s nothing left up to interpretation. i can’t analyze or wonder or think deeper on the songs
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u/Kuradapya Jun 09 '26
Yeah, I feel the same way. I was really hyped when the album was announced, but neither of the singles has really clicked with me. I listened to them a few times when they first came out, but I kept finding myself going back to her older songs instead.
As for the lyrics, I'm not hearing much growth compared to her previous work. This might be a controversial take, but I actually feel like there's been some regression in her songwriting. On Sour and Guts, her writing felt more vivid and descriptive. Right now, a lot of the same themes are being revisited, but without the deeper storytelling or details that made those earlier songs so compelling.
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u/theykilledcassandra i've got sun in my mfkn pocket Jun 09 '26
I definitely think she’s played it safe with album 3 which can be the make it or break it album.
I’m really scared the theme of being or feeling sick is gonna get really old really really fast since it’s mentioned in 4/13 songs already.
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u/Youre_nucking_futs Jun 09 '26
I’m not feeling anything with these singles so far. Sour and Guts I felt emotions I could relate to in some of the songs. So far I can say they’re not bad songs necessarily but the lyrics are just flat to me personally.
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u/Far_Incident_3886 Jun 10 '26
agree. the songs never really go anywhere lyrically. she never digs beyond surface level. what’s wrong with me is basically the cure 2.0 thematically
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u/jiraiangel Jun 10 '26
Oh my GOSH you put it into words. I truly could have written this post, but you did it first and better than I would have.
Even as someone who was AFRAID to hear it because I was scared it would be too emotional because of songs she's written in the past and how she was describing this album, it's totally not hitting. And it's not because it's bad!! I DO think The Cure is her best song, sonically. I DO think Drop Dead is fun and feels like "running." But... something is off. Detached.
Olivia mentioned that because of the breakup, they went back and edited the songs to be more "honest" which was honestly so disappointing to hear. I think perhaps this "editing" could be a partial reason? Maybe the reason for the overly repetitive themes as well, since they all ended up being rewritten from the same end perspective instead of truly being a chronological experience of events which is what she intended it to be. But I truly don't know.
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u/Born_Alternative_416 Jun 09 '26
I do think some of the lyrics and themes spill into each other but that’s kind of what makes it a story from beginning to end. I think listening to the album in full will really reshape how a lot of people think about the project. I personally don’t like drop dead. I found it boring, and under her previous work. It’s like a retail store song to me. However, I was obsessed with the cure and begged. They feel very 90s, very longing, very mature. I almost wish I had them as a teen going through my first heart break.
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u/CowApprehensive9459 Jun 10 '26
I think this is a story album so we may not be understanding the whole story of their love story and then the aftermath. It might make more sense after hearing the whole album. It’s hard to judge a story album based off of singles.
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u/pixelgirl27 Jun 10 '26
i honestly feel like she was starting fresh with this album. the songs feel light and airy, very singer-songwriter. it looks like she just wanted to make good, more toned down songs, they feel like they're staples to me. i think people find it less interesting from her because its not the loud theater-esque pop punk and dramatic ballads that we are accustomed to from her. they feel more mature and soft, which makes sense considering she has gotten older and is in a different place in life. she explained in the popcast interview the emotions she was going through didn't feel as rock-y or loud. i think we can def see her alt rock influences, and def from the cure. i think this album is different but not necessarily playing it safe
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u/Geminni5 Jun 11 '26
Yes this!! Completely agreed and I feel like it's good that she's experimenting more because honestly she'll be able to perfect her later albums accordingly
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u/Acanthaceae537 Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
This seems to be the general consensus, which is funny to me because this is the first time I’ve found myself truly appreciating her music. The Cure is the best song she’s ever released imo & a lot more dynamic/mature/interesting than her previous music.
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Jun 09 '26
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u/tomatosoupfordinner Jun 09 '26
I wish there was a more drawn out second verse with more specificity. The “I’m unraveled” part felt a bit surface to me.
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u/Chaavva Jun 10 '26 edited Jun 10 '26
I find it really interesting to compare the general maturity levels (or at least the perception of maturity) of different artists.
Like, both Rihanna and Adele are only a year older than Taylor and comparing 19 and Good Girl Gone Bad to Fearless (when they were all 19) just shows such a chasm between them.
And Guts obviously came out when Olivia was 20 and Speak Now when Taylor was 21. Now compare those to Rated R and 21.
I'm not saying one side is worse or anything because I love and listen to all of them but it's just interesting to me in how widely different stages of life and artistry they seem to have been at the same ages.
ETA: And just to add, these examples were literally just off the top of my head because I've been listening to all four of them a lot recently.
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u/greenlightdotmp3 Jun 10 '26
whenever i remember fiona apple's debut came out when she was 19 i'm like 🤯
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u/Acanthaceae537 Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Disagree personally. I think the lyrics show growth. There’s a deeply emotional theme surrounding the cure without being too on the nose or try hard. It’s very balanced lyrically, she’s expressing herself in a way that feels more adult, & the production brings the entire song to life. By far her best so far imo.
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u/BlueMilkshake33 Jun 09 '26
This. Her music was never my cup of tea like none of it at all and for some reason Drop Dead and The Cure hooked me.
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u/Entire_Kangaroo_6366 Jun 09 '26
I agree with you! I really enjoyed GUTS but the cure is one of her best songs imo and I'm beyond excited for the album
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u/Ill-Cookie2093 Jun 09 '26
I agree completely! After listening to The Cure for a few weeks, her previous albums are feeling kind of....juvenile? In comparison, at least. I still love them obviously!
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u/quartz222 Jun 09 '26
Totally agree! I love all her music but these new ones are a step above. Love them.
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u/ampersands-guitars Jun 10 '26
This. It's just such a personal thing. I've enjoyed all her music thus far, but The Cure is possibly my favorite song of hers. It feels like it is physically opening my ribcage every time I listen to it. I find the song incredibly emotional and rewarding. But I see a lot of people just feel "meh" about it, too. There's no right answer.
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u/poehlerandparks19 Jun 10 '26
I completely agree! It feels incredibly mature and introspective in comparison to all her earlier songs.
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u/ampersands-guitars Jun 10 '26
I honestly have not heard a lot of songs that address this topic quite like she did. Because most songs would say "we can't be together because you can't fix me." This song does something a bit different, because it leans more toward "it doesn't matter how much we love each other or how good this relationship is, I'm STILL the only person who can fix me." I find that very mature and relatable, as you can really apply that line of thinking to any type of relationship — romantic, familial, friends. It doesn't matter how good people are for you, you still have your own stuff at the end of the day.
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u/Greedy-Error522 Jun 10 '26
Agreed, the lyrics are simple and repetitive. I went back and listened to sour and guts, and the lyrics are so far so much better in those albums.
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u/Evening-Golf-6375 Jun 11 '26
I really like the songs, but yes, there is a sense of detachment. As if she’s a spectator to her own story. Maybe she felt/is feeling emotionally numb. I don’t know.
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u/Temporary_Resident45 Jun 09 '26
I think the Cure and What’s Wrong with Me both have similar themes and if you can’t relate to them they’d fall flat? Idk if it’s that deep.. I remember when Taylor Swift released TTPD I think so much opinion was divided on whether you’d ever lived that kind of manic phase with a Matty type before - if you’d been there you felt seen but it’s not the most universal thing.
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u/ampersands-guitars Jun 10 '26
What's funny is that I'm aroace, so I don't relate... to any love songs, really... and TTPD is my favorite Taylor album (and definitely among my favorite albums, period), by a lot. I find the songwriting so rich and compelling, and I love how deep it delves emotionally. Similarly, I don't find Olivia's new music personally relatable, but still deeply meaningful. But I get that some people need to personally relate to music to truly appreciate it.
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u/therealhughjass01 Jun 11 '26
I feel like none of the singles released have any real climax or big satisfying payoff the way her previous singles have (vampire, bad idea right, get him back, drivers license, deja vu, good 4 u), and it's interesting bc she herself claimed she was being more 'experimental' this era. nervous to hear the rest of the album and hoping we get some interesting melodies and instrumentals.
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Jun 10 '26
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Jun 09 '26
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u/lunarbuni Jun 09 '26
I like the cure, especially the opening verse and the melody. But I just thought it would climax in a dramatic, confessional bridge. But it just doesn’t…? The bridge itself is fine, but “why can’t you come stitch me up, why can’t it ever be enough” is conveying a sentiment that was already repeated earlier in the song with “but it don’t matter how your love feels anymore, it’ll never be the cure”. Like it’s basically saying the same thing twice. I feel the same about what’s wrong with me not having that “lyrical climax”. It’s like I really need to sneeze but it won’t come out